shiba inu with pAt hAstings, cAroLyn herBeL, chris Levy, LAurA perkinson & diAnA smiLey
3. Do you get to see all coat colors in the ring or is one color predominant in the average entry? Which, if any, would you like to see more often? PH: Shibas come in three colors and all are equally accept- able according to the standard, but reds dominate the show ring. For some reason it has always been very difficult to breed a great black & tan, but there are sure some good ones out there currently. My BOS at the National last fall was a black & tan that was fabulous and is a great example of what the color should be. The sesame appears to be the hardest color to breed, even though you see a lot of quality in the color. A sesame should have black tipping, lightly and evenly spread over the entire body, but the average sesame in the ring has very little tipping. It is a thrill to see one that is proper of this color. CH: At most shows red is most seen, next black & tans and sesames least of all colors. I would love to see correct sesames more often. CL: The majority of Shibas are red as it’s genetically the dom- inant color. I love to see an evenly-colored dark red dog with good urajiro. It’s very difficult to get a well-marked black & tan, and I think you don’t see as many of them because of that and that it’s recessive. Lately there have been some outstanding black & tans shown. I think the most difficult color to get right is Sesame, because they need to have an even sprinkling of black-tipped hairs all over the colored portions of the dog. The black-tipped hairs seem to localize on the torso, which is not correct. I’d love to see more Black and Tans and Sesames shown. LP: I come from Chow Chow and fought to have the colors separated so judges could learn and see the correct b&t color instead to disregarding them due to not understand- ing them. Red is of course the dominant color not only here, but in Japan as well. DS: We have three recognized coat colors for the show ring—red, sesame and the black & tan. The reds are the most popular color that we see. I myself am a huge fan of the orange reds, not the blond reds, but a correctly marked black & tan is nice to see. I would say the essence of this breed is the stand out double coat, the required urajiro/cream color on all the undersides of every color.
National-recognized mentor for the Shiba Inu. I try to mentor new people coming into the breed.
1. What about the Shiba Inu makes it a standout show dog? PH: I actually have been very disappointed in the Shiba as a show dog. I have been involved with the breed since the mid 80s, way before they came into AKC and I really thought they would be a top contender at every level. When most new breeds join AKC, the majority of the people involved are novice, but Shibas have had a lot of very good dog people since the beginning but it did not appear to make a difference. I really do not know why. CH: Its beautiful colors, urajiro markings, exotic expression and its confident attitude. CL: The Shiba should naturally stack all by itself, and that’s an important aspect of the breed, especially when they’re shown in Japan at Nippo shows (the Japanese native breeds registry). The Shiba must own the ground it stands on and look like everything else is beneath them. I love to see Shibas shown just standing on their own. LP: This is a beautiful breed. They stand out due to the unique coloration on their faces and the almost wild expression. DS: The Shiba is an all-natural dog and is ring-ready quite easily. Although called an aloof dog in the standard, it should have a strong character.
2. Which of its characteristics make it a great companion?
PH: Shibas are the most unique breed I have ever lived with. They are about as feral-like as I have ever seen in a canine. A lot of people feel they are cat-like, but I do not see that at all. Basenjis are cat-like, Shibas are feral. They are not for everyone but if you love a challenge, enjoy a dog that will make you laugh every day and have the patience to work with them instead of trying to make them like other breeds, then this is a perfect dog for you. CH: This breed is a great companion only to those individu- als whom understand the independent nature of Asiatic canines. CL: While a Shiba is very independent, they do love their people on their terms. And they love to entertain their people. It’s a bit like living with a comical cat. LP: I love that they are calm and quite after the initial hello. I can have five or six loose in the living room and you would almost not know I had any dogs in the house. DS: If socialized when young, it makes a good companion because of its size and its extreme cleanliness. Also, it is very healthy with just a good diet.
4. Describe the breed in three words. PH: Alert, agile and keen.
CH: Exotic, independent and spitz. CL: Proud, aloof and light-footed. LP: Beautiful, clean and feral. DS: The correct shaped eyes, never round. Without these three things the type will be missing.
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