I once saw a Shiba Inu puppy at a pet store and totally fell in love with the breed. Shibas are the smallest of the native dog breeds that come from Japan. It is one of the breeds declared national monuments by Japan — that list also includes akitas and the Japanese chin. The breed nearly went extinct during World War II — I’m very glad it didn’t! The Shiba Inu was developed to be a hunting dog — both a scent hound and a sight hound. The breed is built for hunting in the dense undergrowth found in Japan’s … Continue reading →