About the shiba

NKK International Fredrikstad 2003:
"Makka" BIS Progeny class & Kennel Ak-inu-ba 4 BIS Breedersgroup

The shiba is the smallest of the Japanese breeds. And it appears in these colours; Red , Sesame and Black and tan . All colours must have Urajiro; A whitish shading of the coat on the sides of the muzzle, on the cheeks, on the underside of the jaw, neck, chest, body and tail as well as the inside of the legs. In Black and tans, the urajiro have a somewhat different appearance. In reds we want as deep colour as possible, and in black&tans we want the undercoat to be white, grey or red.

The ideal size of a Shiba bitch is 37 cm and for a dog it is 40 cm. They can also be in the range of +/- 1.5 cm. The body height/ length ratio should be 10:11. The total impression is a dog in balance and harmony.

You shouldn't be fooled by its small size, because inside there is a much larger dog... The Shiba is an alert and very intelligent dog. This breed, like the Akita, need lots of socialization. Shibas can be shy and vigilant toward strangers, but today the trend is more open and happy dogs. We have experienced that socialization makes Shibas that fancy and accept both humans and dogs. Without socialisation a Shiba could get very protective, and that could lead to problems, it could also cause the dog to be insecure.

The Shiba is, like the akita, an all-over dog. It's being used for tracking, obedience, agility, rescue dog, hunting or almost any activity you start doing with the puppy. In spite of its small size, the Shiba is a good hiking dog. Traning should be joyful and challenging.

If you like to know more about the Shiba, we recommend the site of Mr. Christen Lang and his Kennel Enerhaugen. For some Japanese input on the breed, we recommend the articles written by mr Nobi Atsumi.

Our goal is to breed shibas of Japanese style with the ideal Japanes temper; Dogs that are possessed of "kan-i" which is bravery and boldness combined with composure and mental strength. The opposite side of "kan-i" is "ryosei" which means good nature with a gentle disposition. One cannot exist without the other. The charming side of the Shiba is "sobuku" which is artlessness with a refined and open spirit. They combine to make a personality that Shiba owners can only describe as "irresistible."

There is no perfect shiba, but our "ideal" is Glendalin Burande . "Kitaro" was an outstanding dog, maybe a "once in a lifetime"...