Origin of the Name
While “Inu” means dog in Japanese, “shiba” means brushwood. It’s possible they are named Shiba Inu after the terrain where they hunted or the colour of their coat, which is the colour of autumn brushwood. Their name also means “little brushwood dog” based on an etymological translation of their name from a Nagano Prefecture dialect.
The History of the Shiba Inu Breed in Japan
Shiba Inu is one of the oldest and most popular breeds of dogs in Japan. Shiba Inu history traces the breed’s origin back to when the first settlers came to Japan around 7000 B.C.
They were initially introduced to hunt small game like rabbits, foxes and wild poultry in the underlying brush of the mountains. Samurai also used them as hunting dogs and companions. Modern Shiba Inu still retain their hunting instincts, however, today, they are popular pets in Japan known for their spirited, good-natured personalities. They are confident, headstrong and loyal to their owners.
