Dog
Group:
Non-sporting 
Shiba Inu Champions
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Pronunciation:
SHEE-ba In-oo
Breed Description:
The Shiba Inu breed of dog is an atletic breed that should be small and compact. They should have a well-proportioned build with a level top line and a well-formed body. The tail should be set high and is curled over the back. The head should be broad and the large ears hsould be triangular in shape and erect. The overall look of hte dog should be of a sturdy dog.
The coat of the Shiba Inu should be very dense. It should have a plush undercoat and a short top coat that is slightly longer than the undercoat. The topcoat should be very desnse and it should stand off of hte dog. The hair should be straight and it should have a hard texture. The color of the Shiba Inu can be found in a number of coat colors including white, sesame with red, red with a gray undercoat, red with a buff undercoat, red with black overlay, black with a cream undercoat, black with a gry undercoat, black and tan and red, which is the most common color. The breed can have markings on the cheeks, throat, underside and sides of muzzles and white markings should only be found on the tip of the tail, above the eyes and on the legs.
Temperament:
The Shiba Inu breed of dog is an intelligent and easy going breed that is friendly with their family and very protective of them. They are known for being very confident and while they are always happy to please their owners, they can be very stubborn when they want to be. They do need a firm and consistent owner and are not recommended for new or timid owners. This is a breed that needs an owner who is as confident as they are. Despite this, the Shiba Inu is a very affectionate breed with their family. They can be reserved with strangers but they are very loyal to their own. They do well with children of all ages and tend to be very patient with them. The breed can do well with other dogs and they have been known to accept other cats but the Shiba Inu does have a high prey drive and may hurt other non-canine pets.
Height:
The average height for a Shiba Inu is between 13 to 15 inches for a female and 14 to 16 inches for a male.
Weight:
The average weight for a Shiba Inu is between 15 to 20 pounds for a female and 18 to 25 pounds for a male.
Health Problems:
The Shiba Inu breed of dog is considered to have average health and can suffer from a number of health problems. One to look out for in this breed is spinning, which is an obsessive compulsive behavior where the dog will chase his own tail for hours on end, sometimes to the point of exhaustion. Other health problems that you should be aware of are Glaucoma, Chylothorax, Hypothyroidism, Progressive Retinal Atrophy, Allergies, Hip Dysplasia,Cancer, Patellar Luxation and Epilepsy.
Living Conditions:
The Shiba Inu breed of dog can live in apartments if their exercise needs are met, however, they are better suited to a home with a large fenced yard. They should not be outdoor dogs since too much time on their own could cause aggression problems. In addition, they do have a high prey drive and will need a fenced yard to keep them and other animals safe.
Exercise:
The Shiba Inu breed of dog is a very energetic breed and requires at least 30 to 60 minutes of exercise per day. They do have excess stores of energy and if they are not properly exercised they can become very destructive.
Life Expectancy:
12 to 15 years
Grooming:
The Shiba Inu breed of dog is a very easy breed to groom and you should only expect to brush the coat about once per week, however, you will need to brush it two or three times a week during shedding periods. They do not need a bath on a regular basis and can go most of the year with only one or two since they don't have a strong doggy odor. Ears should be cleaned on a regular basis and the nails should be clipped once or twice a week, but other than that, nothing more really needs to be done.
Origin:
The Shiba Inu breed of dog is a breed of hunting dog that was developed in Japan. Although it is a fairly old breed, there is very little documentation of when and how the breed was developed. We do know that the Shiba Inu is closely related to several of the Japanese breeds and the actual name may refer to the size, color or even the brushwood where the breed hunted. It was a very popular breed in Japan, however, it was close to extinction by the end of World War II. Thankfully, a few of the breed survived in the countryside and the breed was once again established in Japan. The Shiba Inu has remained a fairly unknown breed in the rest of the world despite their importation to the United States in 1954 and their AKC recognition in 1993. Comments
The standards for all the breeds accepted to the AKC are used here for breed information, and those not part of the AKC are resourced from FCI standard information, where it is written and coded into the club rules for those breeds.
