Shiba Inu

The Shiba Inu is a breed of dog from Japan. It looks like a smaller version of the Akita Inu, and was originally bred for hunting. Shiba Inu is one of seven Japanese dog species recognised as symbols of the country.

There are two variations of the species. Aka-Shiba has red hair, and Kuro-Shiba has black hair. Shiba are popular among breeders in Japan.

Shiba Inu are faithful to their owners but are wary of strangers. They are popular as guard dogs. 

The Shiba Inu is the smallest of the Japanese native breeds and was originally developed for hunting by sight and scent in mountainous areas. According to the official breed standard, they are characterised by a "spirited boldness" and a "foxlike appearance" created by their clear red coat and "Urajiro" (cream to white ventral color) markings. American Kennel Club. (1997, February 7). Official standard of the Shiba Inu. https://images.akc.org/pdf/breeds/standards/ShibaInu.pdf

Other Japanese dogs
 Akita Inu 
 Kai Inu also called the Kai Ken
 Kisyu Inu
 Tosa Inu
 Hokkaido Inu
 Koshi-no-inu (extinct since 1971)

Category:Dog breeds originating in Japan
Category:FCI breeds