Hell yes, here’s a game about owning a Shiba Inu

Shiba x San Francisco

I had a great Shiba Inu friend for about two years.

Also, guess who I’m hanging with all weekend?pic.twitter.com/o9qApWIbEF

— steven hansen (@poverotti)June 07, 2025

He was a troubled dog. Skin allergies. Didn’t get along with other dogs. He even bit my lawyer once! But we’d been fast friends; he loved me and I loved him. Unfortunately he moved to Arizona and I don’t have the kind of money required to pick up an obscure, purebred pup (or the luck to have a rare adoption chance pop up), so Shiba ownership is not something I can count on anytime soon.

John and Molly sitting on the park bench

Especially with my new friend of a couple weeks needing quite a bit of attention herself. Support your local animal shelters!

pobrecita tiene tanto mocospic.twitter.com/t2tK1cNFAX

Close up shot of Marissa Marcel starring in Ambrosio

— steven hansen (@poverotti)June 24, 2025

Shibas, beyond being a beloved internet meme dog, need a lot of work. They’re stubborn, smart, and not recommended for first-time dog owners. And that’s whatYear of the Dog, “a slice-of-life game about living with a Shiba Inu in San Francisco,” is about.

Kukrushka sitting in a meadow

“You are placed in the role of a reluctant rookie dog owner, tasked with taking care of a Shiba while his real owner (your partner) is abroad for a year. Each chapter of the game recounts a snapshot from a month of that year, as your bond with the dog grows as you learn how and what it means to care for another living being.”

Of course, you are free to abdicate responsibility and just enjoy adorable gifs instead.

Lightkeeper pointing his firearm overlapped against the lighthouse background