The Shiba Inu
The smallest of the Japanese native breeds, the Shiba was originally developed for hunting in the dense undergrowth of Japan's mountainous areas. Alert and agile with keen senses, he is also an excellent watchdog and companion. His frame is compact with well-developed muscles and he possesses a double coat that can be black and tan, red or red sesame.
Descended from the primitive dogs of the ancient people of Japan, the Shiba Inu
was bred to hunt small wild game, boar and bear. The name Shiba in Japanese
meansbrushwood, after the
breed's hunting terrain or the color of brushwood leaves in the fall and Inu
means dog. World War II
nearly spelled disaster for the Shiba due to bombing raids and distemper, but
after the war, bloodlines were combined to produce the breed as it is known
today.
The Shiba Inu, the smallest and oldest of Japan's dogs, has been with the Japanese people for centuries. They make excellent watchdogs and have established themselves as the number-one companion dog in Japan.
There have been many stories on how the Shiba came about its name. Some are of the opinion that the name Shiba Inu was given because of its skill in going freely through the brushwood bushes. You will hear people refer to the Shiba as the Little Brushwood Dog. Another story has it that the other meaning of the Japanese word shiba is small; therefore this word has also been attached to these dogs. None of these stories have been validated. What is valid is this small dog called Shiba first came to its name in approximately the 1920s. In December of 1936, through the Cultural Properties Act, the Shiba was designated as a precious natural product of the Japanese nation. Thus, the breed was given official recognition.
After reaching near extinction during World War II, those Shibas remaining were from three different bloodlines. They were the San In Shiba, the Mino Shiba, and the Shin Shu Shiba - the last being the most popular in Japan past and present. It is from these three lines that the Shiba has evolved into the breed you see in and out of the ring. The first documented Shiba in the US was in 1954. In the late '70s, Americans started to import the Shiba for breeding, and the first litter was born in the United States in 1979. The Shiba Inu was admitted to the AKC Stud Book April 1, 1992, with exhibition in the Miscellaneous Class June 1, 1992, and regular classification in the Non-Sporting Group June 1, 1993.
General Appearance
The Shiba is the smallest of the Japanese native breeds of dog and was
originally developed for hunting by sight and scent in the dense undergrowth of
Japan's mountainous areas. Alert and agile with keen senses, he is also an
excellent watchdog and companion. His frame is compact with well-developed
muscles. Males and females are distinctly different in appearance: males are
masculine without coarseness, females are feminine without weakness of
structure.
Size, Proportion, Substance
Males 14½ inches to 16½ inches at withers. Females 13½ inches to 15½ inches. The
preferred size is the middle of the range for each sex. Average weight at
preferred size is approximately 23 pounds for males, 17 pounds for females.
Males have a height to length ration of 10 to 11, females slightly longer. Bone
is moderate. Disqualification--Males
over 16½ inches in dogs and under 14½ inches. Females over 15½ inches and under
13½ inches.
Head
Expression is good natured
with a strong and confident gaze. Eyes are
somewhat triangular in shape, deep set, and upward slanting toward the outside
base of the ear. Iris is dark brown. Eye rims are black. Ears are
triangular in shape, firmly pricked and small, but in proportion to head and
body size. Ears are set well apart and tilt directly forward with the slant of
the back of the ear following the arch of the neck. Skull size
is moderate and in proportion to the body. Forehead is
broad and flat with a slight furrow. Stop is
moderate.Muzzle is firm,
full, and round with a stronger lower jaw projecting from full cheeks. The
bridge of the muzzle is straight. Muzzle tapers slightly from stop to nose tip.
Muzzle length is 40% of the total head length from occiput to nose tip. It is
preferred that whiskers remain intact. Lips are
tight and black. Nose is
black. Bite is
scissors, with a full complement of strong, substantial, evenly aligned teeth. Serious
Fault: Five or more missing
teeth is a very serious fault and must be penalized. Disqualification--Overshot
or undershot bite.
Neck, Topline and Body
Neck is thick, sturdy, and
of moderate length. Topline is
straight and level to the base of the tail. Body is
dry and well muscled without the appearance of sluggishness or coarseness.
Forechest is well developed. Chest depth measured from the withers to the lowest
point of the sternum is one-half or slightly less than the total height from
withers to ground. Ribs are
moderately sprung. Abdomen is firm and well tucked-up. Back is
firm. Loins are
strong. Tail is
thick and powerful and is carried over the back in a sickle or curled position.
A loose single curl or sickle tail pointing vigorously toward the neck and
nearly parallel to the back is preferred. A double curl or sickle tail pointing
upward is acceptable. In length the tail reaches nearly to the hock joint when
extended. Tail is set high.
Forequarters
Shoulder blade and upper arm are moderately anuglated and approximately equal in
length. Elbows are set close to the body and turn neither in nor out. Forelegs
and feet are moderately spaced, straight, and parallel. Pasterns are slightly
inclined. Removal of front dewclaws is optional. Feet are catlike with
well-arched toes fitting tightly together . Pads are thick.
Hindquarters
The angulation of the hindquarters is moderate and in balance with the
angulation of the forequarters. Hind legs are strong with a wide natural stance.
The hock joint is strong, turning neither in nor out. Upper thighs are long and
the second thighs short but well developed. No dewclaws. Feet as in
forequarters.
Coat
Double coated with the outer coat being stiff and straight and the undercoat
soft and thick. Fur is short and even on face, ears, and legs. Guard hairs stand
off the body are about 1½ to 2 inches in length at the withers. Tail hair is
slightly longer and stands open in a brush. It is preferred that the Shiba be
presented in a natural state. Trimming
of the coat must be severely penalized. Serious Fault--Long or woolly coat.
Color
Coat color is as specified herein, with the three allowed colors given equal
consideration. All colors are clear and intense. The undercoat is cream, buff or
gray. Urajiro (cream
to white ventral color) is required in the following areas on all coat colors:
on the sides of the muzzle, on the cheeks, inside the ears, on the underjaw and
upper throat inside of legs, on the abdomen, around the vent and the ventral
side of the tail. On reds:commonly
on the throat, forechest, and chest. On blacks
and sesames: commonly as a triangular mark on both sides of the forechest.
White spots above the eyes permitted on all colors but not required. Bright
orange-red with urajiro lending a foxlike appearance to dogs of this color.
Clear red preferred but a very slight dash of black tipping is permitted on the
back and tail. Black with tan
points and urajiro. Black hairs
have a brownish cast, not blue. The undercoat is buff or gray. The borderline
between black and tan areas is clearly defined. Tan points are located as
follows: two oval spots over the eyes: on the sides of the muzzle between the
black bridge of the muzzle and the white cheeks; on the outside of the forelegs
from the carpus, or a little above, downward to the toes; on the outside of the
hind legs down the front of the stifle broadening from hock joint to toes, but
not completely eliminating black from rear of pasterns. Black penciling on toes
permitted. Tan hairs may also be found on the inside of the ear and on the
underside of the tail. Sesame (black-tipped
hairs on a rich red background) with urajiro. Tipping is light and even on the
body and head with no concentration of black in any area. Sesame areas appear at
least one-half red. Sesame may end in a widow's peak on the forehead, leaving
the bridge and sides of the muzzle red. Eye spots and lower legs are also red.
Clearly delineated white markings are permitted but not required on the tip of
the tail and in the form of socks on the forelegs to the elbow joint, hind legs
to the knee joint. A patch of blaze is permitted on the throat, forechest, or
chest in addition to urajiro. Serious
fault--Cream, white pinto, or any other color or marking not specified is a
very serious fault and must be penalized.
Gait
Movement is nimble, light, and elastic. At the trot, the legs angle in towards a
center line while the topline remains level and firm. forward reach and rear
extension are moderate and efficient. In the show ring, the Shiba is gaited on a
loose lead at a brisk trot.
Temperament
A spirited boldness, a good nature, and an unaffected forthrightness, which
together yield dignity and natural beauty. The Shiba has an independent nature
and can be reserved toward strangers but is loyal and affectionate to those who
earn his respect. At times aggressive toward other dogs, the Shiba is always
under the control of his handler. Any aggression toward handler or judge or any
overt shyness must be severely penalized.
Summary
The foregoing is a description of the ideal Shiba. Any deviation from the above
standard is to be considered a fault and must be penalized. The severity of the
fault is equal to the extent of the deviation. A harmonious balance of form,
color, movement, and temperament is more critical than any one feature.
Disqualifications
Males over 16½ and under 14½ inches.
Females over 15½ and under 13½ inches.
Overshot or undershot bite.