Japanese Shiba Inu

The Shiba Inu is a foxy looking medium sized Spitz type dog, with the pricked ears, thick coat and curled tail typical of the type. Sturdy in build, and resembling a smaller version of the Japanese Akita, the Shiba has a soft undercoat covered in a hard, straight topcoat.

Japanese Shiba Inu is standing near the fields

Japanese Shiba Inu is lying on the grass

The need-to-know

Dog suitable for owners with some experience
Extra training required
Generally healthy breed
Enjoys gentle walks
Enjoys one to two hours of walking a day

Medium dog
Minimum drool
Requires grooming every other day
Chatty and vocal dog
Barks and alerts to visitors/anything unusual

Could have issues with unknown dogs but gets along with known dogs
May need additional training to live with other pets
May need additional supervision to live with children
Needs a large garden
Can live in semi-rural areas

Can be left occasionally with training

Generally healthy breed

The Shiba Inu is generally a robust breed but can suffer from:
- Patellar luxation
- Glaucoma which is a painful condition where the pressure in the eye builds up.

Priority Kennel Club health schemes and testing:
- Eye testing for pectinate ligament abnormality testing to look for signs that a dog is affected by glaucoma.

Key Facts

Ratings

Key Facts

Lifespan:	12 – 15 years
Weight:	6.8 – 11kg
Height:	33 – 43cm
Colours:	Coat colours are red, red sesame (red with black guard hairs), black and tan or white. See breed standard for specific details on markings.
Size:	Medium
UK Kennel Club Groups:	Utility

Ratings

Family-friendly:	3/5
Exercise needs:	3/5
Easy to train:	2/5
Tolerates being alone:	5/5
Likes other pets:	3/5
Energy level:	4/5
Grooming needs:	3/5
Shedding:	4/5

Personality

Active, friendly and alert, the Shiba Inu can be quite an independent thinker and can have a strong hunting instinct. Early socialisation with children, other dogs and livestock is essential.

A notable feature of the breed is the ‘Shiba scream’, a high-pitched vocalisation emitted when the Shiba is excited or frustrated! If well socialised and well trained the Shiba is a fun little dog, capable of a variety of activities.

History and Origins

Country of Origin: Japan

Believed to be one of Japan’s most ancient breeds, bones matching the modern Shiba Inu have been found at an archaeological site dating from the Jōmon period, at least 500BC. It is thought that later, around the 3rd century AD, these dogs were refined by mating with spitz type immigrant dogs, bringing in the pricked ears and curly tail.

This is one of the most popular companion breeds in Japan, established as part of Japanese culture by the 7th century, and used for hunting both small ground-breeding birds and even bigger game such as wild boar.

Due to the popularity of importing foreign breeds, the Shiba Inu became extremely rare by the 1920’s, so hunters started a preservation programme in 1928. By 1934 the breed standard had been fixed, and by 1937 the Shiba Inu was declared a National Monument which saw the breed rise steadily in number. Although they suffered during the Second World War, and subsequent to that a distemper outbreak reduced numbers even further, the breed has risen again in number and popularity, becoming the most numerous of all the native Japanese breeds and now popular outside Japan, particularly in Europe, Australia and North America.

Exercise Needs

An hour per day of exercise, ideally more, and with training and games on top – the Shiba Inu is a clever and active dog, who will be far happier and much more pleasant to live with if kept well entertained both mentally and physically. Free running in secure locations is necessary on top of lead walks, so training a reliable recall is vital.

Space Requirements

Whilst small and compact in size, the Shiba Inu does need some space to run and play outside the house, so a very secure well fenced garden of a decent size is important. Indoors they are neat and clean, although their spitz-type coat will shed heavily at times so take this into consideration!

Due to their vocal nature on seeing anything exciting or unusual, or when frustrated, they are better in a quiet location, rural suburbs or countryside, as the constant busy-ness of inner city or town living may be too much (and you may not be popular with close neighbours!

Nutrition and Feeding

Your dog's diet needs to have the right balance of all the main nutrient groups including a constant supply of fresh water. It's also important to conduct regular body condition scores to ensure you keep your dog in ideal shape and remember to feed them at least twice daily and in accordance with the feeding guidelines of their particular food.

Grooming Japanese Shiba Inu

The Shiba Inu is a very clean breed – in fact, they are known for self-grooming rather like a cat. However, the coat does need brushing about once a week, and when the coat sheds, you'll realise how thick that undercoat really is!

Training Shiba Inus

Independent and clever thinkers and problem solvers, the Shiba Inu is a challenge to train to a high level, and progress will only be made with positive reinforcement methods and a lot of patience and consistency. An owner must work hard to motivate their Shiba Inu to want to work with them, and if they succeed, the Shiba Inu is capable of, and will enjoy, a variety of doggy activities and sports such as scent-work, agility and more.

Best Family Dog Breeds

With older, dog-wise children, the Shiba Inu can make an excellent pet, particularly if they are willing and able to take part in exercise and training. Shibas may find life with very small children and babies a bit too exciting, and as a result may be noisy and hard work to live with.

While many dogs are traditionally thought of as being good with children, all dogs and children need to be taught to get on with and respect each other, and be safe together. Even so, dogs and young children should never be left alone together and adults should supervise all interactions between them.

Did You Know?

Shibas have taken to social media, particularly Instagram and YouTube, as if they were born to it. A number of Shiba Inu have become famous via social media, including Shiba-San who helps her owners run a small shop in West Tokyo. Shiba-San opens the window when shoppers ring the bell by sliding it across with her nose!
Elsewhere in Japan, Shiba Inu Shibao stars as lead news anchor in a series of news broadcasts that serve as advertisements for a banking service!
The word “inu” means dog in Japanese and Shiba means “brushwood”, but it’s not clear whether the breed was named for the terrain where they hunted or the colour of the autumn brushwood.
Prior to World War II there were three types of Shiba: the Mino, the Sanin and the Shinshu, the Shinshu is the most similar to the Shiba Inu of today.
In 2004, a Shiba Inu named Mari saved her puppies and elderly owner when their house collapsed during an earthquake. This is now a Japanese film called “A Tale of Mari and Her Three Puppies”.