I admit, I do. It's irrational and even though I want to be fair and square (which I do by actions), but in my heart, Saku will always be my heart dog. I love my other dog Mina too but it's a bit different. Luckily, her daddy (my hubby) favors her more than Saku because he always wanted a female shiba.
Our shibas seem to know this too. Mina "click" with my husband from day 1. Mina would curl up to him and "air hump" at his presence (later on I learn it's a sign that she is excited to see him), but she never air humps me (I don't know if I should be happy or feeling at loss). Verse versa, I can always count on Saku to respond to me but he will only do a half-ass job when my husband asks him to do something.
I actually asked my trainer if it is normal in a multi-dogs household. I guess I was struggling with my conscience. She said it's human nature and she can't help but loves one dog a little bit more than the others too and it's just something we should live with.
I just wonder how about other multi-shibas (dogs) owners? Do you also favor one dog over the others and how do you manage living with this?
Conker is my dog. Juneau and Sasha are Mom's/family dogs. I highly favor him over them in some instances, but I give them all attention. I'm the only one who walks any of them, feeds them and makes sure they are in good condition so really, they are all mine in terms of care. But Conker is mine, always will be, and is my favorite. I'm not ashamed to say that.
right now we only have brewster and someone offered us a substancial amount of money for him but we declined :) so when we make our family bigger i feel bad sayin it but brewster will always be a daddys boy ;) hell always be numero uno lol
I would say I favor Jackie more, because she's small and dependent on us. Bootz is the exact opposite of Jackie. Bootz is very well socialized and independent. I love them both the same. But Jackie is my girl, and Bootz is my boyfriend's.
Hmm, I will insist that I love both my Bows equally, because they are so different and provide very different kinds of satisfactions. My boyfriend definitely favors Bowdu though. He often chants as he pets him, "Shiba inu is BEST inu!"
As individuals both my Shibas have different strengths and weaknesses. Certain things I like about one are offset by the things I like about the other. If I had to choose to get rid of one then it would be my wife (joke).
I definitly favor my male GSD Sinister over all of my other animals. Sinister is my world, I dont think people really understand my love for him. It sounds crazy but I am a 23 year old female that lives alone in the ghetto, I have Scleroderma on my right arm which means my right arm is basically useless. I would not be able to live alone on my own without Sinister, he makes me feel safe and I know he would protect me if needed. He is my shadow, my heart and my best friend. I'd do anything for him. He keeps me calm and happy. There will never be another dog like him, he is perfect.
Lauren
Sinister ~ 3 yr old black male GSD 3.11.09 Malice ~ 9 mth old black female GSD 6.19.11
I love all of them for their different behavior, and some days I love one more than the other (depending on who is being good or at least charming, or who is driving me crazy). Of course, I try to treat them all equally.
But Toby is my heart dog for sure. He's the oldest (8) and can be a major pain in the ass with his dog reactivity and the fact that he doesn't tolerate any other dogs, and so has to be kept separate, but I love him like crazy. With all the problems we've had in our household with dogs not getting along, I've known the easiest "solution" in our house would be to rehome the one dog that can't get along with the others, but who is always charming and well behaved with people. He's the one (Bel is simply to crazy and needy and skittish to go to another home), and now that he has to be separated from the other two dogs, there are times that I think he might be happier in a home where he was the only dog.
But I love him like crazy. I can't imagine not having him in my life, and I spent thousands of dollars I didn't have and lots of energy and heart ache to keep him alive after Bel nearly killed him. I can't imagine not having him in my life, and I know, of all of them, he's the one I could never let go of.
I love Bel, as crazy, needy and dangerous as she can be. It's why she still here after all her problems--she's crazy, but can be so charming and sweet (to me). I love Oskar the Akita--how wonderful, sometimes, that he is NOT a Shiba, and he's such a huge big baby--soft (in both fur and temperament) and yet still protective, and just a funny boy, who makes the most wonderful wiggly hop when he sees us. (Oskar favors my husband, a bit, but that's fine--my husband loves him the most of the three).
Currently our only pet is Sakura, but my husband someday wants to get either a black and tan shiba (he claims so he can tell them apart) or an Akita. Sakura by all acounts is my dog, when she is sick I stay up with her to make sure she is ok, when she has just gotten her shots, I'm the one she comes to for cuddling (I think more for my body heat to soothe her aches). I'm the one that spends hours researching and looking for things that don't set off her allergies. Despite all of this, I think she favors my husband more. Perhaps because I am here almost all the time and my husband is gone at school most days. She is so happy when he comes home and her sleeping spot of choice when he is gone is on his computer chair.
If we someday get an Akita, I think that will be my husbands buddy, as he has always wanted a big dog and honestly, I couldn't handle him.
Thank goodness, I only have one dog. :) I don't think I can be fair if I have more than one dog in the family but I'm planning to add another dog. I hope all would go well. :)
@AkimAkita Yeah, since Conker is *my* only dog right now despite the Girls being here, It makes sense that I paint him as my favorite. But what happens when I get another dog what is actually mine, I wonder?
I love all 3 of my babies, and spoil them all rotten. But Khali is my baby girl, she was my first Shiba and she definitely is a mommas girl and let's it be known that she is mine. :)
I have two and they are so different in personalities. I live alone and have become as close to them as a parent does a child.
Scout is the more "typical" Shiba as she is very aloof, independent and cat like. I got her when she was 10 weeks old and all of 5 pounds. I was a first time dog owner and the two of us learned together. (Darn I wish I knew of this forum then) However she is the one by far who misses me the most if I'm away. My freinds who watch them if I go out say she is fine for the first few hours but then stares out their window waiting for me. When I come home for lunch each day and after work she is always in the window expecting me. But then when I come in she just sits on the top of the couch and doesn't move, just looks at me as if to say "about time." When it is bedtime she'll follow me upstairs, may even jump on the bed for a few minutes but always heads back downstairs to sleep on the couch. On our walks she just moves along, though every once in a great while she will stop and look at me as if to say "everything OK?" and I'll give her a little pat and she moves along again.
Shadow is much more of a typical dog. I got him when he was 8 months old, and he has had a bunch of health and behavior issues. My vet and trainer both say he is the luckiest dog they have ever known as most owners would have "put him down" a long time ago. I've made up my mind I will give him the best life possible, while always having to "manage" him. It is difficult because he is so friendly to every dog and person he meets, but I do keep him away from almost all contact with other people except for our friends on the street who are considered family. He follows me everywhere throughout the house and sleeps huddled against my chest and shoulder. When I come home he howls with delight when he senses I'm coming in, greets me at the door 100% of the time with tail wagging and a goofy grin on his face.
I tend to favor Shadow a bit more because he craves attention and is receptive, though I purposely try to engage Scout but much of the time she just wants to be left alone. My feelings towards them are equal I think. Scout because she has been with me from the start, Shadow because we have been through so much together.
