Shiba L' Ombra della luna

      
History Shiba Inu The Japanese dog, which probably came from China with the first human settlers, has a very ancient history as it clear from archeological findings dating back to 500 B.C. Due to its small size and the particular shape of its skull, it can be identified as “spitz” type.

Immigration of the Yayoi age( 3 centuries B.C.) contributed to introduce other peculiatities: dogs that arrived during this period fixed a precise type with sharp ears and rolled-up tail.

This age’s dogs are used for hunting: deers, bears, small game and birds are its preys. Hunting and game as well as dogs’ height vary according to the regions. However peculiarities remain the same.

Geographical isolation, which characterised Japan for many centuries, prevented Shibas to undergo blood contaminations with other races but it was above all by chance since there was no safe and selection programme of the race.

The darkest hours start when Japanese isolation ends; in the XIX century importation of foreign races become more frequent and local races risk of disappearing, also because they underwent crosses with the newcomers.

Luckly a movement that arose in the 1925 was doomed to safeguard the cultural patrimony of the country from the foreign “invasion”; this wave of nationalism was realized in the dog-loving world with the birth of Nippon Inu Hozonkai (the society of Japanese dog preservation).

Finally in 1934 the race standard was drawn up. In 1936 it was officially recognized as safeguarded animal. In 1937 the Shiba was declared national monument, as it had already happened for the Akita and the Hokkaido.

Thanks to this acknowlegment, it seems that also Shibas were no longer in danger but the Second World War almost made them extinguish.

In 1948 some Japanese breeders collected the survived blood lines to recover the race. Afterwards, the race continued to be bred and improved to become the magnificent race we know today.

Its name, unlike the other Japanese dogs, is not connected to a region or prefecture but means “small” “dog (inu)”.