The Shiba Inu puppy has to be one of the most appealing puppies ever. With their pointy ears and round face, they look like they just came out of a teddy bear factory. But there is much more to these adorable dogs than what meets the eye. They have a rich history too. The Shiba Inu is the smallest of the six native Japanese breeds, with the Akita being the largest. The Shiba Inus’ DNA is proof that it is one of the oldest members of the dog family.
Appearance
Male Shiba Inus are 35 to 43 cm (14 to 17 in) while females are 33 to 41 cm (13 to 16 in) in size. The Shiba is double coated, with the outer coat being hard and straight and the undercoat soft and thick. The Shiba have fox-like face, ears, and legs. Its head expression is good natured with a strong and confident gaze. Its tail thick and powerful and is carried over the back in a curled position. The Shiba Inus’ fur is double coated, the …show more content…
Originally, the Shiba Inu was bred to hunt large game such as boars, birds and rabbits. Today they are mostly used as family companions but they still can be used for hunting. The Shiba nearly became extinct during World War II due to food shortage and a post-war disease epidemic. The Shiba Inus for Mino and Sanin regions were devested but a few of the Shibas from the Shinshu region survived. In 1936, the Shiba inu was recognized in Japan as a Natural Monument. In 1954, a family brought the first Shiba Inu to the US. In 1979, the first recorded baby Shiba Inu was born in the United States. The name Shiba Inu comes from two different words: Shiba and Inu. Inu in japanese means dog and the word shiba has been used since ancient times in japan, one theory is that it means brushwood. brushwood is a leaf that falls in the fall which is the color of the shiba inu. Another theory is that brushwood bushes were in lots of the areas that shiba inu hunted