Main Shiba Inu Characteristics And Traits

Japanese Shiba Inu or Brushwood Dog (which is the literal translation of his name) is by the FCI into the group of Asian Spitz and Related Breeds in the class of Spitz and primitive type dogs. It is the smallest of all native dog breeds from Japan. Main Shiba Inu characteristics are agility, boldness, alertness, possessiveness, loyalty, speed, intelligence, independence, stubbornness, and hardiness. His incredible stubbornness and independence will certainly make things harder when it comes to obedience training. His lifespan is between 12 and 16 years. Shiba was developed, in the first place, as a hunting dog, and as a consequence he possesses a very strong prey drive, which is why he’s very dangerous for cats and other smaller animals. On top of that, he has very large teeth for his size, so you got the point.

Common Shiba Inu Characteristics

Sesame Shiba Inu posing

Lovely sesame Shiba Inu :)

The Brushwood Dog is also aggressive towards other dogs, especially males. For this reason, it is advisable to keep him on a leash while in walk. Although this dog is not a noisy one, his suspiciousness towards strangers or unusual noises makes him a great watchdog. In such situations, he will bark to alert you, and be sure that he’ll defend your property fearlessly. Brave little fella, say I must :) He is a highly energetic dog with a fiery personality. Also, he is very smart and has a great memory. The one of the best Shiba Inu characteristics is his undisputed loyalty to anyone who deserves his affection. This is the reason Shibas are in general great companions that are very affectionate to their owners as well as their families and relatives.

However, they can be tricky with the small children, but more on that in the article about Shiba Inu temperament. Shibas are very clean dogs who like to handle themselves, however, they don’t like you taking care of them – in fact, they hate it. So, you’ll have to put a lot of time and effort to get your dog used to his treatment. This is one of many reasons why this breed is mostly suitable for strong willed and dedicated owners. This dog literally needs a boss with a lot of patience and attitude. So, if you think you’re not the one, please avoid this breed – it’ll be the best for both of you. Ok, this will sum up the first part of this article about main Shiba Inu breed characteristics. Now, let’s jump onto the physical characteristics of this wonderful breed.

All About Physical Characteristics Of Shiba Inu

The Shiba has a muscular and compact body covered with a short double coat. Similar to all other dog breeds with double coat, Shiba’s coat has an outer coat made of straight and sharp hair, and an undercoat made of soft and thick hair similar to cotton wool. Needless to say, because of this you’ll have to groom him regularly, which is definitely not an easy task with this little devil :) His coat comes in a few colors and motives, so you have red, white or cream, brown, black, and sesame Shibas – just enough to make your perfect choice. However, all of them have white or cream fur covering mostly the lower parts of their bodies – particularly the cheeks, lower jaw, upper throat, abdomen, and parts of breast, tail and legs. Actually, that’s the one of the most recognizable Shiba Inu characteristics.

This dog has a rounded head with short and pointy snout (almost like a fox), straight back, strong and broad neck, and a long tail curled over his back. It is noticeable that hair on his tail is slightly longer in comparison with the rest of his body. His legs with rounded paws are strong and proportional to his body, and his breasts are broad. Other common Shiba Inu characteristics, when it comes to his look, are black triangular eyes, small black nose, and straight, triangular ears rounded in fur. So, as you can see, here we have a very handsome and strong dog capable of fast movement corrections, who can jump incredibly high. That’s why you’ll need a bigger fence for this buddy :)

Shiba Inu Size And Weight:

Male
– Height between 14 and 17 inches (35-43 cm)
– Weight between 20 and 26 pounds (9-11 kg)
Female
– Height between 13 and 16 inches (33-41 cm)
– Weight between 16 and 20 pounds (7-9 kg)

Shibas are very agile dogs, which can jump long and high

I believe I can fly :)

Screaming Like Mad

One of the most unusual, yet authentic, Shiba Inu characteristics is his loud scream. Yup, you got that right – they scream like crazy in certain situations :) Funny, isn’t it? Well, not so, because they can scare you suddenly with this strange habit :) It is a form of a high pitched bark, which is closely resembling a scream, and that can sometimes be really annoying for you and your neighbors. So, why does Shiba Inu scream? Well, it is often tied to his emotional side, but sometimes it can come out of nowhere really. He will probably scream when excited or sad, as well, as when he’s scared or angry. However, sometimes he’ll scream only to draw some attention, or when he’s just playing. These are the situations when it’s the most annoying, but I’m sure you’ll get used to it in time ;)

Incredible Shiba Inu Agility

Of many other Shiba Inu characteristics, his agility is the one to witness – it is almost supernatural. I already told you that Shiba Inu was developed as a hunting dog, and not just an ordinary hunting dog at that, but the one who can cope well with the mountainous terrain. That’s the main reason Shiba Inu is such an agile dog. He can jump incredibly high for his size, he can move lightning fast, and he can easily climb over walls like a cat. On top of that, he’s capable of squeezing through tiny holes.

All of this, makes him a great escape artist, which is why you should double check your fence or wall before you buy a Shiba Inu dog. Also, I told you above he is a highly energetic dog too, so if he fails in his first runaway attempt, be sure he’ll try again. Remember this well and prepare appropriately for this “crazy” fur ball. This’ll wrap up our article about the most recognizable Shiba Inu characteristics.

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