Bento Shiba Inu Chicago, IL

My name is Bento and I’m looking for my forever home. My “must haves” are a securely fenced yard and no little kids (older, calm kids are okay). I’m 4 years old and I weigh 30 pounds. I came to my foster home here in Cedar Falls, IA, from a commercial breeding facility where I helped make puppies. I’m still figuring out this crazy new world. There are so many new smells and sounds and things to explore! I’m getting braver and braver every day. I’m curious about everything. The humans here are fascinating. I follow them around and listen to their funny sounds and watch what they do. When they aren’t looking, I’ll sneak up and settle down near them, but I’m still pretty skittish and shy if they’re paying attention to me. Sometimes one of the teenagers will scritch me on the head. I think I might like it – maybe. When I see something new that I want to explore, I’ll poke it with my nose. If it moves, I’ll jump and scamper away. Foster mom thinks I’m hilarious – and handsome too! Between you and me, I’m very smart. I like to collect things and will swipe foster mom’s keys or the TV remote and hide them. You see, I love watching TV – especially Bluey and Rom-Coms. So far, foster mom won’t let me keep the remote. But I do have things of my own here, like my Lamb Chop toy that I cuddle with every night. There are other Shibas who live here and I get along with them. I like to watch them. I’m learning from them about this new life. If my forever home had a nice resident dog, that would help me learn to feel safe. It would also be great if you have experience with shy, fearful dogs like me. There is also a cat here and I don’t mind her, even when she gets bossy and smacks at me. I’ve been to see the vet and I am neutered and up-to-date on my vaccinations. The vet says that I have a heart murmur (grade 3), but that doesn’t bother me. I don’t need to take any medicine and it shouldn’t impact my daily life. I also have a low-grade luxating patella (loose knee cap) in one knee. The vet says it’s not severe enough to need surgery. For me, annual check-ups will be good to make sure I continue to be healthy. I’m potty trained, but I’m still learning how to ask when I need to go outside, so keeping me on a schedule is a good idea. I will use a potty pad inside if they are available. Since I’m easily spooked, it’s important that I have a securely fenced yard with no gaps to squeeze through or dark secret places to burrow and hide if I panic. My foster mom says that I’m such a good boy! If you’re patient and gentle with me, I promise I’ll be the best boy ever! If you live in the Midwest and are interested in me, visit www.savingshibas.com/adopt for more information and to start the application process. The application process helps SIRA learn more about you and your home environment so they can tell if we’ll be a good match. Once approved, SIRA will introduce you to my foster mom so we can meet!