A small, alert, and agile dog that copes very well with mountainous terrain and hiking trails, the Shiba Inu was originally bred for hunting. [1] [2] It looks similar to and is often mistaken for other Japanese dog breeds such as the Akita Inu or Hokkaido , but the Shiba Inu is a different breed with a distinct blood line, temperament, and smaller size than other Japanese dog breeds.