The quality of a Shiba Inu can be judged by many physical features, such as the color of its nose, fur color, and the shape of its eyes, all of which can determine whether the Shiba Inu is purebred. Of course, the ears can also be used to judge this, which requires the owner to observe carefully.

Can the ear shape of a Shiba Inu show if it is purebred?

          Purebred Shiba Inus generally have triangular ears that stand erect and point upwards. In other words, Shiba Inus do not have folded ears; their ears are basically upright. The ears slightly tilt forward, giving a very alert look. The distance between the two ears is usually about 10 centimeters. If the spacing between a Shiba Inu’s ears is very wide, it typically means the lineage is not very pure. In addition, the ears must never be large; large ears are a serious defect. The Shiba Inu’s mouth is also quite full, with a stable and strong lower jaw that protrudes slightly forward.

Can the ear shape of a Shiba Inu show if it is purebred?

         Usually, when Shiba Inus are newborn, their ears are definitely floppy. Under normal circumstances, the ears will start to stand up at around 40 days old, often with one ear standing first, then the other ear standing after, with the time interval varying from one day to one or two months. However, if the dog suffers from calcium deficiency, ear injury, ear inflammation, and other issues, these can affect the process of ear erectness. Therefore, if a Shiba Inu has large ears, ears that do not stand up, or ears spaced too far apart, these three phenomena generally indicate that the dog’s bloodline is not pure enough.

Can the ear shape of a Shiba Inu show if it is purebred?

         When the Shiba Inu’s ears have not yet stood up during its early days, owners should not be too anxious but patiently wait for the Shiba Inu to grow. Around 2 months old, the ears generally stand up. Also, do not trust any folk remedies recklessly, as you might accidentally cause problems with the Shiba Inu’s ears.