Kimahri is a Shiba Inu, a small breed of dog native to Japan. He was whelped in April of 2002 by a local breeder in MN, and was my ‘pick of the litter’. From the start, he had no trouble making the transition from his original home to my own. He didn’t seem to miss his littermates or mother at all, and he set off to exploring (and chewing) everything he could get at. He also wanted nothing to do with sleeping in our bed, he preferred to be underneath it or in his kennel.
Kimahri is a very clean dog, he has none of the normal ‘doggy odor’ or ‘dog breath’. From eight weeks old, when we got him, he was scratching at the door to go out. He made it through the potty training stage with a minimum of trouble and quickly established himself as ‘tough stuff’ with the household cats; much bigger than him at the time.
He loves it outside; rain, sleet or snow. Though when bath time rolls around, you would think he’s convinced that Shibas melt in anything aqueous.
Kimahri apparently didn’t read the same Shiba Inu books that I did. Shibas are supposed to be independent, aloof, and generally quiet. Kimahri, on the other hand, is friendly, loves to play mindless games of fetch for hours on end, and has a high-pitched whiny bark he loves to use for absolutely no reason at all. The only ‘real Shiba’ traits he shows is a cunning intelligence geared towards destruction. He also has an intense hatred of having his feet touched (it sends him into a screaming fit). He is also rather dog-shy (Shibas are supposed to think they can take on the world). Anyways, he is an amusing companion, at the least, that is for sure.
For more stastical type things, Kimahri weighs about twenty pounds and is a bit over a foot at the shoulder, full grown. He is a color known as ‘red seasame’, though the black mask he sports is not a show-accepted Shiba look. He also has a long, silky coat, considered a ‘fault’ in the ring. Since I got him strictly as a companion animal, these weren’t worries to me.
Shiba Inu Links
- National Shiba Club of America — Great information about the breed, breeders, rescue clubs, and more!
- K9Web Shibas — A good overview of the Shiba’s temperment and care needs.