(しばいぬ)

しばいぬ
noun
Shiba Inu (dog breed)
animal-general
1. Shiba Inu; Shiba (Japanese dog breed)
A small-to-medium Japanese spitz breed with a curled tail and a thick double coat, originally bred for hunting in mountainous terrain. The most popular native Japanese breed kept as a pet, and one of the country's six recognized indigenous dog breeds.
柴犬(しばいぬ)()っている
I have a Shiba Inu.
The neighbor's Shiba goes for a walk every morning.
Shibas are loyal and alert, and are popular as watchdogs too.

Also read しばけん, though しばいぬ is more common in everyday speech. The name (しば) refers to brushwood — the dog's traditional reddish-tan coat resembles dried brush. Often just called (しば) for short.

Common collocations

Cultural note

One of the six native Japanese breeds along with 秋田犬(あきたいぬ) and four others. Internet-famous through the "doge" meme, which features a Shiba.