Shiba Inu’s Colour

There are only four Shiba Inu colors, red, black and tan, sesame (red sesame/ black sesame) & cream.

Red is the most common Shiba Inu colour; it’s also the most desirable, especially in award shows. Red is likely the original colour, and it gives the dog a foxlike appearance. The Urajiro on the red Shiba Inu does not have sharply defined edges and is instead slightly blurred. The blur is because the gene that controls the red colour in the Shiba Inu always lightens towards the belly.

The black and tan is a tricolour coat when you factor in the Urajiro. The coat has a black or rusty tinted base and tan tips. A single strand of hair from the black and tan Shiba Inu will often contain all three colours. It will have a white/ tan base, followed by a reddish tan middle, and a black tip. Black and tan Shiba sports an attractive white bow tie along with the Urajiro.

Often the coat of the Sesame Shiba Inu is difficult to spot. This is partly because several conditions make it a true sesame colour. For it to be true sesame, it must be a red sesame Shiba Inu.

This means the Shiba Inu must have a red-coloured base and smooth black tips over the top. Overall they should have less than half of black pigmentation on their outer coat. This coat must pay slight similarities to the black and tan type; the black spots must have a black overlay replacing them.

It’s very unusual to see a cream-coloured Shiba Inu. It’s one of the rarest, as well. A cream Shiba Inu can look almost white, and the required Urajiro pattern is hard to see. The Urajiro should be seen on the cheeks, neck, chest, and belly of the Shiba Inu. With the cream-coloured base, it’ll be difficult to distinguish this.

Shiba Coats

Shiba Inus are a double-coated dog breed - the outer coat being stiff and straight, and the undercoat being plush and thick. Double-coated dog breeds shed continuously throughout the year. Twice a year, the shedding, (coat blowing) becomes heavy - usually during spring and fall.

The Shiba Inu can take several years to develop its final coat, and during that time, it can go through many changes, which can include color changes. Some puppies are born with white marking on their face that fades over time. Many puppies also have a sesame coat that also changes over the first few years, which results in the mislabeling of many dogs as having a sesame coat.

The two layers of coats on your Shiba Inu have two important functions. The dense undercoat acts as an insulator to keep the dog warm in the winter and cool in the summer. The outer coat acts as a type of “jacket” and repels both moisture and dirt. It also helps to protect your dog’s skin from sunburn and pesky insects.

Because Shiba Inu coats have both the function of insulating a Shiba Inu as well as protecting their skin from sunburn and pests - Shiba Inu coats SHOULD NEVER BE SHAVED.