Shiba Inu

The Shiba Inu is a very small dog. They are so small that they are considered as one of the smallest dogs in their native country that is in the country of Japan. Even though they are very small in size, they were still bred and developed mainly for the purpose of hunting, and that too not the small animals, but for the purpose of hunting animals like bears and boars. They were also used for the purpose of flushing out birds. In the Japanese language, their name “shiba” means “brush wood” and “small”. The shiba inu was recognized as an official breed by the American kennel club in the year of 1992, and proper standard for these dogs were set. They are highly talented and some their talents are, tracking, hunting, guardian, watch dog and agility. They are also said to be very good at performing tricks.

The dogs of this breed are very small sized dogs. They have a very compact head. This compact head is in such a way that they are in perfect proportion when compared to the small size of the body of the dog. They have around shaped muzzle. This round shaped muzzle comes to a rather moderate stop. Their muzzle slightly tapers, starting from the dog’s ears and ending at the dog’s nose. They have very tight lips. They have a black colored nose. Their jaws form a strong and powerful scissor shaped bite.

The dogs of this breed eyes that are set quite deep into the skulls of the dog. These eyes are rather triangular in shape. They are also quite darkly colored. These eyes have an under lying rim that is very heavily pigmented and is dark in color. The ears of these dogs are triangular in shape. These ears are rather small in size when compared to the size of the head of the dog and also with the size of the rest of the body of the dog. They have very straight front legs. Declaws sometimes may or sometimes may not be removed. Their tail is set high tail. Their tail is rather thick near the base, but it tapers toward the tip.

It is carried in a curled up way and over the backs of the dog. Their tails may be carried in two ways, one way, it can be carried in a ring shape or in the second way, and it can be carried in a sickle shaped curve. The dogs of this breed have double coats. That is, they two layers of coat, the outer layer known as the outer coat and the inner layer known as the inner coat. The under coat or the inner coat of these dogs are very soft in nature. The outer coat on the other hand, is rather stiff and very straight in nature. The coat colors of this dog may be red or it may be red with a slight black over lay.