Shiba Inu Decline

 I think we are all aware of the decline in the registration numbers for the medium sized Nihon Ken breeds, especially the Kishu, Shikoku, and Hokkaido. But something that is not being talked about is the decline in Shiba registration numbers.

Did you know that till around 2017 NIPPO had over 30,000 Shiba Inu registered every year? In 2024, there were only 14,695. In the last 6 years we have seen a registration decline of over 50 percent. The Japan Kennel Club's Shiba Inu registration decline in the same period is over 60 percent, as last year they only had 3,598 registrations.

While there is still a large gene pool in Japan, and worldwide, as we have seen in other breeds it is best to get ahead of negative trends before they become real issues. Anyway, I'm just trying to sound the alarm bell that Shiba breeders and preservationists should be aware that it is not just 'the other' Nihon Ken that are in decline.