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History

Originally, Shibas were bred to flush birds and small game and were occasionally used to hunt wild boar. Now they are primarily kept as pets, both in Japan and the US. There are more Shibas in Japan than any other breed. Around 7000 BC the ancestors of today`s Shibas may have accompanied the earliest immigrants to Japan. Archaeological excavations of the shell-mounds left by the Jomonjin, or Rope-Pattern People (a name derived from the pattern found on their earthenware), show that they had small dogs in the 14.5 to 19.5 inch range. In the third century BC, a new group of immigrants brought their dogs to Japan These dogs then interbred with the decendants of the Jomonjin dogs, and produced canines known to have pointed, erect ears and curly or sickle tails. In the 7th century AD, the Yamato Court established a dogkeeper's office which helped maintain the Japanese native breeds as an integral part of Japanese culture. Although the country was closed to foreigners from the 17th through 18th centuries, some European dogs and a breed known as the Chinese Chin were imported and crossed with native dogs living in the more populated areas. Dogs in the countryside, however, remained relatively pure. Originally there were three main varieties of Shiba, each named for its region of origin: the Shinshu Shiba, from the Nagano Prefecture; the Mino Shiba, from the Gifu Prefecture; and the Sanin Shiba from the northeastern part of the mainland. Although similar, the Shibas from each area contributed to differences in breed type seen today. From the original Japanese native dogs, six distinct "breeds" in three different sizes developed. They are the Akita (large size); Kishu, Hokkaido, Shikoku, Kai (medium size); and the Shiba (small size). The small sized dog has been called the Shiba since ancient times, and there are several theories surrounding the development of that name. One popular explaination is that the word Shiba means "brushwood", and the dogs were named for the brushwood bushes where they hunted. Another theory is that the fiery red color of the Shiba is the same as the autumn color of the brushwood leaves. A third conjec ture is related to an obsolete meaning of the word shiba, referring to its small size. These explanations are often combined and the Shiba is referred to as the "little brushwood dog". World War II nearly spelled disaster for the Shiba, and most of the dogs that did not perish in bombing raids succumbed to distemper during the post-war years. While the Mino and Sanin Shibas became practically extinct, more of the Shinshu Shibas survived. After the war, Shibas were brought from the remote countryside and breeding programs were established. The remnants of the various bloodlines were combined to produce the breed as it is known today.

Standard

GENERAL APPEARANCE *** Small sized dog, well balanced, well boned with well developed muscles. Constitution strong. Action quick, free and beautiful.
Important Proportions: The ratio of height at withers to length of body is 10:11.

CHARACTERISTICS *** Utilisation: Hunting dog for birds and small animals; companion dog.

TEMPERAMENT *** The temperament is faithful, with keen senses (sensitive), and high alertness.

HEAD AND SKULL *** The forehead broad, cheeks well developed, and stop defined with slight furrow. The nasal bridge straight and the nose black in colour desirable. The muzzle moderately thick and tapering. The lips tight.

EYES *** Relatively small, triangular and dark brown in colour; the corners of the eyes are upturned.

EARS *** Relatively small, triangular, slightly inclining forward and firmly pricked.

MOUTH *** The teeth strong with scissor bite.

NECK (*** Thick, strong, and well balanced with the head and the body.

FOREQUARTERS *** Shoulders moderately sloping, elbows tight, seen from the forearms straight.

BODY *** Back straight and strong; loin broad and muscular. Chest deep, ribs moderately sprung, belly well drawn up.

HINDQUARTERS *** Upper thighs long, lower thighs short but well developed. Hocks thick and tough.

FEET *** Toes tightly closed and well arched. Pads hard and elastic. Nails hard and dark in colour desirable.

TAIL *** Set on high, thick, carried vigorously curled or curved as a sickle, the tip nearly reaching hocks when let down.

GAIT/MOVEMENT *** Light and brisk.

COLOUR *** Red, black and tan, sesame, black sesame, red sesame..
Definition of the colour sesame:
Sesame Equal mixture of white and black hairs.
Black sesame More black than white hairs.
Red sesame Ground colour of hair red, with mixture of black hairs. All the above mentioned colours must have "Urajiro".
"Urajiro" = whitish coat on the sides of the muzzle and on the cheeks, on the underside of the jaw and neck, on the chest and stomach, on the underside of the tail, and on the inside of the legs.

COAT *** Hair: Outer coat harsh and straight, undercoat soft and dense; hair on tail slightly long and standing off.

SIZE *** Height at withers: Dogs 40 cm (15¾ ins)
Bitches 37 cm (14½ins)
There is a tolerance of 1.5 cm (½ in) smaller or taller.

FAULTS *** Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree.
Particular Faults:
1* Shyness
2* Bitchy dogs, doggy bitches.
3* Malocclusion (overshot or undershot mouth)
4* Numerous teeth missing.

Disqualifying Faults *** 1 * Ears not pricked. 2 * Hanging or short tail.

NOTE *** Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.