Shiba Inu

The Shiba Inu is a breed of dog from Japan. It looks like a smaller version of the Akita Inu, and was first bred for hunting. Shiba Inu is one of seven Japanese dog species recognised as natural symbols of the country.

Shiba Inu
Three-year-old Red Shiba Inu
Other names	Japanese Shiba Inu Japanese Small Size Dog Japanese Brushwood Dog Shiba Ken Shobe Shibe Shober
Origin	Japan
Traits Height Dogs 35 to 43 cm (14 to 17 in) Bitches 33 to 41 cm (13 to 16 in) Weight Dogs 10 kg (22 lb) Bitches 8 kg (18 lb) Coat double Color Red, black and tan, cream, sesame, black sesame, red sesame. Litter size 3 puppies on average Life span 13–15 years
Kennel club standards Japan Kennel Club standard FCI standard
Dog (domestic dog)

There are two types of Shiba. Aka-Shiba has red hair, and Kuro-Shiba has black hair. Shiba is a popular among breeders in Japan.

Shiba inu are faithful to their owners and are wary of strangers. They are popular as guard dogs. They are also the subject of an internet meme called Doge.

Other Japanese dogs

• Akita Inu
• Kai Inu also called the Kai Ken
• Kisyu Inu
• Tosa Inu
• Hokkaido Inu
• Koshi-no-inu (extinct since 1971)