Shibas are the smallest of the ancient Japanese breeds and were originally bred to hunt small game and wild boar - really quite a feat when you consider that the males are a maximum of 16 1/2 inches at the shoulder and 25 pounds. They are a distant cousin the the Akita (obviously the largest of the Japanese breeds, and, conincidentally, my first love of dogs but, alas, I live in a condo in downtown Vancouver so no go for so many reasons....)
They are actually quite cat like in their play and attitude and can sometimes be aloof and very independent. They are very smart and, as a result, get bored easily. If you don't make sure they have enough to entertain them they will find a way to entertain themselves - and generally it is not good - LOL!! They are extremely loyal - which is odd when you consider that they aren't very good at recall and, therefore, do not generally make good off leash dogs - and are also extremely clean.
In some ways they are almost an eternal puppy since they seem to have an inability to fully mature - life long tricksters and jokers they are. They can even have temper tantrums!
One major breed flaw is that, generally, they do not like other dogs (although Oliver is the exception to that rule) and must be heavily socialised when young. They can also be nippy around small children if not raised with them.
All in all, however, while not the dog for everyone, they are extremely fun dogs to those who enjoy their antics!
By the way, in case you are interested, Oliver's breeder's webpage is
www.sunojo.com She has some good commentary and links about the breed on this page - and you can see his daddy of whom Oliver is VERY proud!
Michelle