Shiba Inu breed is a Japanese breed of hunter dogs. It varies from small to medium and some infusions with other genes have large sizes too, but of course, they are not pure breeds.

Being originally bred for hunting and other forestry activities Shiba Inu goes very well with hiking terrains and mountainous trials. Due to its similarity with other Japanese breeds, it is often mistaken with them like Hokkaido or Akita Inu. It came on the markets since the 1950s but got the audience recently. It has a distinct bloodline, gene pool, temper, and traits than other Japanese breeds and is also smaller in size than others. 

In this 5 min read you can get to know the answers to the most asked queries about Shiba Inus. 

FAQs

So lets’ start!

Ques No 1: What is the appearance of Shiba Inu?

When talking about Shiba’s appearance comes the first bullet to discuss. This is because of the extraordinary class and style in the overall body of Shiba Inus. They are equipped with a compact and rigid set of muscles that are developed well to give them full marks on both checks, strength, and beauty.  

It is double coated, and the outer one is straight and tough while the inner one is quite fluffy and thick. It is overall body including face, legs, and especially ears are very similar to foxes and have short fur as well. 

It also has 4-5 cm of guard hairs standing upon the skin protecting the inner layers from rains and snows.

Tail is however something that makes Shiba Inu special among several breeds. Its beauty and brush-like long silky hairs give them a very elite and shiny look and also prevent them from weather extremes. Because they cover their nose and other fragile organs with their tails during periods of sleep and rests.

Ques No 2: What is similar between Shib Inu pups and cats?

Shiba’s are a lot similar to cats in different aspects. Due to their predominant fox traits in sedimentary ages, they tend to have such similarities. 

For example, they spend a lot of time in their grooming and also lick their paws and skin for thermogenesis and styling. They are also extremely clean and hygienic which is also a common gateway between normal cats and Shiba Inu puppies.

Give your partner an exclusive Shiba tee on this valentine

Ques No 3: Are Shiba Inu puppies affectionate towards kids?

Because of the hunting background, Shiba Inus are often misunderstood in the case of kids. Yet, despite their fiery nature, they have been proved quite calm, friendly, and welcoming with the children. 

But of course, like every other dog, they also need to be socialized and trained well from an early age.

However, shibas are aggressive against other dogs and thus show their dominance over them if they counter unnecessary movements in their area.  

Ques No 4: What is the average lifespan of Shiba Inu?

It depends on different lifestyles and physical and mental exertions. Yet an average life span of a Shiba Inu dog ranges from 12 to 16 years. And it then it is on the parent or caretake to make these years a complete quality.

Ques No 5: How to groom a Shiba Inu?

Shiba Inu is a very hygienic and clean dog breed. Their grooming expenses are minimal yet they spend a good time with themselves adoring and caring for their body. 

Their double coat is waterproof but still, they don’t like to get wet or to b bathed very often, therefore this habit needs to be fixed in training.

Shedding is however heavy like other dogs and the parents have to take care of this factor by brushing them daily. If not then the heaviest shedding occurs during weather swings and climate changes.

Expert breeders advise that a parent or owner should not cut or shave the coarse fur of a Shiba Inu as t is waterproof and is used to save the dog from weather extremes.

Ques No 6: Do they still hunt? 

Shiba Inus are fierce hunters. They were bred originally to put down birds, fishes, bears, and other animals. Yet this tenacious nature does not impact humans if trained well. 

Shibas’ thick fur and coarse protection enable it to be one of the most suitable breeds of dogs for hunting. 

This nature has to be regulated very carefully as shibas are also socialized with kids and if a ferocious trait overcomes his mind, the results can be worse. 

Ques No 7: What is the condition of Shiba Inus’ population?

Shiba Inus had survived a lot of population threats in past. Back in times from the sedimentary ages, the ancestors of this breed had to undergo tough famines and weather extremes.

In recent history, the devastations of World War II almost made them extinct. A large number of this breed was killed badly in bombings. And especially the nuclear blasts in japan affected them the most. The leftover species from nuclear remains had a lot of physical complications due to the aftereffects of nuclear wars. Some were killed in distemper which was one of the viral infections that were spread after the war.

When the situation normalized, different breeding programs were conducted throughout the world to save the endangered species of different animals. This also helped the population graph of shibas to become stable.   

Ques No 8: How do they respond to the crisis?

Shiba Inu is a very active and agile breed. They are very sharp and can point the danger very fast. This is the reason that you can search for several examples over the internet in which Shiba Inu saved fatalities, by timely informing their owners to take action.

A similar story is famous from a village of japan named “Yamakoshi” where a Shiba Inu saved her family from the earthquake in 2004. Her owner was a senior citizen, in response to the earthquake she jumped into the house moved her kids to a safe place, and then informed the owner to get out of that property. As soon as they were moved to a safe place the building collapsed.

It is also reported that her owner was trapped under a wooden cabinet. Sooner a helicopter approached them and the owner was saved but he was forced to leave his life-saving pet behind. But they were destined to meet again as when he came back to his place after 2 weeks he found out that the Shiba Inu along with her pups were all safe and sound. 

The name of this Shiba Inu was “Mari” and her story was narrated in a Japanese movie called “A Tale of Mari and Her Three Puppies.”

Endnotes – Shiba Inu

Shiba Inu is a wonderful breed for those looking to have an agile, active, vigilant, and brave pet. For those who often go hunting, this breed can be the best choice. For kids and families, they may not be the ideal choice as a lot of other options are available in the markets but if someone really wants to go it for kids or families, then consider hiring a professional trainer to conduct a few months of training of your Shiba Inu.  If not trained well, these hunting dogs may harm your kids. So being aware of everything is important