Ranger is a 5 year old male cream Shiba Inu. View his Facebook Album.

Hi everyone, my name is now Ranger, a name voted for me on DC SIR’s Facebook page! I am a big 5-year-old male Shiba Inu. My owner loved me very much, but he was in a difficult situation that would lead me to being put down in under 60 hours. Although DC SIR doesn’t normally pull owner surrenders from Texas, they made an exception when they heard that no local shelters would help me. In just 24 hours, a small network came together to bring me to safety while volunteers planned flights and a cross-country drive to Shiba HQ. Everyone said I was a perfect gentleman! I just marked a lot because I am an intact male, but DC SIR has already scheduled my neuter and full medical checkup and updates. Once all that is done and DC SIR has a good assessment of my needs, I will be available for adoption. Let me tell you a bit about myself. DC SIR was told that I grew up with other dogs and cats and was always friendly with them. Unfortunately, I was recently in a house with a female in heat, and an intact male Chihuahua, so we got into a fight and, well, guess who won! DC SIR took their time integrating me with a lot of dogs at Shiba HQ. I did really well with everyone, but Aureus, another male, and he and I have not gotten along. My foster mom has integrated hundreds of reactive dogs, so she is taking the time to ensure we get along so that my stay through more rescues and my neuter won’t be too difficult. The first night I stayed over, there were a lot of rescues from the #60ShibasRescue, so I had a bed set up in the bathroom where I could see my foster mom, but I cried until she let me sleep on the bed. I don’t like to be locked up and prefer sleeping on the couch or bed. DC SIR thinks I can do really well in a variety of homes, but they will have more updates as they get to know me! Overall, you will see me happily playing with the friendly female dogs at Shiba HQ! Want to help with my vetting? Donate using one of the links below!

Location: Local
Dogs: Some
Cats: Yes
Kids: 12 years +
Age: 4 years
Weight: 27 lbs (needs to gain weight; target approximately 38 lbs)
Intake Date: September 5, 2026

BEHAVIOR HOLD – ASSESSMENT IN PROGRESS

Ranger is a handsome boy with some behavioral needs that we are still assessing before making him available for adoption. Food Reactivity: Ranger has a history of food aggression toward other dogs, which was one of the reasons for his surrender to rescue. We are continuing to evaluate his behavior around other dogs and determine what type of household would be appropriate for him. Separation Anxiety: Ranger wants to be wherever his people are! He does not tolerate being separated from his humans well and will cry continuously when he cannot access them. He needs a home where he can be close to his family, including access to the couch and permission to sleep in bed with his humans. These are not optional preferences for Ranger at this time. We are still determining the severity of his separation anxiety and whether he can gradually learn to tolerate periods of separation through reward-based behavior modification. Unfortunately, with the unusually large number of dogs currently at Shiba HQ, we have not been able to dedicate the individual time necessary for a comprehensive behavioral assessment. Once more of our foster dogs have been adopted, we will be able to work with Ranger more extensively and better determine his long-term needs. Ranger is NOT currently available for adoption or meet-and-greets. His adoption requirements will be finalized after his behavioral assessment. Our goal is not simply to find Ranger a home, but to understand his needs and find a family prepared to meet them for the rest of his life.

Follow Ranger’s progress on his Facebook Album.