We strongly discourage pet owners from breeding for so many reasons. The most important being that we advocate for the spaying/neutering of all pets. Your Shibas will live longer, healthier lives if they are fixed, but we also believe in not contributing to the serious pet overpopulation problem.
That being said, there is so much more to breeding than people realize if you want to do it responsibly and ensure healthy happy puppies. These are the things you need to consider:
1) Be prepared to have your dog tested for genetic and inherited defaults. This is expensive, but you don’t want to have puppies that won’t survive, you have to put down, you can’t find homes for, or won’t live happy healthy lives due to poor genetics
2) Be aware that Cream Shiba Inus are not recognized by the American Kennel Club and are considered a recessive trait in all but puppy mills. Many Shiba purists will not want to purchase a cream Shiba from you.
3) Be aware that you may have to register with PACFA and/or USDA as a breeder and there are costs and administrative tasks to maintain your registration. You also expose yourself to personal liability and possible litigation should something go wrong with one of your puppies. Just like rescues, breeders need to carry expensive liabability insurance to protect themselves. Policies like these are very expensive!
4) Know that most Shibas (98%) are bred in puppy mills and sold through pet stores, meaning that they were poorly bred to begin with and should not be used for breeding. This means that your Shibas, that you plan to breed, are puppy mill Shibas!
5) Be prepared for significant veterinary bills for the bitch and the puppies, if they live.
6) Realize that reputable breeders have buyers sign contracts agreeing to return to you, ANY dog that needs to be rehomed for ANY reason.
7) Be prepared to do your due diligence when selecting homes for the puppies. As you probably know, Shibas are NOT for everyone and if proper homes are not selected, they are likely to be returned to you, end up in a rescue, a shelter, or worse!
If you truly love the breed, you would leave the breeding to the true professional breeders who are breed enthusiasts, show the breed, and are dedicated to keeping the blood lines healthy and strong. Despite good intentions, “backyard breeders” like yourself cannot realistically achieve that.