A hunting dog from the mountains
The shiba was bred to hunt birds and small game in the brushy mountains of Japan. Dogs like it have lived on the islands for many centuries, which makes it one of the oldest breeds in the country.
What the name means
Inu simply means dog. Shiba is usually explained in one of two ways: 柴 (shiba) is the word for brushwood, the undergrowth the dogs hunted in, whose autumn red matches their coat; and in some old dialects shiba is said to have meant small. Either way, the name fits.
Saved after the war
In 1936 Japan named the shiba a Natural Monument. During and after the Second World War, food shortages and an outbreak of distemper nearly wiped the breed out. Breeders rebuilt it from the few dogs that survived, mostly from three regional lines – Shinshu, Mino and San’in – and the shibas we know today descend from them.
Life with a shiba
Shibas are known for being clean, independent and alert. Many groom themselves almost like cats, and they often keep a little distance even from the people they love. Their coats come in red, black and tan, and sesame, and red is the color most people picture.
Owners also know the shiba scream – the dramatic yell some shibas let out when they do not get their way.
A tee for shiba lovers
The waves around our shiba are seigaiha, a traditional Japanese pattern of endless waves that stands for a calm life that goes on and on.
Shiba Inu T-Shirt
A smiling shiba inu with Japanese waves, for anyone who has one at home or wishes they did. Heavy cotton in 12 colors, sizes S–5XL.
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