Appearance
A well-balanced, sturdy spitz-type dog with a fox-like face, small triangular erect ears, deep-set triangular eyes and a thick tail carried curled or sickle-shaped over the back. The double coat has a stiff, straight outer coat and a soft, dense undercoat.
Urajiro
Urajiro is the required cream-to-white shading on the cheeks, muzzle sides, underjaw, throat, chest, belly, inside the legs and underside of the tail. Correct urajiro is essential to breed type.
Temperament
Confident, alert and faithful, with a famously independent, cat-like character, a strong prey drive and a reserved attitude toward strangers. Early socialization and positive, consistent training are essential.
Sources: AKC Shiba Inu standard, NIPPO (Nihon Ken Hozonkai). For full guides see our articles.