GENERAL APPEARANCE
Shoulder height: 35.5-41.5cm (14”-15¾”).
Colour: Black, brindle, red, black/tan and grey.
Coat: Outer coat - harsh and straight. Undercoat - soft and dense.
Gait: Light and brisk.
This sturdy muscular little dog has a well defined stop and a slight furrow up the broad skull. The short muzzle is moderately thick. The small slightly triangular eyes are set well apart, and the small erect ears incline forward in a hooded manner. A thick neck runs into high set withers and a short straight back with a chest that reaches to the elbows. The high set tail is carried over to one side of the back. Moderate angulation of fore and hindquarter assemblies.
CHARACTERISTICS AND CARE
These little members of the spitz family are bright, active companions and due to their faithfulness make excellent pets. Their alertness means they will be aware of who are friends and should be accepted into the family group. An ideal size for apartments but not too small to enjoy free runs in the park, they make excellent pets for children. Coat care is minimal but, regular grooming will enhance the tone of the skin and keep the coat healthy.
HISTORY
Three national breeds were evolved in Japan from the Arctic Spitz group and all with the affix ‘lnu’, which means dog in Japanese. The Akita Inu is the largest and the best known of the three and also, the Japanese National Dog; then the middle sized member (43-53cm or 17”-21”) who is known either as the Nippon Inu or the Hokkaido Inu, and finally the smallest member, the Shiba Inu (‘shiba’ meaning small in Japanese). These breeds were bred in different areas of Japan for hunting and other purposes, and as a result developed different characteristics. Being ancient in origin, the Shiba Inu is an adaptable little dog, and used either for hunting small game or merely for companionship.