ABOUT SHIBAS
You are no doubt reading this because you are interested in purchasing a Shiba so first I want to say a few things about the breed and human nature. I only speak the truth because I think it's the right thing to do for anything you feel passionate about. I used to tell potential Shiba owners to read as much as possible about the breed but I realize now that is a mistake. No author wants to put in writing the negative traits of the breed. Even if they did, potential Shiba owners simply don't want to believe it.
People are seduced by the Shibas cuteness. They meet a breeder's well behaved Shibas and they mistakenly believe if they treat a Shiba puppy kind, love it, cuddle it and spoil it by indulging the Shiba's every whim the Shiba will return their actions with love and obedience. People over estimate their abilities to care for a Shiba. You need to honestly assess your families capabilities for dealing with a dog as complex as a Shiba. It isn't if the Shiba is the right breed for you but are YOU the right owner for a Shiba? Because YOU are going to be the one doing all the changing in the relationship. It is not Shibas responsibility to learn to talk human it is YOUR job as the more intelligent being to learn to talk dog. If you can't you will fail. Period. If you read articles at rescue sites that tell why Shibas are given up you will see over and over again it's for dominance and aggression. It wasn't long ago that nothing could be found in writing about the Shiba. Then a few general books on the breed were written. Once the Shiba had some devoted breeders in the U.S. a few thorough table books were written with info and pictures about the foundation dogs and the pioneering breeders. Thanks to the Internet information can be found about Shibas from all around the world. Information is general and the most serious stuff is sugar coated. It tells you that Shibas can be "difficult" but it doesn't tell you how to deal with a Shiba puppy's temper tantrum at 2am in the foyer of your apartment building. You have to read between the lines. Then again there is the fact that Shibas have changed significantly over the years into a more easy going dog so at this point the information in articles is contradictory. Purchase your puppy from an experienced breeder who socialized the puppy during its young formative stages of development and who will help immediately if you have any questions.
Since you can find general information on how to choose a puppy elsewhere, I would like to share honest no nonsense information with you and what you should expect if you decide on a Shiba. Take the opportunity to listen and learn from other Shiba owners, experienced breeders and the Shibas themselves. An understanding of canine and primitive wolf behavior is a good place to start. Ongoing studies provide new information in canine communication that has thankfully changed dog training philosophy forever. Understanding what motivates a dog is very important here as the Shiba is highly driven to meet his own needs, whatever they may be at the moment. A wise Shiba owner learns how to use this single mindedness to his advantage in the training and management of his Shiba.
The Shiba has been said to be difficult to train. Nothing can be further from the truth. A clear and concise request will be responded to quickly and remembered indefinitely. It's just that an intelligent animal like the Shiba doesn't appreciate or understand our ridiculous need for repetition. It goes without saying that it's much more difficult for humans to learn the art of speaking clearly to animals. The good thing is most animals are forgiving, some more than others. Unfortunately the Shiba is NOT one of the forgiving. He can make what seem to us to be odd associations with actions, places or objects. Part of your responsibility in owning a Shiba is learning to communicate in a way he can understand and trying to avoid traumatization ESPECIALLY with a puppy! Anything else is irresponsible ownership. GROUP DOG TRAINING CLASSES are mandatory. Puppy socialization classes, intermediate class during adolescence (5-8 months old), through formal Obedience (8 months to 1 year old) require time and energy. Socialization should never stop with a Shiba. You will have a polished dog by age 3 and a wonderful companion who takes things in stride instead of over-reacting like many Shibas do. There are special online courses offered for reactive and aggressive dogs like those by Ian Dunbar who says "Lifetime maintenance — all food fed from the hand and only in the presence of other dogs. People with friendly and confident puppies please note: your Young adolescent will require ongoing classical conditioning to see him though adolescence. In terms of dog-dog interactions, you can begin to relax a bit when your dog is three- to four-years-old." We highly recommend our puppy buying clients to purchase Puppy Culture programs. It is extremely user friendly and easy to understand.
The Shiba is highly intelligent, a brilliant thinker and a phenomenal problem solver. Contrary to what is written the Shiba is capable of prolonged concentration and learning long chains of behaviors. This coupled with his nimble physique makes him a formidable mental and physical opponent. To top it off there is nothing that he likes more than a good challenge. He has the tenacity of the finest terrier, the wiles of a coyote, the stealth of a jungle cat. He uses his paws like a raccoon. He is a ruthless hunter. He is easily provoked into combat with those he thinks mean to harm him. These traits can be disturbing to some people and they are all evident in a 9 week baby Samori Shiba puppy!
Shibas, along with only a handful of breeds, pass through developmental stages more rapidly than most puppies. SHIBAS TRULY ARE DIFFERENT THEN OTHER DOGS. This means you have a shorter window of time for training and socializing. It also means the Shiba forms habits more quickly. This is how we can housebreak our puppies and teach them to accept sleeping through the night before they go to their new homes at 8 weeks of age. This can be GREAT if you use it to your advantage and very bad if YOU aren't on top of things and unwanted habits are formed. I find this all incredibly fascinating and like you I just had to have a Shiba!
To be a successful Shiba owner you should be an open minded and creative thinker. There will be lots of practice thinking outside the box while solving never before encountered doggie predicaments. Throw the things you learned from the other dogs in your life right out the window because training a Shiba is more like training a cat than a dog. You should enjoy challenges as much as the Shiba does. A good sense of humor helps too. Shibas love drama, thus the Shiba Scream, and they love nothing more than embarrassing you in public. There is no room for your ego with a Shiba. The Shiba has enough for both of you and more! Once a Japanese breeder of Hokkaido told me the Shiba was the "frivolous" one in the Japanese group of native breeds because you have it to serve no purpose beside being beautiful to look at. A little harsh yes but that word frivolous has always been in the back of my mind when I think about trying to describe the Shiba because the larger Shikoku can do the job of a Shiba so why a smaller dog? I love and respect the breed and I'm happy just to watch in wonder at its beauty.
The Shiba has also been described as feral or primitive. While the majority of the Shibas traits may seem to be primitive in nature there are other traits that are obviously created by domestication. The Shiba Scream for example. In the wild any pack member who was loud and dramatic would be a detriment to the pack and would be either dispatched or driven off to die alone. So drama is strictly a man made behavior which must have served some purpose at one time during the development of the breed. I'd sure like to know what on earth they were thinking with that trait.
Of thousands of dog breeds in the world the Shiba is the breed most closely related to the wolf. You can find historical Shiba information at this site. His feral ways have served him well for thousands of years and the Japanese hold his dignified warrior spirit in the highest regard. These same characteristics can be problematic if not acknowledged and put into perspective. Not all Shibas have all the following traits, but you should be able to accept any or all of the possibilities if you are considering owning a Shiba Inu because you never know what combination of traits your puppy will have. Proper socialization & training helps manage these traits, but you cannot change what is in his soul, nor should you want to.
Some Shiba Facts:
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Shibas can be quarrelsome with other dogs and predatory of small animals. (Except cats, MOST Shibas seem to LOVE to have a cat companion)
Shibas can be quarrelsome with other dogs and predatory of small animals. (Except cats, MOST Shibas seem to LOVE to have a cat companion)•Shibas can take a while to “warm up" to friends & strangers. (Or may be forever indifferent)
Shibas can take a while to “warm up" to friends & strangers. (Or may be forever indifferent)•Shibas are unresponsive to typical dog training techniques (Nothing "typical" about Shibas)
Shibas are unresponsive to typical dog training techniques (Nothing "typical" about Shibas) •Shibas are ON LEASH ONLY DOGS! If you want an off leash buddy it is best to choose another breed. (That's pretty much all I can say about that. Most people have to find out the hard way)
Shibas are ON LEASH ONLY DOGS! If you want an off leash buddy it is best to choose another breed. (That's pretty much all I can say about that. Most people have to find out the hard way)•Shibas require a calm, assertive owner that they can count on to be a firm & fair master.
Shibas require a calm, assertive owner that they can count on to be a firm & fair master. •Shibas molt like a buffalo two times a year. (Full time indoor pets shed much less but year round)
Shibas molt like a buffalo two times a year. (Full time indoor pets shed much less but year round)•Shibas are naturally obedient to an owner considered a worthy master. (Yes, grasshopper)
Shibas are naturally obedient to an owner considered a worthy master. (Yes, grasshopper)•Shibas are sensitive to vaccines so talk to your breeder then vet about taking appropriate precautions.
Shibas are sensitive to vaccines so talk to your breeder then vet about taking appropriate precautions.Now that you know about the Shiba's naughty side, you will be prepared for it, it won't come as a shock and you'll have one up on the little bugger. Here is a hilarious (yet true) description of Shiba behavior. Please continue your research on the breed and talk to as many pet Shiba owners as possible. Become familiar with the Shiba health issues. Study the latest information on pet care, homemade or raw dog food and especially about the dangers of over vaccination and the new vaccination protocol. Be prepared for the arrival of your new puppy with good fences outside and baby gates inside. Find a vet who is familiar with the Shiba and shop around for a dog training school that has a puppy class so you can join in shortly after your puppy arrives home. Plan for a busy first 6 months but after that you'll have a wonderful Shiba for 12 to 16 years.
Shiba's are very healthy dogs provided they come from conscientious breeders. I continually hear people say that their Shiba has severe allergies, crusty skin issues, blinding cataracts, crippling hip dysplasia and all sorts of problems. When I ask where they acquired their dog it was dubious, when I ask what they feed it's kibble, vaccination are yearly and their dogs are inside the house all the time. This surprises me because I've never encountered any of those things in my own dogs. Yes one or two have seasonal allergies but so do I! I deal with it. An occasional skin irritation is solved easily with a a bath and carefully drying the dog down to the skin. I've never had a Shiba with hip dysplasia. The poor Shibas with these afflictions are acquired from puppy mills and backyard breeders. The only way to shut down these animal producers is for the public to STOP BUYING FROM THEM! But people also need to take care of Shibas more mindfully.
One health problem that I know of as fact is patellar laxation. Even a well bred Shiba can have slipping patellas. At Kawako we only breed Shiba's that have been tested by and experienced BREEDER VET AND CERTIFIED & OFA certified to have good tight patella's but that does not mean we can guarantee every puppy we produce won't have a patellar problem. All small dogs and even any dog with straight hind legs they are prone to this problem. Even large dogs damage their knees, but it is usually traumatic damage whereas the small dog it can be congenital or hereditary, and it gets damaged because it's his weakest link. Since Shiba's have only been in the U.S. 40ish years the Shiba is still in its infancy here and we still have many things to learn about them. As far as health testing goes, I feel the U.S. has the most stringent health testing available to breeders and with the new DNA testing available we will be able to produce the healthiest dogs in the world.
So how do we keep our dogs disease free? Conscientious breeding is the start. OFA and DNA testing parents is great but once the puppy leaves the good breeder's care the puppy's owner influences the knees development through nutrition, environment and exercise. Poorly fed, fat puppies who sleep all day waiting for you to come home, jump up and down excitedly, go on a little walk, retrieve a few toys thrown across a slippery kitchen floor then sleep in a crate all night aren't getting the support they need to develop strong bones, joints, tendons and the muscle that holds it all together. Then they go to the dog park on the weekend and get hit broadside in the hind end by a huge labradoodle! Think football players and you get a good idea how dogs play at the dog park and how one injures their knee.
At Kawako our Shibas move about naturally and play all day in large grassy paddocks. We don't let our dogs get fat. They eat different raw meats, vegetables and get real bones to chew on. We do not encourage jumping and standing on the hind legs. We monitor a puppy's play with other dogs and don't let them play rough with boisterous big dogs where they might get hurt. The results are healthy Shiba's with excellent hip ratings and very few injuries.
About Cheri & Marcel at Kawako:
Cheri & Marcel have spent 50 years together with their various animals. Cheri offered private lessons and group classes and worked for 3 service dog organizations in several capacities. Additional experience as a veterinary assistant, kennel manager, animal control technician, groomer and as a veterinary supply distributor has prepared her as a breeder. While we believe all Shibas are living treasures, we feel KAWAKO puppies are exceptional because of the experience and training we put into them before they even go to new homes. This is an added value to our buyers.
OUR EXPERIENCE & AFFILIATIONS
35+ years exclusively breeding Shiba Inu with previous years devoted to Pomeranians, Aussies & Rottweilers.
40+ years as a professional dog trainer teaching manners and obedience to family dogs.
Kawako donates to local and national Shiba Rescue and Animal Assisted Programs annually.
History of serving pet owners across the U.S. & Canada since 1981
Lifetime member of NSCA the AKC parent club in the USA.
Member of NIPPO the parent club of the breed in Japan.
Members of Evergreen Shiba Inu Club our local Washington/Oregon Shiba club.
AKC Shiba Inu Breeder of Merit and participant of AKC Bred With Heart Program.
Our Shibas enjoy holistic care, home made diet of real meat & vegetables and farm living.
We participate in UKC, CKC and IABCA and AKC conformation and other performance competition.
Our puppies come with:
• Age appropriate vaccinations
• De-wormed
• Microchip
• Sterilization agreement
• AKC limited registration
• Free Veterinary Check & FREE month of Trupanion Health Inusrance
• Flash drive of baby pictures & Shiba specific health and care instructions
In additon:
• Puppy is raised with Early Neurological Stimulation & enrichment
• Puppy has age appropriate potty training
• Puppy is crate trained
• Breeder has 45+ years professional dog training experience
• Breeder has 35+ years' experience with Shibas
• References gladly provided upon request
Kawako Shiba Inus are located in the beautiful foothills of Mount St. Helen Washington Whether you are looking for a quality companion Shiba or you're interested in a beautifully trained adult Shiba contact Kawako Shiba Inu.
This page was last updated: 5/20/2026
STANDARD OF BEAUTY - PERFORMANCE & FUNCTION -
HEALTH & TEMPERAMENT
Thank you so much for visiting our site and feel free to e-mail your questions and comments.
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KAWAKO is now KAWANOKO SHIBA INU
(pronounced: cow-uh-no-co) to be the same as our NIPPO registered kennel name.
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The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) emphasizes animal welfare as a core principle, viewing it as a human responsibility to ensure all aspects of an animal's well-being are met, including proper housing, management, and nutrition. The AVMA also recognizes the distinction between animal welfare and animal rights, with animal welfare focusing on the quality of life and ensuring needs are met, while animal rights assert that animals have intrinsic rights.
Never support and animal rights group. Even some Veterinarians are animal rightist. Google the topic. Look for the tell tale signs. DO NOT SUPPORT ANIMAL RIGHTS.
