SHIBA COLOURING

There are 5 primary colours to the Shiba-Inu, all of which are stunning. Below is a brief description of each colour. Red & White/Red Sesame (Akagoma) RED & WHITE: This can be a mahogony to a flame orange. With white cheeks, white marking on the feet going up as far as the knees, a cream or white underbelly and often on the tail. This is the most common and is realy what gives the shiba the reputation of being a fox due to the striking white contrast markings. White on the body and/or too far up the legs is highy undesirable and considered a mismark RED: red often debated As above, except that the whole dog is red, with a little bit of white on the cheeks, and cream underneath RED SESAME: This is the rarer of the colours, hard to describe and can be very stunning. The dog is esentially as a red or red and white. The difference is each hair on the dog is tipped with black. This gives a most amazing black finish to the dog which, when you brush the coat the wrong way shows the red beneath. Often red dogs with a "black saddle" affair are passed off as the sesame. A super example above is my own Wellshim Clever Clown of Skiandu. They still keep the white markings yet the muzzle often stays black Black & Tan A stunning colour which in reality should be tri colour. The red has been changed to a glossy black coat, with white on the feet, cheeks, a dash above each eyebrow and on the end of the tail. Also white "dickie bow tie" mark on the chest. Between the white and black there is a hint of tan White Or Cream In the UK and many other countries, I have heard this is not exactly an acceptable colour for the showring. Having said that I have heard & seen many stunning creams winning in top competition. This is controvesial simply for the colour yet they are naturally occuring in the breed and are mentioned in the UK standard. Whilst normally called whites, they are more in reality a cream. Often with ginger tips to ears, and feet. some are even slightly "dusted" with ginger on the tips of the body hairs. The latter are sometimes referred to as Dilute reds. Whatever you care to call them or think. Love them or hate them, it is another colour to be seen The following examples are not accepted as part of the breed standards, but they are no different in personality or temperament to any other Shiba. You can meet Tikki, our long haired Shiba, by following this link. Long Hair   Pinto Click here to learn more about Daisy