Hachi, the Shiba Who Said No to the Ferry

Hachi is a Shiba Inu with a ginger coat, white cheeks and zero interest in my opinions. In Bophut, where we live, he walks at his own pace and stops dead in the middle of the road if he dislikes the way it looks. Last month I decided that he had seen enough of our street, and we should take a proper road trip around the island, by car, with a picnic.

Samui is only about fifty kilometres around, so you can do the ring road in a day, but with a Shiba nothing is quick. The first stop was a small bakery with a terrace, where a waitress brought a bowl of water without being asked. Hachi accepted the water, ignored the waitress and sat with his back to everyone, which I have learned is his way of saying thank you.

At Lipa Noi we walked on the west side beach in the late afternoon, and at Crystal Bay in the south, among the huge granite rocks, he stopped, tilted his head and looked at the water for ten minutes. No swimming, of course. Shibas like their paws dry. But he sniffed the wind with a very serious face and let a little girl stroke his tail.

The drama came on the way back. I have to admit that I had checked in advance which places accept dogs, so the afternoon went smoothly, but I also thought it would be fun to take a short boat ride from a small pier to a nearby viewpoint. Hachi looked at the boat, looked at me, sat down, and refused to move. I tried treats, I tried a cheerful voice, I even tried carrying him. He screamed. The famous Shiba scream, the one he saves for the vet and for bath time, echoed all over the pier, and a group of tourists stopped to film us.

I gave up. We walked back to the car, Hachi in front with his tail curled like a flag of victory. I learned something: a Shiba says no, and you should listen. We finished the trip at a quiet restaurant garden with a plate of grilled chicken, and Hachi slept on the back seat all the way home.

If you plan a trip with a Shiba, bring patience, a harness, a long lead for safe sniffing walks, and a sense of humour. And let your dog choose the road.