Main Entry: Shi·ba Inu
Pronunciation: \ˈshē-bā-ˈē-nü\
Function: noun
Etymology: Japanese shiba-inu, from shiba brushwood + inu dog
: any of a breed of small thick-coated agile dogs developed in Japan
Kit is twice the size of Nova. I always thought Nova didn't really have canine etiquette. When I took her to the dog run, she made her rounds, greeted all the people, and ignored all the dogs. Maybe she is socially retarded in the canine world as she always seemed more interested in people than dogs. So it was good to hear she is communicating and standing her ground when Kit came to bully and take her marrow bone. After being snapped at by Nova, Kit backed off with a sad bashful face.
In real life, Nova surprisingly hates sweaters. It's been super cold out and I tried to get her wear one her owner left. She hates it. Nova will run away from me if she sees the sweater in my hand.
Hope everyone had a great holiday! Kit and Betsy opened their Christmas gift. After watching Mac the shiba inu play with his Kong Wobbler, I decided to get one for Kit and Betsy:
You'll notice Mac plays with his Kong Wobbler very nicely. Kit and Betsy play with utmost animal desperation and urgency.
Just a little break. I bought a fox plush pattern via Etsy awhile ago in hopes of making plush Shibal Inus. The whole thing was written in Japanese! So I had to wait until I had the time to figure it out. I made a practice shiba inu head tonight. Here is Betsy's head minus eyeballs:
Meanwhile, Rain is still perfecting dog beds for Kit and Betsy:
I watched a NOVA documentary called "The Science of Dogs". It featured a border collie from Austria named Betsy who had a vocabulary comprehension of 300+ words. Shibal Inu Betsy only has a vocabulary of 2 words: "studio" for the photo studio she and Kit sometimes run around in and "Gina". It appears "Gina" doesn't really mean me. "Gina" seems to mean someone exciting is at the door. If you say "Gina" to Betsy, her ears will perk up and she will look expectantly at the door even when I'm sitting right next to her in the room.
Michelle tells me Natto now knows the names of all her family members. I tried to teach Betsy "toy" and "bone" to expand her vocabulary (woah, flashback. Am I turning into my overachieving straight A enforcing Korean mom who sends her kids to S.A.T. after school academies?) with no luck. Anyone got any suggestions?
Rain got rid of Kit and Betsy Ikea beds because they were old and smelly. This gave him opportunity to practice using an old skool Singer sewing machine he ordered and sew up some nice dog beds. Turns out, the foam he used to stuff one of the beds was too dense and uncomfortable for the shibas to sleep in.
This is what ended up happening: Betsy insisted on sleeping in the cardboard toy box like a homeless person. Makes me wonder how long it took her to make this bed considering she does THIS.
Kit and Betsy like to gnaw on marrow bones as a snack. It helps keep their teeth clean and keeps them occupied. It's funny to watch them try to bury it.
Anyways, I know it's not Thanksgiving yet but I like to be prepared for the upcoming winter holiday. This year's Shibal Inu holiday card is now available at the Etsy store! Last year's design is also available: (2010 Shibal Inu Holiday Greeting Card)
Hope everyone had a great Halloween! Oofah~ I've been busy! The toy company is wrapping up developing new toys for next year and I've had other personal projects taking up some time.
I'll give you a sneak peek (a little treat, if you will) of one thing I've been working on this week: Aw yeah! Shibal Inu tote bag! Am crossing fingers hoping this will happen. Will keep yous posted.
Forgive me. The cartoons will be back. I do my best to post once a week. If I skip one, I'll end up doing two the next. For now, I'll at least leave you with this: Whoever made this jack-o-shibal is super super awesome! What's better to scare the trick-or-treaters away than a hungry shibal inu clutching his growling tummy? Don't mess with a hungry dog!
I do not think dogs need clothes and doggy sweaters unless it's for functional purposes. Like the time I knitted Betsy a sweater because her undercoat hadn't grown in time for cold weather and she was shivering during walks (Sweater FAIL btw. Betsy hated her sweater). Although I think costumes can be fun when done in tasteful manner. Rain won't let me dress the dogs up for Halloween though. Otherwise, Kit would be superman and Betsy would be Robin Hood as done by Shio.
Speaking of knitting, I went to the Duchess County Sheep & Wool Festival with Nova's owner Jenni and my friend Laura this past weekend. We got to see sheep dog demonstrations! I learned that border collies are total OCD workaholics. They are happiest when all their sheep are gathered and in order. What super smart and well behaved dogs!
[Workaholic at work - Rhinebeck, NY]
[It's been a long day - Rhinebeck, NY]
[OMG they lemme hold one. Shot by Laura - Rhinebeck, NY]
[Look out world. Almost ready to put sheep in order - Shot by Laura - Rhinebeck, NY]
I don't think the Shibal Inus would make very good sheep dogs. Kit would just bark at the sheep. Natto would try to play with them. Betsy would take a sniff and roll around in their poo. Nova would not go anywhere near them.
I dog-sat Nova this past weekend. We went on a road trip up to Providence, RI to visit the alma mater (RISD holla~). Most people had no idea what a shiba inu was. A lot of people thought Nova a mini husky. Many have not heard of shiba inus. They don't seem as popular as they are in New York. However, we did meet a three year old tan shiba inu on our way to pick up some lunch. Nova wasn't interested in making friends. Neither was the other dog. She did say hello to all the humans around her.
[Walking north of Thayer. Shot by Laura - Providence, RI]
[Nova & her bunny. Shot by Laura - Providence, RI]
Turns out Betsy may actually be afraid of flies. She's been found hiding in the bathroom from flies that made their way inside. I'm told today, when taken to Rain's photo studio, she stopped playing with Kit as soon as a fly appeared. She hid under a table. I wonder why she would be so afraid of them! Betsy was so good at catching them too. She must've wanted to get them before they got to her. Although now she just hides from them.
Took Kit, Betsy and Nova on a cabin trip getaway last weekend. I really don't understand Betsy's obsession with poop. Neither of the other dogs were as equally fascinated. Once released into the dog pen, Betsy managed to find old poop from previous dog visitors and rolled around in it. While on a long leash outside the pen, she found deer poop and rolled around in that also. She had to be washed twice.
[Video shot by Jenni]
[Basking in the sun - Bethel, NY]
[Shade chaser - Bethel, NY] Look at that innocent face. You wouldn't be able to tell she rolled around in deer poo.
[Maxin' & relaxin' - Bethel, NY]
[You take this side, I'll take that side - Bethel, NY]
I got Kit a squeaky football for his Gotcha Day. Been watching a lot of Friday Night Lights. I think Kit is very much like "Smash" Williams. He's not as fast though because Betsy got to his football before he did:
As you can see, they LOOOOOOOOOVED it. I think because the ball also squeaked when it was released. It didn't last very long though as Kit and Betsy managed to tear the ball apart and eat the squeaker.
woOhoO! Thanks to everyone who participated in my interactive fundraiser! As of noon today, I received a total of 38 comments wishing Kit a happy gotcha day. Kit appreciates all the well wishes! He is certainly one happy dog. This means I'll be donating a total of $38 to the NYC Shiba Rescue. I wasn't able to reach my goal of $50 but I hope this little bit will help shiba inus in need.
If you'd like to make a donation, please visit: http://nycshibarescue.org/donate/
(click to view larger image) *** There's still time to participate in Kit's Gotcha Day interactive fundraiser! I just need 17 more comments! Be a hero! Please help other shiba inus! ***
Congratulations Jen! You'll be getting a framed digital art print of "iPad" :D Please email me at shibal.inus (at) gmail (dot) com with mailing address.
A couple years ago, Kit was brought into the NYC Shiba Rescue by Animal Care and Control. Poor dude was found wandering the south Bronx. It was okay though because a little bit later, he found a great forever home where all his shiba demands are met. As Kit was found as a stray, his actual birth date is unknown but it's okay. We'll be celebrating his gotcha day!Instead of a giveaway for Kit, I'd like to do a little interactive fundraiser for the rescue group who saved both him and Betsy. I'd like to donate a total of $50 to the NYC Shiba Rescue by the end of the month. You can help by leaving a comment on this entry wishing Kit a happy gotcha day!
1 comment will equal $1 for me to donate.
Participating in a fundraiser couldn't be easier! Please help me raise my goal of $50. I know it doesn't seem like much but a little bit can help make a difference and I hope it'll encourage others to give a little too.
If you like, you can make your own donation too: http://nycshibarescue.org/donate/
Please note, 1 comment per person. Please also note, while more than 50 comments are welcome and a great show of support, my goal will remain at $50. Fundraiser entry deadline will be August 31, 2010, noon EST.
[Me + Shibal Inus waiting for treat - SoHo, NY] L-R: Honorary Shibal Inu Henri, Nova, Kit, Betsy and Natto. Shot by Ve.
Howdy everyone! This time last year, I started doodles of my friends' shiba inus: Kit, Betsy, Natto and Nova. They've brought big joy to my life and I'm glad I can share bits of their funny quirks with you. I really do appreciate all those who read my little web comic. I didn't think I'd be able to carry on this long but these four monsters seem to provide endless amount of material. Hope I'll be able to continue drawing cartoon strips and bring out some more chuckles.
Here's a little explanation behind the title of the web comic. According to urbandictonary.com, the definition for "shibal": "It is a Korean word used mostly in place for the word "fuck" and "shit" in English when something goes wrong. Not to be confused with the verb "fuck." Sometimes it is used as a prefix to some swear words such as shibalnom and shibalsekki." Our Shibal Inu = Our Effing Dogs
This is clearly not a web comic meant for children. The drawings may look cute and clean but sometimes the dogs' language can be quite foul. Considering all four dogs are raised by Korean owners and all have crazy personalities, the title seemed appropriate.
Here's a funny video of a Korean teacher explaining English swear words: Skip to 4:18 for "shibal".
As a big "thank you", I'll be giving away one signed digital art of your favorite Shibal Inu comic strip framed in this lovely IKEA Ribba frame: To enter this giveaway contest, leave a comment and let me know which is your favorite Shibal Inu comic strip!
I will use www.random.org to draw the winner. Please note: one comment per person. Entry deadline will be August 25, 2010, noon EST.
Good luck! *** Make sure to check back for details of an upcoming fundraiser on behalf of Kit! ***
