Native Japanese dogs are divided into six breeds. Of these, the smallest and probably most ancient is the Shiba Inu (柴犬). In fact, one theory about the name Shiba is that it simply denotes small; however, it may also mean brushwood in reference to the brilliant red brushwood trees that so closely matched the breed’s red coat and through which they hunted. These theories have resulted in the Shiba ’s being nicknamed the “little brushwood dog. ”

The origin of the Shiba is unclear; but it is clearly of spitz heritage and may have been used as early as 300 B.C. as a hunting dog in central Japan. Although they were used mostly to flush birds and small game, they were occasionally used to hunt wild boar. Three main types existed and each was named for its area of origin: the Shinshu shiba (“from the Nagano Prefecture”), the Mino shiba (“from the Gifu Prefecture”), and the Sanin shiba (“from the northeast mainland”).

After World War II, the breed was nearly lost, and it was further decimated by distemper in 1952. In an attempt to save the Shiba Inu, the different types were interbred, crossing the heavier-boned dogs from mountainous regions with the lighter-boned dogs from other regions. As a result, the Shiba survived as one breed, with some variation in bone substance.

The first Shiba came to America in 1954 and was officially recognized by the AKC in 1993. Since then, Shibas have achieved a staunch following, and their popularity continues to grow. Recent DNA analysis has confirmed that the Shiba Inu is one of the oldest dog breeds.