Shiba inu, << SHEE buh EE noo, >> is a small dog that originated thousands of years ago in Japan. The Japanese used the dog chiefly to hunt birds and small game. The name shiba inu, Japanese for brushwood dog, may refer to the brushwood bushes where the dogs often hunted. Today, the shiba is kept mainly as a pet and watchdog.
The shiba inu stands 131/2 to 161/2 inches (34 to 42 centimeters) tall at the shoulder and weighs up to 25 pounds (11 kilograms). It has a thick, muscular neck, and its tail curls up over the back. The shiba has a soft, dense undercoat and a stiff outer coat. Common coat colors are red with a sparse black outer coat, and black-and-tan, with white or cream markings on the chest, legs, muzzle, and cheeks, and above the eyes.
