Uni The Shiba Inu

Our Uni has turned one this month and I would like to address how much laughters, love, cuteness, and troubles she has given us throughout the year. Since the"Doge" has become the internet sensation a few years ago, we have developed this longing for getting a Shiba Inu. We went on a search for many different breeders and it took us around 3 years to finally get to Uni.

I grew up in Japan where I thought I was familiar with Shiba really well. I realized I didn't know anything about this furry creature. I thought Shiba Inu would all have the same face and they would all behave in the same ways. I was totally wrong. Uni has her own little personality that is unique to her.

Among her fellow shiba friends, Uni is on a shy-side, very delicate, a little insecure, but mostly social. At home, she is very cuddly, playful, naughty, and a drama queen at times; especially when it comes to clipping her claws and taking away her favorite treats.

We like calling her Uni-mus or Ms. Mus because of her lady-like behaviors. (Mus means a mouse in Danish by the way. It is used to describe a cute little living thing). I thought dogs would eat their meal like a beast like what I used to see in the movies and other homes. Uni, on the other hand, is a very picky and careful eater. She sometimes lifts one of her front legs like a little lady, carefully and slowly licks her food, and has to pick up any kibbles spilled outside before finishing what's inside the bowl. She is not only picky on food but also on her walks. After 10 minutes of sniffing and having to walk over several grass patches and fields, she still hasn't decided where to do her daily duties. The grass has to be clean, perfectly dense, and green.

Uni came to our home last fall. She was tiny and had the little saggy ears. She was nervous in the beginning but quickly learned how to do tricks, how to fetch, and how to chew and destroy our a few hundred-dollar carpet. We saw her very first zoomie or Shiba 500 on the night we brought her home. (which means running around super fast like a crazy dog.) She used to like being carried like a little princess. It was easier when she was only 6 lb. Now she is around 20 lb. Shibas are known to be socially awkward dogs but Uni was a natural human lover (dogs, not so much when she was a puppy), wiggling her tails, rolling over, and asking for belly rubs.

We also went on many adventures together doing road trips, camping, hiking, and shoppings. Our Shiba friends have complemented Uni that she was very good at posing for the camera. After looking through her past photos, it is true that she is a rare dog that can sit still during my annoyingly long and insistnet photography sessions. Uni has her own Instagram page at Shibaunimus if you would be interested in her daily and weekly updates.

Early last year, we experienced a terrible and extremely rare loss of a little life, which I carried in my belly for 5 months. We fell into the case of one in more than millions. This was hard to believe and it was indeed the most difficult time of my life. But I'm now in a good place to let this go and move on. Uni came to our home a few months after the sad event like a little storm into our life. There was a puppy available right on spot the day I called the breeder, who told us a few weeks ago there wouldn't be enough puppies to give out. And there she was. We flew over to Oregon to meet Uni in 4 weeks. She was a fragile little nugget, that could barely move in my arm.

The nice thing about having a dog is that they teach you a very important life lesson; a simple joy. Life is all about eating, sleeping, and playing and that's all that matters. But I also discovered that they are more than just a simple life sometimes. Uni has great empathy for our emotions. On a sad day, she comes around, licks my face, and curls up and places her body against me. She is our cheerleader, the best companion, and a loving family member.

On her birthday, I baked a dog friendly cake, bought a bunch of toys and treats, and took her out for a playtime. We fed her mini sushi for an appetizer and pieces of a steak as a main course. What a great life to have as a dog! I think a lot about how precious any living life can be and we will make sure Uni gets the best doggy life.

Thanks for coming to our home and Happy Birthday Uni!!

Greetings in Japanese

愛犬のウニちゃんが今月一歳になりました。ベイエリア特有の気持ちのいい秋の気候の中、オレゴン生まれの彼女は長いロードトリップを経て我が家に来てくれました。元からややナーバスで繊細な性格のウニは、食にも便にもこだわりが強く（笑）、なかなか女子力の高い柴犬です。外ではすまし顔でおりこうさんなので、柴友からよく褒められるも、家の中ではわがままやりたい放題。なんかどこかで見たような...............。

過去の写真を振り返ると、いろいろなことを一緒にしたなとしみじみ思います。初めての旅行、初めてのキャンプ、初めてのクリスマス、そして初めて一緒に迎えるお誕生日。ウニちゃんの日常はインスタグラムに綴られています。興味のある方はShibaunimusにて。

去年の初め、人生で一番辛いといえる出来事がありました。小さい命を授かり５ヶ月という普通だったら安定期といわれる時期に悲しいお別れをしました。ウニはその数ヵ月後に家にやってきて、たくさんの愛嬌と愛情を振りまいてくれました。命の儚さと大切さを学んだ一年。犬の親バカと言われるかもしれませんが、今では大事な家族の一員。大切に育てていきたいと思います。我が家にやってきてくれてありがとうそして、ハッピーバースデー！