Temperament:
The Shiba Inu is active, alert, lively and obedient. Shiba Inus are reasonably easy to train, especially when being house-trained. They do have an independent nature, but will bond closely to their family or owner. Shiba Inus happily get along with children, household pets and other dogs. They are more cautious with strangers and make good watchdogs. Shiba Inus are an ideal size for apartment living and make excellent pets for children.
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Grooming:
Shiba Inus do not need much time for grooming as their coats are short and they naturally like to keep themselves clean. The dead hairs will need to be combed out from time to time with a coarse comb with a double row of metal teeth.

Exercise:
The Shiba Inu will adapt to it's family circumstances for it's exercise, but will happily go on any walks it is offered. They have the ability to walk for hours on end and are not restlessly demanding dogs.

History:
There are three national breeds from Japan that are from the Arctic Spitz family, and all have the affix 'Inu' (meaning dog in Japanese). The Akita Inu is the largest and most well known of the three and the middle sized breed is called the Nippon Inu or the Hokkaido Inu and then the smallest member is the Shiba Inu ('shiba' means small in Japanese). Each of these breeds evolved in different areas of Japan, for hunting and other purposes and as a result have each developed different characteristics. The Shiba Inu is ancient in origin and was used for hunting small game.

Physical Characteristics:

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