LEARN ABOUT THE SHIBA INU

learn about the shiba inu history, standard, links TO diet, health and more...

What does Shiba Inu mean?

The word ‘Inu’ means ‘dog’ in Japanese and ‘Shiba’ means ‘brushwood’ a type of tree that turns red in autumn. It is widely believed that Shiba was named after the tree, as the most common type of Shiba Inu is reddish in color. However, in the old Nagato dialect ‘Shiba’ can also mean ‘small’, referring to the dog’s small nature. The Shiba Inu is sometimes called ‘Small Brushwood Dog’.

Most popular breed in Japan
The Shiba Inu is the #1 companion dog in Japan. They are considered the oldest and smallest of Japan’s dogs. They were even declared as one of Japan’s national treasures. You can see many Japanese Shibas in social media sites such as Facebook, You Tube and Instagram.

Shibas are an Ancient breed

There used to be 3 types of Shiba before World War II – the Mino, the San’in and the Shinshu. Due to food shortage and post-war epidemics the Shibas nearly became extinct. During World War II, Japan’s focus wasn’t on dog breeding, and as a result, the Shiba breed suffered greatly. Nearing extinction, Shiba Inu puppies were brought back with the last three remaining bloodlines, which were the San In Shiba, the Mino Shiba, and the Shiba Shu Shiba.

The Shiba Inu you see today is similar to Shinshu, but all three dog-strains were combined to make the overall breed.

Wolf like
National Geographic has confirmed that the Shiba is genetically closest to the wolf followed by Chow Chow, Akita and Malamute; "suggesting they are the oldest domesticated breeds". The research conveys that the "Shiba Inu breed did not have as much genetic tinkering and stayed relatively true to how nature intended".

It is wise to acknowledge that the Shiba Inu has ancient DNA and they require the respect and recognition of being genetically closest to a wolf. Besides being absolutely stunning with a wolf like appearance, I want you to remember this fact and never assume that you can feed your Shiba and another pet together. I feed all of mine separately for respect of the origination.

Diet and Feeding

OK, so before I go any further, if you don't already know, then please learn what is healthy and what is harmful for any dog to eat.

Your puppy will have been reared on a particular diet, please follow the recommended diet according to size, age, build, and activity level. You will have an information pack with your new family member when the time comes to pick them up.

How much your puppy or adult dog needs to eat depends on their size, age, build, metabolism, and activity level. Dogs are individuals, just like people and they don't all need the same amount of food. It almost goes without saying that a highly active dog will need more than a couch potato dog. The quality of dog food you buy also makes a difference — the better the dog food, the further it will go toward nourishing your dog. Keep your Shiba Inu in good shape by measuring their food and feeding them twice a day rather than leaving food out all the time please avoid the fattening snacks and countless treats. I really enjoy cooking up my Shiba's food; I change the blend to keep it nutritious and exciting. Most of all it can be a lot cheaper, I know what is in the meal and they absolutely love their meal. Below are two examples of the many combinations that you can easily make.

Vegetables: Carrots, Potatoes, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Asparagus, Green Beans, Pumpkin, Sweet Potatoes, Brussel Sprouts ...even some Pear, Apple and Blueberries!

Meat: Chicken Breast, Lamb mince, Veal mince, Beef mince, Giblets, Hearts and Livers..

I place a good cup or so of water in the mix then slow cook in the oven temperature 160 degrees, I set the steam to level 3 and leave at least 30-40 minutes-until visibly cooked.

Your little Shibee will be waiting at the oven door!

Please be mindful not to dumpster any of your unwanted or treat food on your Shiba stick to their diet. Please note all the foods that any dog should not be eating ever as they are poison and include-, raisins, onions, currants, grapes, chocolate, caffeine.