Description

This internet famous “doge” is compact but well-muscled. Its upright ears and tapered muzzle (tipped with a black nose) give the Shiba Inu a foxy appearance. The Shiba Inu’s eyes are dark, with black rims. The front legs are straight, and the tail is thick and curly, arching over the back in a crescent or circle: a typical Spitz characteristic.

Origin: Japan

Look

The Shiba Inu has a thick double coat. The outer coat is stiff, and the under coat is thick and fluffy. The tail is thick and long, giving it a brush-like appearance. Watch out for twice yearly heavy shedding! Luckily the Shiba Inu only needs minimal grooming. They are quite fastidious and groom themselves thoroughly. The Shiba Inu’s coat comes in many colours, including black and tan, red, or red with a cream or grey undercoat. White or cream is another possible colour, but it is considered a fault by the American Kennel Club. A Shiba Inu should have pale fur its underside and along the cheeks.

Health

While the Shiba Inu is generally a healthy dog, they are prone to a few health conditions:
• Hip dysplasia
• Patellar Luxation
• Allergies
• Cancer
• Epilepsy
• Tail chasing/spinning
• Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA)
• Hypothyroidism
• Glaucoma
• Chylothorax
At Newdoggy.com we promote reputable breeders, who use genetic testing and good breeding practices to remove genetic conditions from their breeding lines. Newdoggy.com’s Health Guarantee certifies that all promoted puppies are in good health.

Learning

The Shiba Inu is an intelligent dog; however, they have independent spirits and are sometimes considered stubborn. This breed will keep you on your toes, but if you can rise to the challenge, you’ll find that this breed is energetic and clever. These traits can be channelled into successful training, if you can handle your dog in a calm but confident manner. The Shiba Inu is very easy to train in one regard: house training. They are fastidious and clean by nature, and should take naturally to house training.

Temperament

This is a bold and brave dog breed, with an energetic and independent nature. Despite their strong-willed nature, they make excellent family dogs, though you should supervise your children and make sure they treat your Shiba Inu with the respect he/she deserves. Shiba Inus can be possessive, and will guard toys, food, and territory. They can be prone to picking fights with other dogs. As the Shiba Inu was originally bred for hunting, they cannot be trusted with small animals such as squirrels and cats.

Living with

If you decide to get a Shiba Inu, you’ll need to keep him/her company, as they can be destructive if left alone for too long, or if they get bored. Socialisation is important for this breed, as without it Shiba Inus may be suspicious and aloof. The Shiba Inu needs plenty of exercise, and be sure to keep him/her on the leash, as Shibas may decide to ignore your calls if something catches their attention. One off characteristic of this breed is the “Shiba Scream”: when unhappy, the Shiba Inu makes a high pitched scream (though occasionally they make this noise when excited).