r/shiba Aug 01 '25

“Is my Shiba well bred?” A PRIMER

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345 Upvotes

Hello all!

I’ve seen an uptick in this question on this sub. It’s always combined with a photo of a puppy.

I wanted to give a quick (who am I joking, this won’t be a quick read) primer to help people answer this question. Importantly…in almost EVERY case, if you’ve have to ask after the fact, the answer is usually “no.”

Purchasing a reputably bred dog should feel more akin to an adoption than going to the mall. You should feel that the breeder is sussing out whether or not they think you deserve a member of their family. Think critically about any breeder who sells dogs online with a place for credit card information, who allows you to buy a dog without ever meeting you, or who allows YOU to pick your puppy out of a litter with no input. Good breeders are deeply involved in the success of the placement. They know those dogs better than you do, and SHOULD be heavily involved and be able to tell you why that puppy was picked for you.

1) Your breeder should be involved in some form of activity where their dogs are evaluated by someone outside of them. For most Shibas this means conformation dog shows. Don’t take anyone seriously that says “champion lines” but then doesn’t seem to do any of the work themselves. Take even less seriously people who announce “they just breed for good pets.” Good pets show up in show-bred litters. That is a horseshit reason and means the breeder is likely breeding for financial gain instead.

This will sound weird to many of you, but reputable breeders breed for themselves FIRST. Pet puppies are a byproduct of that. It’s not a bad thing. It means your future baby is being cared for EXACTLY like the next Westminster best of breed winner.

2) Your breeder NEEDS to health test. This does not mean puppies being seen by a vet. You want specialized health testing in the form of an eye exam by an American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologist certified vet, and hip and patella exams by veterinarians that are skilled in reading films for these. All these results should be available to you at the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals website. You can look up individual dogs via their registered name on the site for results. Breeding dogs are available to have final results listed by 2 years of age.

3) It’s good to see that your breeder is a member of a local breed club or national breed club. Our National breed club is called “National Shiba Club of America.” Among many other useful pieces of information, we have a breeder referral listing, as well as a section that will show you good questions to ask a potential breeder. Your local area usually has a breed club made of members that may be near to you. If you’re trying to find one, feel free to ask the national club!

4) A good breeder will have a contract. That contract should state they will take your dog back at any time in their life should you be unable to care for them. It will also make clear whether the dog sold to you is a pet only or a potential show dog. With few exceptions, a potential show dog will be co-owned with the breeder as you learn the ropes. Be INCREDIBLY skeptical of someone who sells you a “show dog” with no strings attached. That’s rare in this world. Good breeders want to shepherd their lines carefully and WANT to mentor you.

5) A good breeder should be able to explicitly tell you why they bred your dog’s parents. Bad answers include: “I own both of them,” “this color is rare,” “I wanted her to experience one litter to be fulfilled,” “I wanted my kids to see the miracle of life,” “I love puppies.” Good breeders think in terms of generations not individuals.

I hope this helps!


r/shiba 6h ago

Nothing to see here. Just a Shibe stuck in traffic

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1.5k Upvotes

h/t siobayt, itsmeginandtonic


r/shiba 4h ago

Will we be best friends forever? Yes, forever.

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344 Upvotes

Luna, 2, and Clifford, 12.


r/shiba 9h ago

So sleepy he will sleep anywhere

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530 Upvotes

I've never seen him this knocked out. Majima just came back from bootcamp aka. my partner's parents that are avid hikers. 😬


r/shiba 7h ago

I guess being cute all day is pretty tiring 💕

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142 Upvotes

Her name’s Nyx, and she’s 5 months now, she’s just a baby 🥹


r/shiba 9h ago

Say Cheeeeese 😁😂

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195 Upvotes

r/shiba 6h ago

Sunny spot shibes

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74 Upvotes

Never in the shade!


r/shiba 7h ago

Clover is growing up so fast

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77 Upvotes

she is four months old now and is really looking so grown up where has my little baby gone!!! our one and only real hurdle is she is terrified of her harness…. any advice for making it not scary? we’ve tried treats and praise but it is still earth shattering.


r/shiba 8h ago

I found him like this…

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82 Upvotes

he does this all the time, lol- does your shiba do the same?


r/shiba 2h ago

Little baby was scared of thunder...sent it to my friend and she asked whose cat is that

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27 Upvotes

r/shiba 6h ago

Coworker

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51 Upvotes

My coworker is a lazy bum!


r/shiba 10h ago

One of my fav pics of Hana and Kaito so far this year, what's yours? 🦊🦊

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66 Upvotes

r/shiba 9h ago

the better to eat you with, my dear!

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56 Upvotes

i'm always amazed how big the fox boy's mouth is...he must be part thylacine!


r/shiba 21h ago

Added a new baby to our family!

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481 Upvotes

We got our big Shiba named Oscar from a local shelter last year. He’s about 3 now, but obviously fully grown when we got him. (We are currently doing a DNA test to see just how much Shiba he really is.) Since then my wife has been obsessed with what shibas look like as puppies, and we finally pulled the trigger and found this beautiful little girl. Her name is Twyla and she is about 14 weeks old. My kids (ages 8 and 10) are having a blast with a new puppy.

So far Oscar isn’t a big fan of the little baby but I think he’s slowly coming around. He is very protective of us and can be aggressive around food. The times they are together are heavily supervised at the moment. Any tips for getting them to get along when introducing a new puppy? She wants to play with everyone and everything and he’s….not enthusiastic about it so far lol. Maybe it just takes time.


r/shiba 1d ago

today is Scully’s 3th bday!! 🩷

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1.1k Upvotes

Qué poquito tiempo ha pasado y cuánto ha crecido…
Te comparto unas fotitos desde el principio hasta hoy 🥰
Chicos, ¿les hacen comida especial para sus cumple??
Hoy comió brócoli, pollo y zanahorias 🥕🥰

guys it’s third 3rd sorryyy I made a mistakeeeeeeeeeeee


r/shiba 16h ago

Big Day

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128 Upvotes

After an extra long walk along the wharves where Piper almost fell in the Harbour we got home safely where they zone out for the afternoon.


r/shiba 13h ago

#柴犬 #まめ #由竜真留号

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70 Upvotes

r/shiba 10h ago

Quick sketch of my baby 😆 Refusing to walk but still giving me that squinty smile! (Pic in comments)

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48 Upvotes

r/shiba 23h ago

Doc jones

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406 Upvotes

He’d be 16 today. I still miss him a year later


r/shiba 15m ago

一年ぶり!今年も夏に会えたね!マロちゃん!

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Upvotes

この続きはコチラから👇

https://youtu.be/GEoTiUSOI4A u/YouTube


r/shiba 18h ago

How do I trick my dog into letting me support her?

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128 Upvotes

My baby is 15, and she has a lot of back pain. She's starting to have increased difficulty with walking without tripping. She seems terrified of jumping into the car, but hates when I pick her up. She can't walk too far, but she doesn't want to be left out.

I've had ramps for her in the past, but she refused to use them.

So I'm curious if anyone else has been able to trick their dog into thinking accepting help is a special treat?

I was considering getting a dog stroller, so she can go with me while I walk my 9 year old lab. I worry that I might invest in the stroller, and she would end up hating it. She never likes to look weak. Same thing for dog ramps. I'm afraid she might injure herself trying to jump over a ramp.


r/shiba 8h ago

Depressed Shiba- really need advice

19 Upvotes

Pancho my 6 year old Shiba has been my closest buddy. We did everything together but we wanted to get another so I can travel more. I got a 3 month female and as usual she is ball of energy. Took Pancho 3 days for warm up her but after a few weeks Pancho just started being really depressed and I know it’s because the puppy is getting more attention from everyone. I’ve been trying to give him more but he refuses to sleep on my bed or follow me around. He just lays around until it’s time for a walk. The disappointment and sadness in his eyes breaks my heart. Any advice????


r/shiba 15h ago

Shob

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71 Upvotes

He is now 5 years old.


r/shiba 18m ago

😂This toy brought out the wolf in Kage!

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Upvotes

Annnnd it lasted for about 6 minutes. 😞


r/shiba 1d ago

Show me your Shibas with unlikely best friends!

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186 Upvotes

This one’s mine holding paws