Let's talk Shiba Inus

All you need to know about the breed

Only recently introduced to the West in the middle of last century, Shibas have quickly become a favored companion. Often taken for foxes thanks to their agile gait, triangular, pointed ears and alertness, Shiba Inus ooze confidence through their steady, placid gaze.

Once used to flush out game in the mountains of their native Japan, Shiba Inus are a small, well-proportioned, all terrain breed that also happens to enjoy the indoor life. Still, they need a good romp outdoors, and, because they have a strong predatory instinct, it is highly recommended they be kept on a leash. These little Houdinis can find their way out of most situations – and once they’re off, they’re well and truly off!

Shiba Inus express themselves in a variety of behaviors including intriguing “vocalizations” that have been compared to yodeling. The takeaway: with Shibas, there’s rarely a dull moment.

Because they are strong-willed and clever, early training and socialization are key in successfully raising this confident breed. Naturally territorial, a Shiba quickly appropriates things and people. They should be taught to share from the earliest age. With the right training, Shiba Inus grow up to be devoted to and protective of their humans.

With DNA tests confirming its presence in the country as far back as 7000 B.C. Originally used by hunters to flush out game, some suggest the name “Shiba” is the Japanese word for “brushwood”, a reference to the type of bushes where they hunted. A second theory suggests the name Shiba comes from the colors of the brushwood leaves, which the breed’s coat resembles. And a third idea says that “Shiba” meant “small” in a now-obsolete dialect. In fact, “Inu” is quite simply the Japanese word for dog. In any case, the name wasn’t made official in Japan until the 1920s.

Thanks to campaigning done by breed enthusiasts and NIPPO, the Association for the Preservation of Japanese Dogs, the Shiba Inu was declared a National Monument in 1937. In the mid-18^th century, Japan began importing other breeds, crossbreeding the newcomers with native breeds like the Shiba Inu, consequently diluting the latter’s bloodline.

The violence of WWII and a later outbreak of distemper pushed the breed to the brink of extinction. Shortly afterward, programs were established to crossbreed the surviving Shiba bloodlines, giving us the dog that we recognize today.

The Shiba first landed on American soil in 1954, brought over by a US military family; however, the birth of the first U.S. litter in 1979 is widely considered the date the breed was established in the country. Still, the Shiba Inu only gained full recognition from the AKC and UKC in 1992.