SHIBA INU CARE TIPS: Shiba Inus are highly alert dogs and can be particularly sensitive to changes in their environment. If your Shiba experiences extreme anxiety during events like fireworks, thunderstorms, or long car rides, I recommend trying CBD drops to help calm them down. My Shiba Inu, Sam, often gets anxious during both short and long car trips. On one occasion, before a four-hour drive, I gave Sam two droppers of CBD oil, which helped ease his anxiety. However, it’s important to note that one of the potential side effects of CBD for dogs is dry, red eyes.
The car hums beneath me, its steady rhythm a constant reminder of the long drive ahead. I shift on the back seat, trying to find a comfortable spot. The leather feels cool under my paws, but I can’t shake the jitters. Car rides have always made me anxious—something about the way the world blurs past the window, the unfamiliar smells, and the strange sounds makes my fur stand on end.
I glance up at my human. They catch my eye in the rearview mirror and smile reassuringly. “You’re okay, Sam,” they say in that soft, soothing voice I’ve come to trust. I want to believe them, but my heart is still racing.
That’s when they reach into the front compartment and pull out a small bottle. I recognize it immediately—my special drops. My human calls them CBD, but to me, they’re just the magic potion that makes the scary things go away. They twist off the cap and squeeze a few drops onto a treat, holding it out to me. The scent of the treat mingles with something herbal and calming. I hesitate for a moment, then take it gently from their hand. The treat is crunchy, and the taste of the CBD oil is earthy, almost like the smell of rain-soaked grass.
I swallow and settle back down, waiting for the familiar wave of calm to wash over me. It doesn’t take long. Slowly, the tight knot of anxiety in my chest begins to unravel. My breathing evens out, and the sounds of the car—a once overwhelming symphony—start to fade into the background.
The world outside the window is still rushing by, but it no longer feels like a threat. Instead, it’s just… there. The trees blur into one another, and the road stretches out endlessly, but I’m okay with that now. I’m safe here, with my human, and that’s all that matters.
I close my eyes and let out a contented sigh. The ride doesn’t seem so long anymore, and the anxiety that once clawed at me is a distant memory. As I sleep, I dream of running through fields, the wind in my fur, and the sun warming my back. In my dream, there’s no car, no anxiety—just the pure joy of being free. And when I wake, I know that as long as I have my human and those little drops of calm, I can handle anything—even a long car ride.
Sam the Shiba Inu
