Shiba Inu Dogs | Breed Appearance, Personality & History (2024)

FAQs

Shiba Inu Dogs | Breed Appearance, Personality & History? ›

This fiercely loyal dog breed is known for its adorable, bear-like appearance and its attentive personality. It is often mistaken as one of Japan's other dog breeds: the Akita Inu or the Hokkaido. The Shiba Inu is one of the few oldest surviving dog breeds in the world, tracing its ancestry back to ancient history.

Shiba Inu Appearance

Sturdy in build, and resembling a smaller version of the Japanese Akita, the Shiba has a soft undercoat covered in a hard, straight topcoat. As for the Shiba Inu colours, the most common one is red, but you might also see them in black and tan or sesame colour.

The Shiba Inu was bred to hunt and flush small game, such as birds and rabbits. Shiba lived in the mountainous areas of the Chūbu region. During the Meiji Restoration, western dog breeds were imported and crosses between these and native Japanese breeds became popular. From 1912 to 1926, almost no pure Shiba remained.

They Have Bold, Confident Personalities

The spirited Shiba is a self-assured and versatile breed suited for a variety of activities, from hunting to dog sports. They can be reserved toward strangers but are typically affectionate with family members and people they're familiar with.

In Japan, these native ancient dogs are recognized for their companionship, even being declared a national treasure. It's believed that this breed is likely the result of the ancient Jomon-jin people's dogs breeding with dogs brought to Japan with immigrants somewhere around 300 B.C.

The shiba's fur is double-coated, which means it's very thick—and that means a lot of shedding.

Because of this fact, they exhibit a trace of their wild ancestry in their temperament. And believe it or not, this dash of “wild” often presents a no-cuddle zone. It's true—Shiba Inus are not so open to free cuddles. This revered breed often maintains a level of distance from unfamiliar faces.

As a highly intelligent breed, Shiba Inus are relatively easy to train. However, their strong-willed nature means that training can sometimes be a challenge as they tend to lose focus and test the boundaries of what they can get away with.

Shiba Inu's are generally clean dogs which can make them relatively low maintenance. However, Shiba's are capable of large amounts of shedding, predominantly during Spring and Autumn, while their coat does not require trimming. It is recommended to brush your Shiba once a week to remove the extra hair.

Shibas are more like cats than they are like dogs. If you want a dog that has a mind of their own, can be stubborn, and spends a lot of time grooming themselves, then a Shiba Inu is perfect for you.

What two breeds make a Shiba Inu? ›

Before World War II, there were three types of Shiba Inu — the Mino, the Sanin and the Shinshu. The modern Shiba Inu are a combination of all three original Shiba breeds. The Sanin type came from Tottori and Shimane prefectures.

Shiba Inu are intelligent and good-natured with family, but tend to be reserved or standoffish with strangers. They are always alert and often protective. While affectionate, they aren't a cuddly dog who needs constant attention.

Noted Shiba Inu expert Julia Caldwell states, “The characters of these dogs suggest ancient Japanese people – austere, valiant, faithful, good-natured and gentle, and highly affectionate and sensitive to the kindness of their masters.” A partnership with a Shiba Inu will last a lifetime.

Physical appearance. The Shiba Inu is a medium-sized Spitz breed with pointy ears, dark eyes, and a fox-like appearance. The average weight of a Shiba Inu dog is about 23 pounds for males and 17 pounds for females. The males' height averages between 14.5 and 16.5 inches, and the females' is between 13.5 and 15.5 inches ...

A smaller version of the Akita breed, the name Shiba Inu translates as 'small dog' in Japanese and it is a Spitz-type breed characterised by its thick coat, pointed ears and curly tail. Known to be a clean dog, Shiba Inu are very loyal and alert with a strong prey instinct and a knack for escaping from gardens.

Sesame Shiba Inus have the rarest color for the Shiba Inu. It's a complex pattern and has several requirements to be considered true sesame color. If there's too much - or too little - black in the coat, the dog would be penalized in the show ring. Lack of proper red eye patches and leg markings will also be penalized.

Costs of Buying or Adopting a Shiba Inu

Pet parents can expect to pay between $1500 and $3500 from a breeder, depending on the kennel, breed pedigree, and breeder reputation. Some price tags also include the cost of vaccines, spaying/neutering, and microchipping, but this isn't always the case.