Shiba Inu is one of the ancient breeds of Japan. It is one also of the six distinct and original breeds of Japan, including Shikoku, Kai Ken, Kishu, Hokkaido, and Akita.
Many people often get confused between a Shiba Inu and the Akita Inu because of the huge similarity between the two ancient breeds.
At the beginning of the 19th century, the native breeds of Japan, including Shiba Inus, were near to extinct due to wars, importing of western dogs into Japan, and diseases.
A selective breeding program was then launched by the native breeders of Japan to prevent the breed from extinction.
They merge the three different strains of Shiba i.e., Shinshu Inu, Mino, San-In, into a single breed. The idea was to standardize the breed and bring variation into it. Cream Shiba Inu color coat is one of the outputs of that breeding program that is developed throughout the century.
Cream Shiba Inu is one of the most desirable color coats with a pure creamy base and white urajiro area.
Urajiro is a Japanese term interpreted by the National Shiba Club of America, which is used to identify the white markings of the Shiba Inu breed uniquely.
Cream Shiba Inu Breed Overview
In this section, you will get a thorough overview of the cream Shiba Inu breed, including the origin of the breed, the rareness of color coat, the genetic process behind the cream coat, and its inheritance.
I’ll also discuss how they are different from other color coats within the breed and various club recognitions and pedigree.
What Is the Cream Shiba Inu?
Cream Shiba Inu is one of the distinctive color coats of the Shiba Inu breed. The color coat is unique and beautiful in its way and is popular among the Shiba Inu breed lovers.
It is crucial to remember that the Shiba Inu breed is the same. The only thing which differentiates the cream Shiba Inu with other variations of the breed is color coat.
Origin of the Breed and Color
Cream White Shiba Inu is originated from Japan. Shiba Inu is one of the ancient breeds of Japan, but the cream color coat is not that much ancient as the Shiba Inu breed is.
Japan was in a terrible condition in the early 19th century facing a lot of problems at a time. It was a time of wars, illness, and people were importing western breeds from the western world.
The breed was near to extinct due to such conditions. It is was the time when the native breeders of Japan decided to develop only one breed of Shiba Inu.
At that time, there were three different strains of the breed, namely Shinshu Inu, Mino, San-In, which were bred together to form one breed.
And various variations were introduced, including the cream Shiba Inu.
Is the Cream Color Rare?
Cream color coat is the rarest and unusual color coats of the Shiba Inu breed. Besides the cream color coat, the sesame black color coat in Shiba Inu is also one of the rarest coats Shiba Inu.
Controversy with Cream Color Coat
The cream is the popular color in Shiba Inu, but the color is facing some controversy with the breed standards.
According to American Kennel Club (AKC), cream Shiba Inu is a serious fault because the white urajiro area is not prominent and settled down with the creamy base. Therefore, it is not a preferred color coat by standards.
Genetics of the Color
The genetic phenomenon is always difficult to understand when it comes to the variations in the color coat.
In the recessive form of the gene e, all the black pigments are restricted, which are not restricted in the gene E giving black hairs at least once in a lifetime.
According to recent studies, the two copies of gene e, i.e., ee, are responsible for the cream color coat.
Other facts about the cream Shiba Inu:
Cream Shiba Inus and white Shiba Inus are technically different but considered the same.
Not all the white Shiba Inus fall into a cream category, while all the cream Shiba Inus fall into the white category of the breed.
The truly white Shiba Inus don’t have similar characteristics as the Cream Shiba Inu. The examples of purely white Shiba Inus are Piebald, Albino, and Pinto Shiba Inus.
Cream color coat is a severe fault for the show ring.
Cream Shiba Inus should not be bred. The number one reason is the defect in their color coat, which breaches the breed standards.
The majority of the folks feel that the breeding of cream Shiba Inus will affect the other color coats.
How Do They Different From Other Shiba Inus?
Cream Shiba Inu is, without any second doubt, is unique in its own way. Although Red Shiba Inus are the trademark of the breed.
To be specific, the only difference between the cream Shiba Inu with other color coats is just a color coat. We can expect all the biological similarities in each color coat.
Of course, all the color coats belong to one primary breed. But you can still differentiate the creamy color coat in terms of beauty and elegance.
They have a nice and clean color coat with all the sophistication making them unique from others.
Kennel Club Recognition and Pedigree
The Shiba Inu breed was recognized by both the United Kennel Club (UKC) and American Kennel Club (AKC) in 1992. And the first Shiba Inu was documented in that year.
In 1993, the breed was included in the non-sporting group of AKC. However, the breed was first brought to America in 1954.
Every year pedigree cream Shiba Inus are registered in the British Kennel Club as they are perfect according to their breed standard. If you want to own a pedigree cream Shiba Inu you have to register your interest with the local breeders.
Cream Shiba Inu Breed Info
In this section, I’ll discuss the overall appearance, personality, temperament, coat types, and colors available in the breed.
I’ll also talk about the size, growth chart as well as the average lifespan of the breed in detail.
Appearance
Shiba Inu is the breed that is famous for its foxy look due to fox-like ears, face, and legs. However, there are no biological similarities between the Shiba Inus and foxes.
Both are genetically different breeds. Some people also get confused between a Shiba Inu and Siberian Husky because of their similarities.
Although Siberian Huskies are more similar to wolves but resemble a lot with the Shiba Inu breed, here it is essential to mention that the appearance of cream Shiba Inu depends on the spitz breed standards. cream Shiba Inu is one of the six spitz breeds of Japan.
They have perky or pointed ears, innocent-looking stretched face with pointed muzzles and heavy double coat all over the body with short furs.
The tail of cream Shiba Inu is curled and has long, dense, and thick furs bend towards the back. It gives them an iconic look, which clearly shows that it is one of the spitz breeds.
The tail is not only the trademark of the spitz breeds but also a savior for the Shiba Inus in the cold weather.
They protect their nose and face from cold winters by curling it up. Cream Shiba Inus have well-developed muscles with a compact body having a white urajiro area.
Urajiro is the Japanese term used to uniquely identify the breed by trademark white markings, which can only appear on certain parts of the body like belly, neck, chest, and cheeks.
Personality and Temperament
The personality of Shiba Inus is popularly defined in three Japanese words, i.e., Kan-i, Ryosei, and Soboku. All the distinguishing and prominent traits of Shiba Inu breeds are composed of these three words.
The combined meaning of the last two words, i.e., Ryosei and Soboku means that they are alert and good-natured dogs
While the meaning of the first word, i.e., Kan-I, means confidence, power, and strength. Whatever looks fancy to them or attracts them, they chase that thing will all the power and strength.
They have a very deterministic frame of mind, which only stops when the thing is done.
It gives a sense of stubborn and uncontrolled behavior, but don’t forget the meaning of Ryosei and Soboku. They completely balanced the personality and temperament of the Shiba Inu.
Misconception about the screaming behavior
The misconception about the Shiba Inus is that they scream or cry a lot when it comes to the specific condition, because of a natural or genetic trait.
The particular conditions include bathing and nail trimming. However, this is not the whole truth. Actually, it’s a result of poor training. The ultimate truth is that they are a quite silent breed with proper training.
Suggestions and recommendation
Despite all the essential features of a good dog, Shiba Inus lacks the ability to fit for every type of person. It is recommended that the people who have some experience with the breed should opt for it.
New owners are not encouraged to go for this breed. However, they can, but it will require a lot of patience and die heart efforts for them.
Coat Types and Colors
The coat of all the Shiba Inus, including the cream, consists of a thick double coat, i.e., the inner coat and the upper coat. The inner coat of the breed is plush and quite soft, while the outer coat is straight and bit hard.
The cream color coat is quite similar to redone but with relatively low intensity.
There are four primary color coats of Shiba Inus which are as follows:
Cream – Cream color coat is the rarest color coat available in the breed. The cream color is closely intact with the red gene. The cream color shades to lighter color on the belly. Unfortunately, the color coat is not accepted by AKC due to nearly invisible white markings.
Red – The red color coat is the most common and popular coat of Shiba Inu. It is the original color of the breed, which gives it a popular foxy trademark look. The color coat is preferred for the show ring.
Black and Tan – Black and tan color coat is a unique color coat of Shiba Inu breed with tri-color coats. Yes, you have read it right! The base is rusty and black, having tan points and a white urajiro area.
Black Sesame – Black sesame is in the list of the rarest color of the breed. The base of the black sesame color coat is always red, with a black color running throughout their body. The black color shouldn’t be more than 50% to be recognized by official show ring organizations.
Size, Weight, and Height of Cream Shiba Inu
The weight and height of the breeds depend on the size of the dog as well as the gender; females are generally smaller than the males.
The average weight and height of an adult cream Shiba Inu:
Growth chart for male and female cream Shiba Inu:
Note that larger male Shiba Inus stop growing at the age of 14 months while smaller males stop growing at the age of 12 months. For female Shiba Inus, they generally stop growing at the age of 12 months.
Lifespan
The average life expectancy of the dogs depends on the size. We know the fact that cream Shiba Inus are available in smaller to medium size.
Therefore, they have an average lifespan of around 12 to 16 years, which is relatively equal to other breeds of the same size.
Cream Shiba Inu Dog Care Guide
In this section, you will get a brief care guide for the cream Shiba Inus. The lifespan of any breed hugely depends on the nature and the level of care it is getting from the owner.
I’ll discuss various aspects related to health and care from food and dietary requirements to cleaning and grooming requirements.
Food and Dietary Requirements
It is essential to adopt a balance in the food and dietary plan for your Shiba Inu. In order to be a good and responsible Shiba owner, you should be aware of dos and don’t and the best practices which can accelerate your Shiba’s lifespan.
Changing of food brand
If you are not comfortable with the food and dietary plan your breeder or someone from whom you have purchased a pup, you can change it.
But remember that you can’t suddenly switch the food and dietary plan instantly. It may upset the stomach of the puppy. The best way is to consult with a breeder and gradually switch the food plan.
You must be thinking that how can you exactly change the food and in what proportion a new and old food should be given. Well, don’t worry, the new and the old food should be given in the following proportion.
Feeding schedule for cream Shiba Inu
Efficient and effective dietary plans should be adopted for the puppies, especially to make a strong base.
It will help them to cope with many challenges related to health and fitness. Puppy’s diet should be dense and high in calories and nutrients.
The puppy of Shiba Inus should contain 15% to 18% fats and about 30% protein, according to the National Shiba Club of America.
The adult cream Shiba Inu should be given a half cup to 1.5 cups of superior dog food divided into two meals per day. However, pups should be given a free hand on the bowl of the food.
Puppies eat a lot, which is good! Because it is necessary for their growth and development, but you should supervise and observe their feeding because they can easily over-weight.
The nearest veterinary can best give the perfect dietary plan because each dog is unique and have unique requirements.
The formula for daily calorie intake
Fortunately, there is a formula exists which can tell you the exact amount of calories your pup should intake according to its weight.
Recommended Daily Calorie Intake = 30 x Weight in kgs + 70
Note: You can divide the weight of your Shiba Inu in pounds by 2.2 to convert it to kgs.
For example, a Shiba Inu of 8 kg will need 30 x 8+70 = 310 calories per day as per the formula.
Exercise Requirements
Regular exercise is one of the critical factors which can extend the life expectancy of your Shiba. They are highly energetic dogs with great power and tracking ability; they were used for hunting in the past.
Therefore, they need a pretty handsome amount of both mental and physical stimulation.
An adult Shiba Inu would need 30 to 40 minutes of walk daily to release their stocked energy. You can do multiple activities with your Shiba Inu as activities can also become part of the exercise.
If you are fond of hiking and mountainous adventure, Shiba Inu is an ideal breed to go along. They have a very sharp nose, which enables them to track things in no time.
If you live in such a place, they can prove themselves one of the exciting breeds. You can go with them on camping. They will never lose your sight.
However, they may deviate once they catch the scent of something interested to them, they only stop when they catch or track that thing. But this behavior can be controlled by proper training.
You should have to familiarize yourself with a leash or harness so that you can easily go along with it without any fear.
Training Requirements
Training requirements are a must to be fulfilled to have well-mannered, under controlled and obedient creamy Shiba Inu at home.
Remember that Shiba Inu is a stubborn breed that needs a pretty good amount of training as well as early socialization to merge with people.
This is the fact that Shibas are not easy to train, especially for the new owners who have no experience in the past with the breed.
It can become tough for them, but it is not impossible if they possess enough patience and want to make efforts to train it.
Training methods
There is a number of training methods to adopt. Of course, all of them are not the best fit for the Shibas. The effective way to train the Shiba Inus is a rewarding method.
For every successful or unsuccessful task, you have to give him a surprise treat. If it doesn’t perform well, pet his back to motivate him to do better.
You have to remember the three words when it comes to training a Shiba Inu, patience, consistency, and persistence. Your creamy Shiba Inu is a reserved type affectionate dog that doesn’t show his affection much.
But if you will pour all of your efforts into him with positive reinforcement, it will learn more quickly!
Cleaning and Grooming Needs
You would be surprised to know that the breed is super self-conscious about its cleanliness. They don’t like to get dirty and always tries to clean themselves.
It gives them a leading edge when it comes to cleaning and grooming. They also help the fellows pooches in grooming.
The cleaning and grooming needs of cream Shiba Inus are as follows:
They required only one bath in three to four months because the double coat is odor-free.
They should be brushed once in a week in order to remove dead hair.
They shouldn’t be a bath for more than one time in three to four months because their skin will become dry.
Nails should be trimmed once in two weeks or a month.
Always inspects the different body parts like ears, eyes for redness, foul odor, or any sign of infection.
You can read this article to learn some grooming techniques for your cream Shiba Inu.
Pros and Cons of Cream Shiba Inu Dog
Dogs are not perfect, similar to humans, they do have some brighter and darker sides, which you should be aware of as an existing or future owner.
Some pros and cons of the cream Shiba Inus are as follows:
Pros
They may love to be the center of attention. Depending on the individual personality, it can be a pro or a con.
They have an elegant and appealing look.
They are observing, intelligent, thinking, and sensitive dogs.
Their body is well-proportioned, which is the sign of agility, power, and strength.
They are famous for their loyalty and strong bond with the pack. Once they establish a strong bond, they can’t be broken.
They are very easy to housebreak and have the instinct to keep themselves clean.
Cream Shiba Inus are naturally healthy, and they have a fairly long lifespan of around 12 to 16 years.
Cons
Cream Shiba Inus are a bit aloof. They are not externally affectionate dogs and keep themselves reserved.
Due to poor training, Shiba Inus have a genetic tendency to scream or cry in certain conditions.
They may completely avoid you once they get the scent of anything fancy to them.
You can’t force them to do anything if they are not in the mood to do that. They are naturally stubborn.
Their furs can be a big problem because they shed furs twice in a year.
Prices and Expenses of Cream Shiba Inu
A pup of cream Shiba Inu can cost you around $1200 to $2500 roughly depending on the location of purchase, type of breeder, and demand.
The price doesn’t stick to this only, breeders may charge higher than these prices for the superior pedigree cream Shiba Inu.
You can also adopt a pup from animal rescue centers or shelters for an adoption fee of around $330 to $500. The adoption fee covers veterinary care, vaccines, spaying or neutering, microchip, and tick & flea treatment.
It may not be easy to find a well-bred cream Shiba Inu pup at rescue centers or shelters, but you can give it a try to save a lot of money in getting from the purebred breeders.
The average initial expense is around $1600 to $1700 when you first bring your Shiba puppy home. This one-time expense will be higher if you’re a first-time owner. The expenses include vet expenses, vaccines, supplies, spaying or neutering, training, grooming, and other necessary things.
The average monthly cost of owning a Shiba Inu can cost around $200 to $1000, which covers food, medical, grooming, training, and insurance costs.
Where to Adopt or Buy a Cream Shiba Inu Puppy?
A pup of Cream Shiba Inu can be bought from several places. However, well-bred Shiba Inu is limited to some particular breeders.
There are three primary sources from where you can get a puppy of creamy Shiba. Those are as follows:
Professional Breeders
Accidental Breeders
Animals Shelters or Rescue Centers
Professional Breeders – Professional breeders have more experience in breeding dogs and they are likely to have health guarantees for their puppies. They provide lifetime support which they will take the dog back if you’re no longer able to keep it.
Accidental Breeders – Accidental breeders are those who don’t breed the dogs for business. The dogs have accidentally mated with each other. And once they find out, they have already been late. Therefore, they try to sell them at a reasonably low price.
Animal Shelters or Rescue Centers – Another great source to find a pup of cream Shiba Inu is the animal shelters or rescue centers near your home. You may find a well-bred pup there if you are lucky enough.
If you are in the United States, then it is not the option for you because cream Shiba Inus are rare to find in the US due to the AKC rejection of the color coat.
Common Health Risks of Cream Shiba Inu
Shiba Inus are genetically healthy, but they are also prone to many health concerns that can shorten their lifespan. Let’s find out the health problems your Shiba is susceptible to.
Cream Shiba Inus are prone to the following health issues:
Tail Chasing/Spinning
Chylothorax
Glaucoma
Patellar Luxation
Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA)
Hypothyroidism
Spinning/ Tail Chasing
Spinning is an abnormal and somehow awkward condition in which a dog becomes obsessed with his tail and spins like a wheel around him for hours.
Its typically a brain disorder and a kind of seizure that causes this abnormal behavior. It can be treated with the help of phenobarbital alone or with some other medicines.
Chylothorax
Chylothorax is a condition in which the chest cavity of a dog is filled with fluid, and because fluid gathered in it, the dog faces difficulty in breathing.
The other symptoms include coughing, loss of appetite, and lethargy. It can be treated by removing the fluid and giving low-fat diets. However, surgery can also happen.
Glaucoma
Glaucoma is an eye disorder in which the pressure is built in the eyes, which results in loss of vision and pain. It can be treated with the help of eye drops, or even surgery may be needed.
Patellar Luxation
It is the condition the kneecap of a dog used slides out from its original and get back to it. It causes pain when it happens and can be treated with only surgery.
Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA)
PRA is an eye disorder in which the rod cells in the retina try to destroy themselves gradually, which unfortunately results in complete blindness, and there is no cure to it.
Hypothyroidism
Hypothyroidism is a condition in which the thyroid hormones in the thyroid glands becomes imbalanced, which slows down the metabolisms of the body.
If not treated, it may affect every function of the body. Fatigue, rapid heartbeat, sudden weight loss are common symptoms of this disease but it is easily manageable with medicines.
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, cream Shiba Inu is one of the desirable color coats for the Shiba Inu dog lovers. But unfortunately, their color coat is controversial because of the violation of breed standards, according to American Kennel Club (AKC).
The reason is quite evident because the breed trademark white markings are not prominent on the cream color coat. Therefore, it may be challenging to find a puppy of cream Shiba Inu in the United States.
However, the British Kennel Clubs are perfectly okay with the cream color coat, according to them, there is no color fault in the breed as per their rules.
Anyhow a cream Shiba Inu is unique, having one of the rarest color coats of the breed. It has all the features of being an affectionate and the best housebreak dog.
It will not be wrong if I say they are “silent lovers” of the dog’s world. Besides their stubbornness, the bonding of the breed with the pack has no match.
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