Shiba Inu

AKC Group: Non-Sporting

Club: National Shiba Club of America

Secretary : Larry Weiss
Address: 4772 Carrington Dr, Oakley, CA , 94561-4153
Website: www.shibas.org/index.html
Email: LarryWeiss@baylbat.net
Club Type: Specialty

General Apperance:

The Shiba is the smallest of the Japanese native breeds of dog and was originally developed for hunting by sight and scent in the dense undergrowth of Japan's mountainous areas. Alert and agile with keen senses, he is also an excellent watchdog and companion. His frame is compact with well-developed muscles. Males and females are distinctly different in appearance: males are masculine without coarseness, females are feminine without weakness of structure.

Size:

Males 14½ inches to 16½ inches at withers. Females 13½ inches to 15½ inches. The preferred size is the middle of the range for each sex. Average weight at preferred size is approximately 23 pounds for males, 17 pounds for females. Males have a height to length ration of 10 to 11, females slightly longer. Bone is moderate.

Coat:

Double coated with the outer coat being stiff and straight and the undercoat soft and thick. Fur is short and even on face, ears, and legs. Guard hairs stand off the body are about 1½ to 2 inches in length at the withers. Tail hair is slightly longer and stands open in a brush. It is preferred that the Shiba be presented in a natural state.

Temperament:

A spirited boldness, a good nature, and an unaffected forthrightness, which together yield dignity and natural beauty. The Shiba has an independent nature and can be reserved toward strangers but is loyal and affectionate to those who earn his respect. At times aggressive toward other dogs, the Shiba is always under the control of his handler. Any aggression toward handler or judge or any overt shyness must be severely penalized.

History:

The Shiba Inu, the smallest and oldest of Japan's dogs, has been with the Japanese people for centuries. They make excellent watchdogs and have established themselves as the number-one companion dog in Japan.

There have been many stories on how the Shiba came about its name. Some are of the opinion that the name Shiba Inu was given because of its skill in going freely through the brushwood bushes. You will hear people refer to the Shiba as the Little Brushwood Dog. Another story has it that the other meaning of the Japanese word shiba is small; therefore this word has also been attached to these dogs. None of these stories have been validated. What is valid is this small dog called Shiba first came to its name in approximately the 1920s. In December of 1936, through the Cultural Properties Act, the Shiba was designated as a precious natural product of the Japanese nation. Thus, the breed was given official recognition.

After reaching near extinction during World War II, those Shibas remaining were from three different bloodlines. They were the San In Shiba, the Mino Shiba, and the Shin Shu Shiba - the last being the most popular in Japan past and present. It is from these three lines that the Shiba has evolved into the breed you see in and out of the ring. The first documented Shiba in the US was in 1954. In the late '70s, Americans started to import the Shiba for breeding, and the first litter was born in the United States in 1979. The Shiba Inu was admitted to the AKC Stud Book April 1, 1992, with exhibition in the Miscellaneous Class June 1, 1992, and regular classification in the Non-Sporting Group June 1, 1993.

Fun Facts:

• The Shiba Inu is AKC's 136th breed.
  
  
• The Shiba Inu is one of 9 monument breeds to Japan.
  
  
• Shibas are considered the oldest and smallest of Japan's dogs.
  
  
• The Shiba Inu is a superb hunting dog, and the ancestors of the breed were the hardiest survivors of Japan's mountainous regions. They were originally used to hunt large game, but they are currently used on smaller animals.
  
  
• The Shiba Inu is the number-one companion dog in Japan.
  
  
• Most of the Shibas shown in the 1930s came from the Yamansashi or San In areas of Japan, and after reaching near extinction after WWII, those Shibas remaining were from three different bloodlines, San In, Mino, and Shin Shu.
  
  
• The first documented Shiba in the US was in 1954, but the breed did not receive official AKC recognition until the early '90s.