The shiba inu is intelligent, lively, clever and has good empathy (but does not necessarily want to show it). From their intelligence and independant-mindness, they could be described as cats in dogs clothing. They have been known to eat by grabbing food with their paws and bringing it to their mouths. This may explain why it is the most popular breed in Japan.

A number of breeds come from the same lineage and are distinguished foremost by size. The larger breed - akita inu - is the most prevalent in Europe. Medium-sized breeds - Kishu, Hokkaido, Shikoku and Kai are rare in Europe. Shibas close the rankings and fit in the small-size category. They can even travel on the plane with you up to the age of six months with most airlines; Alitalia even lets people on with dogs of up to 10kgs.

Theories abound on the origin of the word shiba. Finding out which is exact is somewhat moot. What is obvious to experienced dog-owners is that hunting is part of its genetic code: it is very focused on sniffing around.

A post-WWII "reconstruction program" aimed at reviving the breed from the decimation of war. Three types of shibas (Mino, Sanin and Shinshu) were combined to produce the breed known today.

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