Shiba Inu Breed Information

Shiba Inus are the smallest and arguably cutest of all the Japanese native Spitz breeds.

Originally bred for hunting small game, modern day shiba inu's have cemented themselves as internet celebrities, inspirations for cryptocurrencies and wonderful companion household pets.

Noteable Shibas online include Doge (meme), Cheems, Kylo, Eevee & Charmy.

Shiba Inu breed info diagram

Learn about Shiba Inu Dogs

Do Shiba Inus Shed Fur?

No Shedding
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Hair Everywhere
Yes Shiba's do shed fur regularly. Shiba inu’s have two official “shedding seasons,” fall and spring. Yet, you'll quickly realize that shibas shed plenty throughout the year, too. Weather can also impact the thickness of a Shiba's coat.

What's a Shiba Inu's Coat Type?

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Wiry
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Double
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Silky
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Hairless
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Corded
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Wavy
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Smooth
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Rough
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Curly
Shiba Inu's have a double coat. The shiba’s fur is double-coated, which means it’s very thick—and that means a lot of shedding. Shiba inu’s have two official “shedding seasons,” fall and spring. Yet, you'll quickly realize that shibas shed plenty throughout the year, too.

Shiba coat grooming frequency?

Monthly
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Daily
Shiba Inu's are known to be very clean without any regular need for bathing. To help with the abundance of shedding is to give them a very occasional bath, which helps to loosen fur. An extra bath here or there can help control the amount of shedding during the high-shedding seasons. But don’t go overboard.
Too much bathing will alter the thin layer of fat in the skin layers that helps regulate their temperature and skin oil. A blow dryer or dog-friendly vacuum can also help get rid of dandruff and fleas. Many dogs enjoy the warmth of the blow dryer, as long as it’s set to a medium or low setting and specifically designed for dogs. When drying off your pet, note that shibas are prone to skin allergies, so keep an eye out for redness or hotspots that may indicate they’re experiencing a reaction to something in their environment. If you notice something, talk to your vet—there are lots of options available for pet allergies.

What's a Shiba Inu's Coat Length?

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Short
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Medium
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Long
Shiba inus do not need regular brushing, but it is recommended with a slicker brush to minimise loose fur in the home. When you get around to brushing out their signature tail, be extra gentle. Although the tail looks strong, that’s mostly just because of the dense fur.If you find yourself covered in fur constantly, brushing them out once or twice a month can help prevent the tufts from floating around your home.

Do Shiba Inus Drool?

No Drooling
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Always drooling
How drool-prone a Shiba Inu tends to be. Shiba Inus are not known to be, or typically drooly dogs. Any concerns around drooling can be alleviated.

Are Shibas good with strangers?

Reserved
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Loves strangers
How welcoming is a Shiba Inu Dog likely to be towards strangers? Shiba's are typically happy to meet strangers, they typically will either be very happy a new human has come to see than, or will be quite relaxed, or aloof, about it.

How playful are Shiba Inus?

Only when you play
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Non-stop
How enthusiastic a Shiba Inu is likely to be to play, even past the age of puppyhood. Some breeds will continue wanting to play tug-of-war or fetch well into their adult years, while others will be happy to just relax on the couch with you most of the time.

How adaptable are Shiba Inus?

Loves routine
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Highly adaptable
How easily a Shiba Inu handles change. This can include changes in living conditions, noise, weather, daily schedule, and other variations in day-to-day life.

Shiba's protective nature levels

What's mine is yours
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Vigilant
A Shuba Inus tendency to alert you that strangers are around. These breeds are more likely to react to any potential threat, whether it's the mailman or a squirrel outside the window.

Do Shibas learn tricks easily?

Struggle to learn
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Easily
Shiba Inu's are intelligent dogs which means that with proper motivation, a Shiba Inu will be able to learn a trick relatively easily.

In order to learn tricks eaily a Shiba will need proper instruction; you cannot expect a Shiba to learn a trick without guidance they will understand. Good instructional videos can be found on YouTube.

Can Shibas be trained easily?

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Easy
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Average
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Difficult
Shiba Inu's and intelligent but have very short attention spans which makes training more difficult than some dogs. Their intelligence allows for them to learn tricks quickly. However, their short attention span means that you must ensure that a Shiba inu is properly motivated for training (which means lots of high value treats).

Training at meal times is recommended as a Shiba will be very focussed on receiving their next meal.

Are Shibas good with family?

Hates people
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Clingy
Shiba Inu's are typically affectionate, friendly, social and happy to show their happiness, particularly when greeting people.

They are known to become aloof, or perceived as disinterested from time-to-time which is an inherent breed trait.

Are Shibas good with other dogs?

Anti-social
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Best friends
Shiba socialisation is key to a Shiba being good with other dogs.

Dogs should always be supervised for interactions and introductions with other dogs.

Are Shibas good with kids?

Risk to kids
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Safe for kids
Depending on your Shiba's socialisation level, this can vary. However, we have experienced Shibas with low levels of socialisation as good with children, provided that children respect the dog's boundaries.

Dogs should always be supervised around young children, or children of any age who have little exposure to dogs.

Are Shibas good with babies?

Risk to babies
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Safe for babies
Depending on your Shiba's socialisation level, this can vary. However, we have experienced Shibas with low levels of socialisation as ok with babies, provided that the babies do not do things to annoy a dog such as pull the tail, etc.

Dogs should always be supervised around young children, or children of any age who have little exposure to dogs.

How trainable are Shibas?

Self-Willed
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Nice and easy
How easy is it to train a shiba inu? Shiba's are intellogent dogs but typically need string motivation (good treats) in order to be reliable in training. Prepare to negotiate tricks for treats!

Do Shiba Inus bark?

Quiet as a mouse
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Very Vocal
How often shiba inu's bark, whether it's with barks, squeaks or howls. Shiba Inus do not typically bark very often at all. Some Shibascan still be vocal, using other sounds to express themselves such as squeaks.

YouTube Video about Shiba Inus

Advice and info on SHIBA INUs and the things YOU NEED to know BEFORE owning or adopting a Shiba Inu puppy or adult dog as a pet. Do you want a Shiba or Shiba Puppy? Learn about Shiba Inu traits here and decide for yourself - Do Shibas make good pets for you? Does the dog from the Doge meme make a good pet?