I would stay away from pet stores, online stores, and backyard breeders, especially for a breed like the Shiba Inu. I got my Shiba through an online store type place, and his breeder turned out to be more of a backyard breeder and less of a reputable breeder even though she had papers etc. She didn’t ask me any questions about my home conditions, and all she cared about was getting her money. Sephy had temperament issues right from the start, and is extremely sensitive to handling. When we took him to the vet for his very first checkup, the next day after getting him, the vet recommended that we return him. After much work, training, and management, Sephy is much better today, but he is still easily stressed and still sensitive about handling, especially by strangers.

I got both my Huskies from a registered AKC breeder who asked me a lot of questions about my home conditions. She also did a home check before giving me one of her precious puppies, and the difference in her puppies is tremendous. They already had good socialization when young, have much calmer dispositions, are good about handling, and are much easier to train.

Here are some of my experiences on what to look for when getting a puppy. It is about my Husky puppy, but the same will apply for a Shiba puppy.

In my experience, it really makes a huge difference. Also, supporting puppy stores and online puppy stores, will contribute to the puppy mills behind them.

There is also a great Shiba rescue in NYC, with people who know a lot about Shibas. They can probably put you in touch with good reputable breeders.
http://nycshibarescue.org/

Hi! I am also in the process of getting a Shiba Inu puppy and I wanted to know where will you be getting yours from?
I live in NYC and I haven’t had any luck with local breeders. Are you getting yours from a private breeder or store?

My boyfriend and I are getting a shiba inu puppy soon. I started doing my own research awhile ago (this is my first pet and I want to be as prepared as possible). After finding your site, I wanted to thank you for sharing all your experiences and knowledge on the Shiba and Husky breeds! I am still exploring all the articles, but at this point I am focused on getting the basics for a shiba puppy. You mentioned using a soft grooming brush — do you have any specific recommendations on this? When shopping, there are so many options that it’s a bit overwhelming. Slicker? Furminator? Rake?

Any advice is much appreciated 🙂

Congratulations on your upcoming furry family member, and thank you very much for your wonderful comment.

In terms of a breeder, here are some things that I look for-
http://shibashake.com/dog/how-to-buy-a-siberian-husky-puppy#breeder

Take lots of puppy pictures and post some links for us here. I love puppy pictures. 😀

Here is a good thread on crate size from the Shiba Inu forum-
http://www.shibainuforum.org/forum/discussion/3605/help-please-whats-your-crate-size/p1

Sephy has a 36″ crate, but he is a big Shiba (32-35lbs). In general, I like to get a larger crate with a divider, then I can adjust the size as necessary.