He looks just like a fox!
You have probably seen this foxy little dog, walking his little walk around your neighborhood. Or perhaps you saw him at the dog park, strutting his stuff,… or maybe it was at the dog show.
These little foxes are striking. They act like they are on show all of the time, and they stand out wherever they go.
What are they?
Sounds like Sheba Inu, Shibu Inu, Shiba Enu … the one and only Shiba Inu.
The Shiba Inu – What’s That?!
The Shiba Inu is a Japanese dog breed. There are six original distinct breeds of dog from Japan, and the Shiba Inu is the smallest one.
The largest in the group is the Akita. There aren’t many red and white Akitas in the United States, but the few that I have seen, look just like larger versions of the red Shiba Inu. And not in the Schwarzenegger-DeVito sort of way.
Between the Akita Inu and the Shiba Inu, are the medium sized Japanese dog breeds, including the Shikoku, Kai, Ainu, and Kishu. These six Japanese dog breeds have very similar appearance and temperaments. They all belong to the Spitz dog family.
Shiba Inu – What Does It Mean?
The Kanji or Japanese character for ‘dog‘, can be pronounced as ‘Inu‘ or ‘Ken‘. Therefore, Shiba Inu simply means Shiba dog. Sometimes, you will also hear the Shiba dog being referred to as Shiba Ken.
The exact interpretation of ‘Shiba‘, is less clear. It could mean ‘red shrub‘, for the red bushes that grow in the region, where Shibas come from. Alternatively, it could also mean ‘small‘.
The Shiba Inu is certainly a cheeky little red shrub, so both interpretations work out well.
Shiba Inu – What Does It Truly Mean?
I know that discussions of red shrubs are truly riveting, but you probably want to move on to what it truly means to be Shiba, am I right?
Well, you know what they say about red-heads and their fiery temper.
The same is also true of the red-headed Shiba Inu. You may think that you can get around this thorny issue, by getting a Shiba of another color, such as the red-sesame, black and tan, or cream colored versions. However, the Shiba God is indeed one step ahead of you.
Shiba Inus of all colors, have the same fiery red personality.
That is why they are also known as –
- The ‘devil dog’,
- The ‘not for everyone dog’, and
- The ‘honey, why the hell did you get this thing?! dog’.
Indeed, the Shiba Inu is not recommended for first time dog owners.
However, figuring I was smarter than everyone else, or mainly because of lack of research, I decided to get a Shiba as my first dog anyway. It was not an easy first dog experience, but after over a year, Shiba Inu Sephy and I reached a somewhat peaceful state of cohabitation.
My little red shrub still has some thorns, but he is growing some beautiful flowers as well.
Mame Shiba
Standard sized male Shiba Inus tend to range between 20-25 pounds, for an average weight of around 23 pounds. Female Shiba Inus are slightly smaller, and have an average weight of 17 pounds. There are always outliers though.
My male Shiba is a big boy, and comes in at around 30 pounds. He is not an overweight dog, just big-boned.
Recently, some breeders in Japan and the United States have started breeding Mame Shibas, which are essentially smaller sized Shibas. ‘Mame‘ means ‘bean‘ in Japanese, so these are bean-sized Shibas.
Mame Shibas are not recognized by any of the kennel clubs in Japan, or in the United States. As a result, the breeding of Mame Shibas is not regulated, and many of the breeders who sell them, do not breed for health or temperament.
Since the Shiba Inu is already a difficult dog breed to begin with, we want to try and get one that has a balanced temperament. Therefore, it is best to get a Shiba from an accredited club breeder, who has to follow strict breeding guidelines.
Jomon Shiba
The Jomon period is the time in Japanese history from around 14,000 B.C. to 400 B.C. The Jomon inhabitants reared hunting dogs that were a big part of their culture.
Archaeological sites have uncovered well-preserved skeletons of the Jomon dogs, which show that they have prick ears and a sickle tail. Scientists believe these dogs to be the ancient ancestors of the Shiba Inu, and the other five original Japanese dog breeds.
Some breeders in Japan have founded the Shibaho association, to breed dogs with physical characteristics that conform to the Jomon dogs of old.
The Jomon Shiba is a more feral looking Shiba, with a narrower head, and larger teeth. True to their even more primitive roots, Jomon Shibas are more stubborn and less obedient, than their domesticated Shiba Inu brothers.
Given the already high level of stubbornness and willfulness in a regular Shiba, it may be best to stay away from these Jomon dogs.
Shiba Inu – Why Not?
Truthfully, there are many easier and friendlier dog breeds than the Shiba Inu.
The Shiba Inu is independent and aloof. If we want a lap dog who likes to cuddle with us, then the Shiba is not for us.
The Shiba Inu is feisty and active. If we want a calm dog that just lies at the end of our bed, and warms our feet, then the Shiba is not for us.
The Shiba Inu is a dog rebel. If we want an obedient dog that follows our every command, and only lives to please us, then the Shiba is not for us.
Why Do People Get Shiba Inus?
Yeah, they are a bit nuts. Maybe more than a bit nuts. However, once we get beneath that fiery red temper, we will find a rich and deep Shiba soul.
The Shiba Inu is a trickster. He likes to play tricks, and he likes breaking rules. We will never be bored if we live with a Shiba, because he will always be up to something. Sometimes, it is even something good.
The Shiba Inu is a clown. He likes being the center of attention, and he will do much to get to that coveted spot. What he does, will be original, funny, and very entertaining. In fact, Shibas remind me of stand-up comedians. They can easily make others laugh with their crazy hi-jinks, but they have a very sensitive and fragile soul.
The Shiba Inu is a charmer. He can charm birds from the trees, if he wants to. Most of the time, he may not want to, but when he does, look out! It is simply not possible to resist those deep dark eyes, his infectious grin, or roguish charm.
The Shiba Inu is one of a kind. He is not like a regular dog. In fact, many people describe the Shiba as a dog that is more like a cat.
If we want a dog that is a bit different, a dog that will challenge us and grow with us, a dog that will surprise us in both delightful and sometimes non-delightful ways, a trickster, a prankster, and a rogue, but sensitive, deep, and surprising – then the Shiba Inu is the dog for us.
He is like Han Solo and Indiana Jones, except with more fur and without the hat!
Getting a Shiba Inu
Should we get a Shiba Inu puppy?
That would depend on our temperament, lifestyle, and the amount of time we can devote to a new puppy. The Shiba Inu is a challenging dog breed, because he is extremely stubborn, dominant, and smart.
Shiba Inu training is a must, and it can be a very time consuming and frustrating process, especially in the beginning.
Patience and time are two key ingredients, that we will need in abundance.
Shibas are inside dogs, that need the company of their people. A Shiba puppy that is constantly left in his own company, will become stressed, unhappy, destructive, and aggressive.
If you still want a Shiba Inu after all this – then get a puppy from an accredited breeder, or from a Shiba Inu rescue.
hey i would like to know wat should i do about my shiba inu Foxy she was first in a home at the beggining of her dog years but they had to give her up becuase they were moving she was with them since she was about 3weeks old to 7 months old i took her to my house for a weekend after that i gave her to my girl friend for a birthday present but now i have to bring her back to my smaller apartment compared to my girls she has been with my girl exactly a month… oh i have to bring her back because her sister is allergic to dogs but i would like to know if she would be affected coming over here and having me as a owner at 8months please keep in mind this is her third home third owner…oh and she will be mostly in my room but of course i will walk her regularly once i get back home in the afternoon.
Hello Rob,
Hope the move went well.
Some things that helped with Sephy when we moved to a new place –
1. We set up a fixed routine for him right away. Sephy gets stressed when he is unsure what to expect from his people and his environment. Therefore, I set up a very clear schedule so he knows when he goes for his walks, when meal times are, and also when his people will be home. I make sure to keep a consistent schedule myself, so that I am home at fixed times.
2. I make sure to give Sephy enough structured exercise when I am around. Sephy is very creative, so if he does not get enough structured exercise from me, he will figure out his own activities – which are not usually very people or house friendly. 😀
Hi! I have been reading your blog and any training information you post for weeks now. I’ve been debating on which post to comment on, and I think this one is perfect! When my fiance, David, and I began talking about getting a dog, he asked me to move I with him so whatever dog we decided to get would respect both of our authority. We both really wanted a Husky, but with only an apartment, we knew that wouldn’t be possible. We then fellin love with Shibas. We contacted a breeder and have been in touch with her since about February and will have first pick of the two girls from the litter that was born exactly two weeks ago. David has had family dogs, but neither one of us has had our own dog – so we have definitely put a lot of thought into how raising a shiba would go, and we’re still determined as ever. We have both done hours of research through your blog, tv shows, training books, and we really feel prepared for just about anything we could expect from our feisty little puppy, but I was just wondering, do you have any specific advice for our first weekend with her? From when we will bring her home Friday afternoon until I go back to work on Tuesday? Haha, or more specifically – Any advice for a stubborn couple determined to raise a stubborn dog right? 😛
Hello Sarah,
Congratulations on your new Shiba puppy!
When I bring a puppy home, I usually let him go potty as soon as we get there. Then I walk him on leash in the backyard. Then I bring him inside the house and walk him on lead there, and introduce him to each room.
I also make sure to set consistent rules right off and establish a fixed routine.
I start simple obedience training exercises right away (e.g. mark, no-mark, focus exercises). I also start bite inhibition exercises and start to get puppy accustomed to handling. Shibas can be fussy about handling, so that is a good thing to do right away and keep up with.
When I brought Shiba Sephy home, he was kind of reserved the first couple of days. Things were new and he was still unsure of himself. He didn’t start with his Shiba moves until he got used to the environment. If I knew then, what I know now, I would have established rules and some obedience during these first few quiet days. 😀
Hugs to your puppy! Take lots of pictures – they grow up very quickly.
I love this in depth detail about this breed and I am so anxious because I will be purchasing my first pet, let alone a Shiba. I do hope that she will grown to respect me, and vice versa and that we have a warm and loving home together. I hope that I can handle it! Thank you!
Thanks James!
Congratulations on your soon-to-be new Shiba puppy!
Sephy was a big challenge for me – but mostly because I did not do enough research. Seems like you have done a lot of prior investigation, so it should go a lot more smoother.
Let us know how it goes when you get her, and post us some puppy pictures as well. 😀
hmm. my Shiba has developed this awful break in his fur due to his collar and I can’t seem to brush it out or repair it through a regular bath. is there another way to deal with this?
That happened with Shiba Sephy as well. It went away on its own after we removed his collar while at home. Lately, I have put his collar back on for various reasons, but adjusted it to be loose (only when at home). That seems to work well and has not caused any fur issues.
During walks we use the no-slip Martingale collar from Premier. But that has to be removed after the walk.
Helloo from Greece.. i have a Shetland sheepdog wich is also a wonderful dog 🙂
but i want a dog for my sister and she loves shiba inu..where can i find a good breeder for this dog? thank ty very much and i am waiting forward hearing from you!!
mimis 🙂
The best way that I know of to find a good breeder is through the country Kennel Club. For example, here, I looked for a breeder from the American Kennel Club (AKC). Each breed usually has a breed specific club and each club has a list of registered breeders. These breeders have to follow club guidelines when it comes to breeding, and they also show their dogs. They will usually breed for both health and temperament. For example, here is the breeder referral clubs from the AKC.
http://www.akc.org/breederinfo/breeder_search.cfm
Here is the breeder list from the National Shiba Club of America.
http://www.shibas.org/breeders.html
Some breeders do sometimes ship their pups so that is one possiblity.
Since you are in Greece, it may be better to go through The Kennel Club in the UK-
http://www.the-kennel-club.org.uk/services/public/acbr/Default.aspx?breed=Japanese+Shiba+Inu
Here is more on the different puppy purchasing options-
http://shibashake.com/dog/how-to-get-a-dog-cheap-dog-cheap-puppy
Hi there! I’m so excited to have come upon your blog! When I read your socializing the shiba to other dogs section, I couldn’t believe how many of the behaviours described my shiba Yuki to a tee. She’s now 2 years old and has been through puppy socialization and continiued dog training to this day.We’re part of a dog club and go to training every Sunday. She also doesn’t like strange dogs bounding up to her or trying to sniff her butt, she seems to expect a certain amount of respect from them. She has doggy friends and some dogs she doesn’t like, today she had a screaming fit at a big airdale who dared approach me when I was holding a treat! She kept lunging at him and “shouting” but she didn’t really attack him. I felt quite bad as it sounded worse than it was and some of the other dog handlers got a bit of a fright. I often feel I have to explain her behaviour so I printed out your socialization article for written backup proof!
Natasha
Hello Natasha,
Heh, yeah Shibas definitely are definitely “characters”! 😀
There was this one class that I went to with Sephy. Usually the sessions are conducted outside where there is more space, and he is ok in that situation. Plus he gets to play with the other dogs before class. However, one time it was raining so we had to move inside, into a room. Sephy spent the whole time making a fuss, and all he wanted to do was get to the other dogs. The instructor barricaded us behind a wall of crates! LOL!
That still didn’t help though, so I took him out for a walk in a rain. He was better after that. Usually I find that removing Sephy from the “excitement stimulus” helps to calm him down. Here is another fun Sephy story …
http://shibashake.com/dog/embarrassed-by-my-dog
Hugs to Yuki, although I think she would prefer cheese a lot more! 😀
Hello. I have a 10 month old female Shiba Inu and about two weeks ago she started to lose her hair like crazy. No matter how much I brush her it just keeps coming off and is even just floating off as she walks about and if she shakes, actual tuffts will fall off of her. And then starting today, her undercoat is falling off like pine needles off of a dead christmas tree? I have done alot of research and I know that they “blow” their coats, but I’m not sure if this is the normal shedding or something abnormal and her vet is unsure also since ours is the only Shiba Inu he has ever had contact with. For comparison reasons, I can brush her for about 7 minutes and fill an entire quart size bag with her hair and then I can put her in our dining room to run around (wood floors) and even though I just vacuumed, I can come back after her playing with a toy for ten minutes and there will be hairs all over the floor… Our Shiba Inu is adored by 4 kids ranging from ages 8-3 and they love her so much, but every time they are petting her or cuddling her, they literally have to completely change their outfits because they will be covered in hair. I greatly appreciate any suggestions or help. Her food is a high quality Holistic Brand Healthy Extensions food which she has been on since we brought her home. The only other thing that I can think of is that she was treated for fleas for the first time since the end of summer a couple weeks ago with Frontline plus because she had been near another dog and I felt nervous that the other dog may have had fleas and she had acted rather strange for 2 days after receiving the correct dosage for her weight. Besides for that, we live in upstate NY where it is still very very cold weather with no indication of spring, another reason why I question that it may not be the seasonal blowing of the coat. She is inside 99% of the time where it is normally about 70 degrees though with nighttime going down to 55 degrees. Thank you again for any help!!! ~ Kristie
Hello Kristie,
My Shiba Sephy sheds a lot when he blows his coat. In fact, he is in the middle of his coat blow currently, and I brushed him for about 15 minutes today. There was a lot of hair! We always joke that we can make another Shiba from all the hair. 😀
I use The Furminator
to remove Sephy’s undercoat. It is very effective at getting the stuff out.
When I furminate Sephy, his undercoat comes out but his outer coat is still intact. How is the coat of your Shiba girl? Is her outer coat quality normal?
Is your Shiba girl doing well on other fronts? Is she energetic, drinking well, eating well, and has healthy stool?
What you describe doesn’t sound unusual to me, unless there is something else that is causing concern.
Hi again Shibashake!
Shiva’s had an interesting week so far. About five day’s ago I noticed a very strange bump appear on shiva’s face just below her left eye. I hadn’t noticed it before, and to me it just looked strange. I pressed on it lightly to see if it felt hard or fatty (like a tumor growth might), and it felt hard underneath my fingertips and her fur. I wasn’t too concerned until the next morning when the bump seemed to have gotten bigger.
I then remembered my friend had told me that she had needed some minor dental work, but that her teeth looked fine and it could be addressed later. I checked her teeth and sure enough both her back-most premolars had funny looking marks on them. I started researching what to do for cracked teeth, then learned that abcesses can form in these teeth. I then realized that the mark on her face that I thought was just a flea bite she picked at too much was actually a mini rupture.
This scared me a lot because I’ve never dealt with this in a dog before, and I wasn’t sure how bad the infection could get. It scared me to think I might lose my baby pretty much as soon as I got her. Shiva had been eating and drinking normally, lazing about normally, and playing with me as well. But I am also prone to overreacting when it comes to the care of my animals because I view them almost the way I would if they were my child, so needless to say as soon as the vet reopened after the weekend I was there with her to get the issue assessed.
Turns out she did have abcesses, but both of them have seemed to drain on their own. The vet went ahead and cleaned her teeth for me and gave me a list of some dental chews and toys to use to further remove her tartar buildup. He also gave me antibiotics to give her in the mean time while i monitor the spots on her face.
I’m so happy that she didn’t immediately have to go into surgery to remove any teeth. Those funny spots I saw were actually large chunks of tartar that had embedded themselves into the sides of those teeth causing minor damage and gum recession. The vet said as long as I do something to help her reduce her tartar build up, things should be fine.
Moral of the story: Sometimes spots on dog’s faces below their eyes are indicitave of abcessed teeth, or abcesses due to tartar buildup and irritation. They don’t heal normally like a scratch or other mark might, they stay for much longer.
When I still thought it was just a flea bite, I did clean to wound with some hydrogen peroxide to keep it from infection, and then put a thin layer of neosporin over the spot. I don’t really know how much good that did since it was an abcess and not what originally thought, but it at least prevented a nasty infection from rooting itself into the wound on her face.
The chews the vet recommended were C.E.T. dental chews, and a nylabone (which i already have at home thankfully!). So hopefully soon shiva will be completely healed up and happy!
Also, I was wondering, I know that while sifting through the many wonderful articles you have on this site about dog care and behavior, do you have any advice for brushing a doggie’s teeth??? I’m thinking I might start doing this since her teeth have so much tartar buildup.
As for the art, no I haven’t tried 3D yet, but I do sculpt and paint. I’ll post more links to pictures in the future!
Thanks again!
Hi Sarah,
That is very interesting with the face bumps. It is not something I have encountered before, and it is very good information to know.
In terms of Nylabones, make sure not to get the super-heavy duty versions. I have read some reviews that those have a risk of causing cracks in teeth if the dog bites too hard. I have regular Nylabones and have not encountered any problems with them so far.
Some time ago I got some processed deer antlers for Sephy and he cracked one of his pre-molars chewing on those. The dental specialist we went to told us to stay away from really hard chews such as hooves, and other chew-toys with similar properties.
I brush Sephy’s teeth 3 times a week. He accumulates more tartar than my Sibes for some reason.
Sephy does not really like handling or getting his teeth brushed so I use his favorite melted cheese+chicken meal during teeth brushing. I do not give him this food anywhere else so the only way he gets it is by letting me brush his teeth. Here is the process I use to brush Sephy’s teeth-
http://shibashake.com/dog/how-to-clean-a-dogs-teeth
Hugs to Shiva!
I recently read that too, about the the non-edible nylabones causing fractures and cracks in teeth. I replaced shiva’s with the edible kind last night. Thanks so much for the advice on brushing her teeth! =)
Hello! I have always wanted a Shiba Inu and I know people say they are independant, but my music teacher has one and she is very sweet. Anyway, I was just wondering how long it took you to socialize your Shiba, if he is already socialized.
Hello Kaitlyn,
I am not sure how to answer this question. I guess it depends on what you mean by “socialize”. My Shiba Sephy is pretty good today about encountering new situations. However, there are certain behaviors that he considers to be rude, for example butt sniffing. He also does not like dogs that try to dominate him.
Also, socialization is a life-long process. If we do a lot with puppy when he is young and then stop taking him out when he grows up, he will likely become unused to new situations. Here are a couple of articles on my experience with dog socialization-
http://shibashake.com/dog/dog-socialization-what-why-how
http://shibashake.com/dog/is-dog-socialization-a-good-thing
http://s1102.photobucket.com/albums/g446/felixLeo/?action=view¤t=322233_2676453714542_1352196244_33003958_1118185953_o.jpg
Here’s my pup~ Shiva