General characteristics:
It is a small but well proportioned dog. It has a robust structure, good bones and strong muscles. He has a naive expression and quick movements. The height with respect to the length of the body, has a ratio of 10 to 11. It is a live, active, loyal, docile animal, ardent in its reactions and very awake with great acuity of its senses.
Head:
The Shiba has a wide forehead. The cheeks are well developed and the stop is quite abrupt with a slight groove.
Face:
The head is straight and the black truffle. The flesh color is admitted when the coat is white. A muzzle color that does not correspond to the coat is considered a slight defect. The muzzle is of moderate volume, not too long and pointed. The lips are tight and must be well joined. The teeth are solid and close in scissors. The eyes should be small, triangular, separated and dark brown. The ears should be small, triangular, firmly erect and leaning forward. Erect ears are considered a defect.
Neck:
Thick and muscular neck as well as strong and balanced with the head and body.
Body:
The height at the withers is high and the back is straight and short. The kidney is broad and muscular. The chest is deep, the ribs moderately out and the belly is well tucked up.
Limb:
Forelimbs: Seen from the front, straight forelimbs. The shoulders are moderately oblique, well developed. The elbows are close to the body and the forearms are straight.
Hindquarters: The thighs are long and the legs short, but well developed. Hocks must be strong and resistant.
Feet:
Fingers should be close together and well arched. The pads must be strong and elastic. Strong and desirably dark colored nails.
Tail:
The tail is high insertion. It is thick and carried vigorously on the back either curled or sickle-shaped. The tip of the tail almost reaches the hocks when it hangs down.
Fur:
The outer layer must be of smooth hair, with a hard and rough texture, the inner layer must be of fine and abundant hair; tail hair should be slightly long and kept separate.
Colour:
Red, black with fire, sesame, black sesame, red sesame.
Sesame color definition:
• Sesame: Proportional mix of black and white hairs.
• Black sesame: More black hairs than white.
• Red sesame: Color of the red coat, mixed with black hairs.
All the above mentioned colors, except white, must have «URAJIRO».
Urajiro:
Whitish hair on the sides of the muzzle and on the cheeks, under the jaw, neck and abdomen, under the tail, and on the inside of the legs.
Movement:
Light and fast passage.
Size:
Height at the withers: Males: 40 cm. Females: 37 cm. A difference of plus or minus 1.5 cm is tolerated.
Weight:
12 kilos los machos y 8 kg. las hembras.
Fault:
Any deviation from the aforementioned criteria is considered a fault and its severity is considered to the degree of deviation from the standard.
• Feminine males / masculine females.
• Defective occlusion (upper or lower prognathism).
• Absence of a large number of teeth.
• Shyness.
ELIMINATORY FAULTS
• Ears not erect.
• Hanging or short tail.
N.B. : Males should have two normal-looking testes fully descended into the scrotum.
