By now, NPDD veterans know that there are certain “buzzwords” that offer clues about a dog.  “Griffon,” as we know, refers to a wiry-coated dog. If faced with matagi-inu, what would you think?

In Japan, “inu” means dog, and many of the native dog breeds are named after the area from which they came followed by “inu.” For example, the Hokkaido-inu is from Hokkaido. The Shikoku-inu is from Shikoku. The Shiba (inu), however, seems to be a “one off.”  “Shiba” refers to a type of tree or shrub that grows leaves that turn red in the fall, and many believed that the name comes from the dog’s tendency to run through brush or thick grass while hunting. Others think it is because the dog and plant share the same fiery red color. Yet another theory is that Shiba actually means “small” instead of “brushwood.”

At the end of the day, what you need to know is about “inu.”

 Shiba Inu by Kim Hunter. This print is available here.