Today’s Shiba Inu has been bred by carefully mixing strains of small Japanese dogs. All Shiba originate from mountainous landlocked parts of Japan, where they thrive on cold weather and enjoy living outdoors. Traditionally they were used as a family dog and make excellent guard dogs. They also excel at hunting small game, and Shiba’s have been used to hunt bear and wild boar as well.Shiba’s come in a variety of colours, but colloquially they are called “Aku Inu`` or Red Dog which is by far the preferred colour. They come in red, shades of red, black and tan. Shiba’s range from 15-16.25 inches in height for males and 13.75-15 inches for females. The height of the Shiba is one of the characteristics of this alert little breed. They have a short, dense coat and their ears and tail are completely natural.