Shiba Inu - TOP 10 Interesting Facts

1) Hunters

Shiba Inu was originally used for hunting small but also large game. They are excellent at flushing birds, thanks to their small size. They are especially good to hunt in harsh conditions, because they lived in the rough mountain regions of Japan.

2) Name

We are not sure what their name exactly means. The word Inu definitely means dog, but the word Shiba is little bit a mystery. It can mean a brushwood, which would suggest, that they were named after the terrain where they hunted. But they could also be named after their coat color, which is in the similar color as a brushwood. The word Shiba can also mean small, so they could also be named after their small size.

3) Loyalty

Shiba Inus dont like strangers very much, they dont trust them and they kinda standoffish around strangers. But they are extremely loyal and even protective over their family and owners. Shibas are also very alert and brave.

4) They almost Extinct

The world war II almost wiped out the Shiba breed. The Japan lost the war and most of the Shiba inu died in the bombing raids during the war. Only a few Shibas survived, but thanks to the enthusiastic breeders that began after the war, we can still admire this amazing breed.

5) Heavy shedders

If you are thinking about getting a Shiba Inu, prepare for a lot of vacuuming. This is a very heavy shedder. You should brush their coat regularly to remove the dead hair and minimize the shedding. Also, you should never shave their coat, especially if you are living in hot weather region. Their coat is not only helping them from cold temperatures, but also from a hot temperatures.

6) Cat Like

Shiba Inu is very often described as a dog with cat like personality. They are very independent and no so affectionate as a typical dog. Because of their independent nature, they are little bit harder to train. Another trait that Shibas shares with cats is, that they are extremely clean and they care a lot about themselves.

7) National Treasure

While they are not the most popular dogs in most of the countries, in Japan, they are probably the number one dog. They were even declared a national treasure of the country.

8) Three colors

There are three official colors of Shiba Inu, which are recognized all over the world. The most common color is red, but they can also be in sesame or black and tan color.

9) Three Shibas

When the world war II was over, three Shiba types existed – The Mino Shiba, The Shanshi Shiba and the Sanin Shiba. All three versions definitelly contributed in development of todays breed, but todays shiba inu has the most similarities with the Shanshi Shiba.

10) Health

On average, Shiba Inu is healthies than most of the breeds, but they still suffer from some health problems. Some of these include glaucoma, allergies, cataracts, entropion, luxating patella, and hip dysplasia.