Here’s how the ancient native Japanese breed became the most popular dog on the internet
ByMelissa Ge
September 13, 2022 Updated On September 14, 2022
The Shiba Inu are one of the oldest and most popular breeds of dog in Japan. One of six native dog breedshere, they’ve become pop culture icons. You can find them in collectible gacha form, viral doge memes and even cryptocurrency. Shiba Inu history traces the breed’s origin back to when the first settlers came to Japan around 7000 B.C.
They were initially introduced to hunt small game like rabbits, foxes and wild poultry in the underlying brush of the mountains. Samurai also used them as hunting dogs and companions. Modern Shiba Inustill retain their hunting instincts, however, today, they are popular pets in Japan known for their spirited, good-natured personalities. They are confident, headstrong and loyal to their owners.
The Three Shiba Inu Bloodlines
Before World War II, there were three types of Shiba Inu — the Mino, the Sanin and the Shinshu. The modern Shiba Inu are a combination of all three original Shiba breeds.
The Sanin type came from Tottori and Shimane prefectures. They had mottled black coats and were larger than modern Shiba Inu. They had unaffectionate personalities that translates into the independence and feistiness of today’s Shiba Inu.
The Mino type originated from Gifu Prefecture. Smaller than the Sanin,they had notable fleshy, triangular and erect ears and angled eyes, which were passed down to the Shiba Inu as we know them today. They also had sashi-o, or pointed tails, different from the curled tail of most Shiba Inu.
The Shinshu type came from Nagano Prefecture. They had mostly red coats and a soft and dense undercoat and bristly outer coat. Unlike the modern-day breed which have pointed eyes, Shinshu had round eyes.
Origin of the Name
While “inu” means dog in Japanese, “shiba” means brushwood. It’s possible they are named Shiba Inu after the terrain where they hunted or the color of their coat, which is the color of autumn brushwood. Their name also means “little brushwood dog” based on an etymological translation of their name from a Nagano Prefecture dialect.
Threat to Their Existence
The Shiba Inu breed have faced two notable threats to their existence throughout history. The first instance came duringMeiji Era (1868-1912) and intensified during the Taisho Period (1912-1926). It all started with Japan ending its isolation and importing a lot of western things, including western dog breeds. Breeders commonly mixed them with native dogs and thus almost no pureblood Shiba Inu remained after the Taisho Period.
Scholars and hunters recognized a need to preserve their bloodline and thus indigenous dogs were made national monuments by the Education Ministry in Japan. The Nihon Ken Hozonkai (Japanese Dog Preservation Society) was also established in 1928 to preserve the number of indigenous dogs. The society holds a show of indigenous dogs twice a year and awards prizes for excellence. It also provides guidance on breeding.
The second instance in which the breed almost went extinct was during and after World War II. Food shortages and post-war depression as well as bomb raids greatly decreased their numbers. In addition, after the war there was an epidemic of distemper, a highly contagious canine viral infection, that nearly wiped the breed out. Breeding programs after the war helped Shiba Inu numbers return to normal. Most of the surviving Shiba Inu were of the Shinshu variety.
Becoming the World’s Darling
Shiba Inu first arrived in the US in the 1950s, but only gained American Kennel Club recognition in 1993. They have become increasingly popular not just in America but around the world for their cat-like personalities and lovable features.
The cryptocurrency Dogecoin (endorsed by Elon Musk) has recentlyboosted the sales of Shiba Inu in the States.Kabosu the Shiba, also known as “doge,” is the face of Dogecoin. Kabosu initially went viral in 2013 as the face of a meme featuring broken English.
China has also seen an increase mostly due to the breed’s popularity on social media. This is true for many countries, as some of the most followed dog accounts globally feature Shiba Inu. One great example is Maru the Shiba Inu who has over two million followers on Instagram, making him the third most followed canine on the platform.
Shiba Inu history traces the breed's origin back to when the first settlers came to Japan around 7000 B.C. They were initially introduced to hunt small game like rabbits, foxes and wild poultry in the underlying brush of the mountains. Samurai also used them as hunting dogs and companions.
The Shiba Inu was bred to hunt and flush small game, such as birds and rabbits. Shiba lived in the mountainous areas of the Chūbu region. During the Meiji Restoration, western dog breeds were imported and crosses between these and native Japanese breeds became popular. From 1912 to 1926, almost no pure Shiba remained.
Shibas have been used for hunting both small and large game. Because they are small, they're good at flushing birds and other small game out of the bushes. Shibas are rugged dogs that survived for thousands of years in the mountainous regions of Japan.
An ancient Japanese breed, the Shiba Inu is a little but well-muscled dog once employed as a hunter. Today, the spirited, good-natured Shiba is the most popular companion dog in Japan.
Noted Shiba Inu expert Julia Caldwell states, “The characters of these dogs suggest ancient Japanese people – austere, valiant, faithful, good-natured and gentle, and highly affectionate and sensitive to the kindness of their masters.” A partnership with a Shiba Inu will last a lifetime.
One explanation is that the word Shiba means "brushwood;" the dogs were named for the brushwood bushes in which they hunted. Japanese: there are two names with this pronunciation; the first, meaning 'turf', is found mainly in western Japan; the other, meaning 'brushwood', occurs chiefly in eastern Japan.
With its foxy features and alert, confident behaviour, Shibas are a popular choice for the experienced owner looking for a loyal companion. Originally bred as a hunting dog, the Shiba Inu is among the world's oldest breeds and one of six native to Japan.
Shiba Inu's are generally clean dogs which can make them relatively low maintenance. However, Shiba's are capable of large amounts of shedding, predominantly during Spring and Autumn, while their coat does not require trimming. It is recommended to brush your Shiba once a week to remove the extra hair.
These Japanese dogs are highly intelligent, which can make them pick up on training cues easily. That said, Shiba Inu can be independent-minded and opinionated.
Because of this fact, they exhibit a trace of their wild ancestry in their temperament. And believe it or not, this dash of “wild” often presents a no-cuddle zone. It's true—Shiba Inus are not so open to free cuddles. This revered breed often maintains a level of distance from unfamiliar faces.
Wei Haibo, a 68-year-old Shiba Inu breeder in Shanghai, explained that the breed is gaining in popularity mainly in metropolitan areas, where residents are prohibited from keeping big dogs. “People like them as they are clean, docile and very friendly,” Wei said.
Shiba Inus can suffer from allergies and skin diseases. Prevalent skin problems include: food allergies. flea allergic dermatitis (FAD) - when a dog's immune system overreacts to flea saliva.
Just as humans stare into the eyes of someone they adore, dogs will stare at their owners to express affection. In fact, mutual staring between humans and dogs releases oxytocin, known as the love hormone. This chemical plays an important role in bonding and boosts feelings of love and trust.
Shiba Inu ears often reveal the many moods of a Shiba—'airplane ears' laying flat like airplane wings display pure joy, perked-up ears exhibit alertness, while ears held straight back may be a sign of an impending Shiba 500.
The Shiba Inu is one of six breeds in the same family of dogs in Japan. 2. Shibas are descendants of the Asian Grey Wolf. Some feel the dog was named after the brush or shrub to reflect their hunting heritage.
The longest-lived Shiba in existence reached an incredible 26-years-of-age and was awarded the Guinness World Record for the longest living dog in 2010. On average, however, Shibas live to about 14. Issues to look out for include dislocated hips and eye problems.
During World War II, like many other dog breeds suffering from illness and poor nutrition, the Shibu Inu nearly became extinct. Efforts to revive the breed included combining three surviving bloodlines: the Shinshu Shiba, the San'in Shiba and the Mino Shibas.
Introduction: My name is Greg O'Connell, I am a delightful, colorful, talented, kind, lively, modern, tender person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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