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This breed descends from Japan’s mountainous regions. In fact, “Inu” means “Dog” in Japanese. These dogs are keen and alert, making for wonderful hunting dogs. They can be quite the charmers too with their confident personalities. They also love to be active and make for a wonderful hiking companion! Shiba Inu’s do well in all types of environments but their favorite is the mountainous outdoors. They are great for all types of owners, whether single young adults, or bigger families. They live to be about 15 years old and grow to about 15 to 25 lbs.
Temperament
Charming, fearless, confidentRead more below
17 - 23 lbs
Small
High
High
Medium
12 to 16 years
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The Shiba Inu is a small to medium sized dog breed of Japanese origin. This dog is the smallest Spitz breed of Japanese origin, where it was bred in the mountains for hunting of game such as birds, fish, and even wild boar. The Japanese word "Shiba" means "brushwood", perhaps a reference to the breed's ability to hunt in these shrubs, or to the orange-red color of brushwood leaves in the fall.
While the breed looks similar to other breeds of Japanese origin, such as the Akita or the Hokkaido, it is entirely distinct in origin and pedigree. Shiba Inus are much smaller in size, and have distinct color patterns.
After World War II, the Shiba Inu was nearly driven extinct. Bombings over Japan killed most Shiba dogs, and many other died from distemper, a contagious viral dog infection that spread after the war. Shiba are the most popular companion dog breed in Japan, and have been gaining in popularity in the United States and Europe since their introduction to the west. This breed is a favorite of many given its unique, almost foxlike look, and also alert, intelligent and friendly personality.
Shiba Inus are a small to medium sized breed. According to the American Kennel Club's breed standard, the Shiba Inu stands 13-17 inches tall and weighs 17-23 pounds. Though small in size, this dog's well-developed muscles speak to its active hunting origins.
Shiba Inus can be found in four standard coat colors: Black & Tan, Cream, Red, and Red Sesame. These colors should be paired with white markings that cover the dog's belly, chest, neck, and cheeks. The unique white patterns are called Urajiro in Japanese. A similar pattern can be seen on some other breeds, such as the Pembroke Welsh Corgi.
While Shiba Inus come in a standard size and weight, the demand for smaller puppies has been increasing. This has led some Shiba breeders to develop a smaller variety that is better fit for city life. In Japan, the smaller Shiba Inu variety is called Mame Shiba Inu, which is simply a Miniature Shiba Inu.
According to the Kennel Club of Japan, Mame Shibas are 35-50% smaller than standard Shiba Inus, but retain other visual, physical, and personality types.
Shiba Inu puppies for sale typically cost between $1,000 and $2,500. The exact price varies depending on the location and experience of the breeder and the breeding parents' pedigrees and bloodlines. Mame Shiba Inus can be on the higher end of this price range, sometimes exceeding $2,500 in price.
Shiba Inus make excellent family companions if given the right training and early socialization. This breed is alert, independent, and lively, and requires early socialization to channel its energy constructively and prevent unruly behavior.
Given the breed's alert and agile senses, the Shiba Inu can make an excellent watchdog. This may be surprising to some who dismiss this breed's guarding abilities because of its small size. But their keen senses, energy, alertness, and confidence make Shibas a great dog for alerting owners to strangers or intruders.
Shiba Inus have a thick double coat and shed frequently in the fall and spring, and more mildly throughout the year. As such, Shiba Inus are not the best match for allergy-sensitive families. Shiba Inus are well-behaved with children if socialized and trained. A lack of socialization can lead to destructive behaviors, where your pup can misunderstand and aggressively respond to human interactions.
Shiba Inus can suffer from some common dog health conditions. The most common conditions in Shibas include musculoskeletal issues such as hip dysplasia and patellar luxation, which results in misaligned kneecaps. These conditions can be diagnosed easily if your pup is regularly taken to the veterinarian, and can also be screened for by ethical breeders who conduct genetic testing of their breeding parents.
Shiba Inus can also suffer from hypothyroidism, cataracts, and atopy. Atopy in particular is a type of allergy which can result in skin and ear infections, and requires careful monitoring to prevent and address.
There are many reputable Shiba Inu breeders across the United States and Canada. When looking for a responsible breeder, it is important that you gather information about their breeding space and experience, and health, safety, and socialization practices.
It is important to collect information to verify the practices of your Shiba breeder. Backyard breeders and puppy mills cannot effectively reply to your questions about their breeding space and breeding parents. Additionally, puppy mills cannot show the pedigree of their Shiba breeding parents or results of genetic testing that verify their puppies' bloodlines and absence of genetic conditions.
Whenever possible, try to make a site visit to the breeder's residence. This helps you assess the breeding practices firsthand and gain confidence in your purchase. At Mawoo Pets, we have vetted every breeder in our network of 1,000+ breeders to ensure that they practice important health, safety, and socialization standards. This gives you confidence that you are buying from a reputable breeder, bringing home a healthy puppy while helping eliminate puppy mills.
Once you have found the right puppy for your home, our team can coordinate for the travel of your puppy home through ground or air travel. Our certified pet travel providers will ensure that your puppy arrives home safe, sound, and hassle-free. We'll keep you updated as your puppy leaves the breeder's residence and throughout its journey.
If you are looking for Shiba Inu puppies in a specific location, you can explore our available puppies by location, for instance Shiba Inu puppies for sale in Florida or California.