Frequently Asked Questions

What's the best age to spay/ neuter?

We recommend letting your Shiba mature past the puppy stage prior to alteration.  Plan to have the procedure done at around 1 year of age. We strongly discourage altering females prior to/ during their first heat (usually occurs around 6 months of age), and males should be at least 9 months old. There are many benefits to allowing your Shiba to mature prior to spay/ neuter, including lower cancer risks, joint health, bone growth, coat health, etc.

More information can be found here:

https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/vets-corner/neutering-spaying-right-age-dog/

I don't want a "show dog". Why should I get a puppy from a show breeder? 

Putting aside the obvious answers- health testing, good temperaments, socialization, and breeder support, let's talk about why you want a Shiba instead of just a "dog", or a lab, or a chihuahua. You want the look and personality/ traits of a Shiba. It's what draws you to the breed. Show breeders will be intentionally producing that.

https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/dog-breeding/why-buy-from-a-responsible-breeder/

What is an ethical breeder?

https://thecaninechasm.com/how-to-recognize-ethical-breeders/

https://www.aspca.org/about-us/aspca-policy-and-position-statements/position-statement-criteria-responsible-breeding#_ftn1

https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/dog-breeding/signs-of-a-responsible-breeder/

To help me determine if you meet the standards of an ethical breeder, could you please answer these questions:

Do you health test your parent dogs?

Yes, our Shibas are tested clear for genetic diseases including GM1 Gangliosidosis (Shiba Inu variant) and also undergo OFA testing per the Parent Club recommendations. OFA tests include hip dysplasia, patellar luxation, and eye defects. We also complete additional tests not required by the parent club, including OFA cardiac. Links to OFA testing results (on the OFA website) and genetic testing results are available on each Shiba's profile page on our website.

I'm a little confused about health testing. If the vet has said that the dog is healthy and can have puppies, and the dog has had DNA testing, isn't that all they need?

No, Shibas from ethical breeders not only have routine veterinary care and DNA testing for genetic issues, they also undergo "extra" tests to check for issues that are more common to the breed. For Shibas, this includes OFA testing for patellar luxation, hip dysplasia, and eye problems. When they have this testing, there is a special certificate issued by the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA), and the results are added to the database on the OFA website. Ethical breeders will either provide a link to the results on the OFA website (like we do), a copy of the OFA certificates, or a copy of the OFA Health Pedigree for the dog (we usually send a copy of this home with our puppy families, and it is always available on request).

Do you belong to any associations or parent clubs?

Yes, I'm a member of the Shiba parent club in the US: The National Shiba Club of America. I also belong to the local breed club: Evergreen Shiba Inu Club. I am also a member of the Japanese parent club Nihon Ken Hozonkai (Japanese Dog Preservation Society, also knows as NIPPO), and NIPPO North America Shiba Club.

Are all of your parent dogs registered with closed, respected, reputable registries? 

Yes, every single one of our parent dogs are AKC registered. Many of our dogs also hold registration in Japan (JKC and Nippo), and some have dual registration in Europe.

Are the AKC registered names of your parent dogs available?

Yes, the AKC registered name of each parent dog is available and is included in the profile information for each dog showcased on our website.

Do you show and title your dogs?

Yes, we are very active in AKC conformation shows and consistently work toward and earn titles on our dogs. We do around a dozen shows per year.

Do you require that the puppies be spayed/ neutered?

Yes, all of our puppies placed as pets have a spay/neuter contract. 

I don't like contracts. Will you sell me a puppy without one? I don't care how much I need to pay.

No, we will not place any of our puppies without a contract. This includes pets and show potentials. If you are unwilling to sign a contract, I am not the breeder for you.

If I'm willing to pay more, will you sell me a puppy with full registration?

No, we usually only place puppies with full registration in experienced show homes. However, in some circumstances we may consider a "regular" home for a co-owner contract and placement for a show potential puppy. In such a case, the puppy would not cost more, but the contract would reflect health testing requirements and show requirements, and would include a spay/neuter clause if we deem the puppy to not be of suitable quality for breeding. 

Are your puppies raised in the house? Do your adult Shibas live in kennels?

Yes, our babies are raised in the house, in a family environment. We do not have kennels. All of our Shibas live in the house, as part of a family. We have three adult sons, and some of our Shibas happily rotate to their homes, where they can have a bit of extra one-on-one attention. I would like to note that there are ethical breeders that utilize kennels; I just prefer that my Shibas live in my home.

Can I come visit the parents and see where the puppies are raised?

Yes, but we only allow visits from our waitlist families. That means that we must have approved you as a suitable home for one of our babies. For our future Starfire families, we are happy to welcome you into our home to meet the mom(s) and babies (if applicable). We do occasionally use outside males from other trusted show breeders, so dad(s) may not be available to meet. When we have a current litter of puppies, we typically only allow visits from the families that are connected to that particular litter. However, we make exceptions on occasion.

I want a white, long haired, miniature Shiba. Can I buy one from you, or will you make me one? I'm willing to pay more! 

No, we breed to the Shiba Inu standard, originally established in Japan by the Nihon Ken Hozonkai (Japanese Dog Preservation Society, also knows as NIPPO). Long haired, wooly, and miniature Shibas are not accepted in the standard. We do not breed them and we avoid any pairing that would produce them. While we do not purposefully breed for cream ("white"), cream is an allowed color and ethical breeders do sometimes have cream puppies. Although cream Shibas do not have color-based health issues, these puppies are not recommended to exhibit or breed and ethical breeders will place them in pet homes. On the rare occasions that we have a cream puppy, we do not charge a different price for them. If you have your heart set on a cream puppy, we'd be happy to add you to our waitlist and guide you to one available from us or another ethical breeder when one is available.

What about a Shibadoodle? Will you make me one of those? I can pay a lot!

Absolutely not. Our goal and our passion is the preservation of the amazing Shiba Inu breed for future generations. We adore what makes a Shiba a "Shiba" and not a Lab or a Husky or a generic dog. We do not and will not breed mixes.

Do you have breeds other than Shiba Inu?

No, my heart (and home) have been thoroughly hijacked by Shiba Inus. Although I do not necessarily consider it a red flag for a show breeder to have a couple of breeds, I am completely devoted to the Shiba Inu.

What if I have questions after I take my puppy home. Can I ask you?

Yes, please do! I'm very happy to provide guidance and advice for the lifetime of your Shiba. I can always be reached by email or text (text is the quickest way to reach me), and will chat on the phone if you really need to. And I'm always willing to talk on the phone if you have an emergency or urgent concern/ question. 

My life went in a different direction than I thought. I love my Shiba so much, but I'm unable to keep them. Can I bring them back to you?

Yes, I will always accept my babies back, no matter how old they are or what the circumstances are. I'm also happy to help you with finding a placement if you prefer to do it yourself but need some guidance. I take lifetime responsibility for every Shiba that I'm responsible for bringing into this world.