In English

About Suomen Shiba ry

Suomen Shiba ry (The Shiba Inu Club of Finland) is the official breed club for the Shiba Inu in Finland. The club was founded in spring 2007 and is a member of the Finnish Kennel Club. By the end of 2017, there were over 270 members in the club.

The objectives of the club are

  • to educate our members and the general public about all aspects of the Shiba Inu (history, care, welfare, and training)
  • to encourage responsible breeding of the Shiba Inu in Finland and provide guidance and advice to breeders.

The Shiba Inu Club organizes different kinds of activities and events to its members, such as annual summer & winter assemblies, competitions and training. The club also publishes a club magazine, Shibasanomat, quarterly.

Acquiring a Shiba Inu

The Shiba Inu is a very primitive dog breed. The history of the breed goes back thousands of years, back to the first dogs that arrived in Japan. The word ”Shiba” comes from the dog’s small size and it’s red colour. Shiba Inus have been used to hunt birds and small game.

Nowadays Shiba Inus are mainly kept as pets, and it’s the most popular breed in Japan. Around 70 Shiba Inu puppies are registered in Finland yearly, and the breed is slowly becoming more popular.

The Shiba Inu is very cute as a puppy, as all puppies are. However, no dog should ever be purchased out of whim. You should take a close look the characteristics of the breed and think about whether the breed is suitable for you or not. You should consider for example size, characteristics, amount of exercise needed, energy levels, the original use for the breed, health and grooming.

It’s also very important to think about the changes the dog will cause in your life. When a puppy arrives, your whole life changes. Are you ready for these changes? Are you ready to provide your dog with regular exercise, food and care? A dog takes time, so you might need to give up some other hobby. You also need to think about your finances, as taking care of a dog does take some money. The price of the puppy is usually the smallest ’investment’ you make. Dogs need to be vaccinated regularly, and if the dog becomes ill, it might be costly to take care of it at the veterinary. Shiba Inus are long-lived, and you have to be ready to take care of it for the rest of its life. It takes a lot of responsibility to take care of a dog.

If you’ve already decided to get a dog, and you’re thinking about a Shiba Inu, your first step is to acquire as much information of the breed as possible. Don’t rush into finding available puppies before you have gotten to know the breed well. The price of a Shiba Inu puppy in Finland is around 1500-1800 euros, and most breeders have a waiting list.

This is just a small introduction to the breed. You’ll get the best information from the community – dog owners and breeders. Ask for their experiences and opinions. Most owners love to share information about their dogs and the breed. You can contact the breeders on the club’s list of breeders directly and ask for their puppy plans. You are also very welcome to join the conversation in the Facebook group or any of the shiba meetings.

Contact

Puppy inquiries: shiba.pentuinfo(at)gmail.com
Other matters: suomenshiba(at)gmail.com.
List of breeders: Breeders (in Finnish)

About dog ownership (Finnish Kennel Club): https://www.kennelliitto.fi/en/dog-ownership

The Community

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