Live Life Team
While there are six different dog breeds that originate from Japan, the Shiba Inu is the smallest of all of them. Although Shiba Inu is its main name, it has also been known as Shiba Ken, Japanese Small Size Dog, or just Shiba for short. Scientific testing has revealed that the Shiba Inu is one of the oldest dog breeds still in existence. It has been around since the third century BC. In the beginning, they were most often used for hunting. Shiba Inu dogs like to find game, such as rabbits and birds, and flush them out of their hiding places. This leaves the hunter open to kill the game. While this used to be the main purpose for the Shiba Inu, it is not anymore. Now, they are mostly used as a pet in Japan and other countries.
Shiba Inu dogs have a medium build. They average between 33 and 43 centimetres tall. They weigh between eight and ten kilograms on average. There is a bit of a difference between the sexes of the Shiba Inu when it comes to size. Females will be a bit smaller both in weight and height compared to the male Shiba Inu dogs. This is only an average, though, and it is possible to see a female Shiba Inu dog being larger than a male.
Most Shiba Inu dogs have a red coat. While this is the most common, they can also be seen having a black and tan or sesame coat as well.
