The Shiba Inu has a very long history. They are thought to have been breed from the Chow Chow and Kyushu dog breeds. They have been around for at least two thousand years. You will find that the Shiba Inu is closely related in appearance and temperament to the Akita. In fact some think of the Shiba Inu as the miniature Akita because of their appearance. The dog was originally raised as a hunting dog for birds and small game. The name Shiba means “brushwood and small.” The Inu means “dog.” Currently the Shiba Inu is found as a hunter, tracker, watch dog, guard dog, and in agility and trick performances.
You will find the Shiba Inu has a wonderful personality and body type. They are a smaller breed with a stocky body, but still very agile. Typically they have thick fur around their necks giving the appearance of more weight than they actually have. You will find they have short pointed ears, a short, but thin muzzle, and a curly tail. The tail is typically up on their backs like their ancestors. You will find the fur is usually a medium to short length and that it is rather soft. They are usually cream or white with black and tan markings. They can also be red or fawn in color. For height the Shiba Inu is usually 13 to 16 inches. They typically weigh about 18 to 30 pounds. Health problems with the Shiba Inu are varied from hip dysplasia and patellar luxation.
When you adopt a Shiba Inu you will find they have a wonderful temperament. They are intelligent, energetic, and affectionate dogs. You will find that they are going to offer a wonderful companion for both play and to just sit at home with. They are good with children and other pets as long as socialization occurs at puppy- hood. They are not very trustful of strangers. You will also find they have a lot of instinct regarding hunting so they may hunt smaller animals and even accidentally mistake small dogs for foxes. It is better to make sure they are on a lead in public and that they have had the proper training.
You will find the Shiba Inu is a wonderful dog for many things. When you adopt one you want to make sure you provide the right care. They need to have a lot of exercise in a day. This means long walks and play sessions. You should think about a small home and yard if you wish to adopt one of these dog breed. They can do okay in an apartment, but they are better off with more space. They also should not be left along outside for very long. They crave attention from their master.
Grooming is a relatively easy thing for this dog. They will keep themselves clean. This means they don’t tend to need baths. You will find the short haired coat doesn’t shed much, but they do shed seasonally. This means you will need to brush them once a day to make sure you remove the dead and loose hair they may be caring around. They are also very water proof with their coat. This means that they tend to dry really quickly after a stint in a lake for some fun. You will find that as an active dog they need constant stimulation either with affection or outside activities. Despite this need to exercise they are very clean and easy to take care of dogs.