How much does a Shiba Inu cost: what determines the value (and why we don't publish a price list)

“Do you have puppies available, and how much does a Shiba Inu puppy cost?” are often the first questions we are asked — and they are exactly the ones that put you in a bad light.

Whoever buys a dog wants a life companion, who will be part of the family, and hopes they will live a long life in good health and without problems. And it is precisely that peace of mind that is so hard to put a price on. How much would you pay to be sure they will never fall ill? That is why answering with any figure would be the most useless answer we could give.

In this article we explain what determines the value of an ethically bred puppy, why we don’t publish a price list, and how to understand whether the price a breeder asks — us or anyone else — is justified by real value.

What determines the value of a puppy

Bloodlines and the parents’ titles

All puppies from pedigreed parents are born “purebred”, but not all are born from a precise combination of bloodlines. The parents’ titles — CAC, CACIB, national and international championships — are not decorations: they are the independent verdict of specialist judges who have verified, subject by subject, the conformity to the breed standard. With us, a dog must have earned at least a championship title before entering breeding. Those who buy from quality lines are buying predictability: health, morphology conforming to the standard, balanced temperament, recognisable traits that repeat generation after generation.

Genetic and health tests

Every one of our breeding dogs passes the main screenings required for the breed: genetic tests, hip dysplasia, eye diseases, patella, TVC (temperament assessment). These are examinations a breeder pays for — and pays for again with each generation — to exclude the breed’s most insidious hereditary diseases. A puppy born from tested parents is not “guaranteed to be exempt”, but it starts with a consistently reduced risk of developing diseases, not simply an ignored one.

Socialisation in the first sixty days

A puppy’s critical learning window closes at around sixteen weeks, but the most important work is done by us in the first two months: exposure to stimuli, handling, toilet habits, first recall responses, familiarity with humans and animals, building self-confidence and shaping character. A puppy delivered at sixty days that is already settled, curious, able to bond with its new family and to handle unexpected situations is the result of hours of daily work which, even if it never appears as a separate line item, is an integral part of the price — and it is perhaps the biggest difference between a breeder and a “producer”.

A family kennel, not an intensive one

We accept at most three reservations per litter and we don’t run continuous litters. It means fewer puppies, stricter selection and real time to devote to each one born. Those who organise a kennel like a series production simply cannot give the same attention to every puppy, understand their temperament and plan interventions accordingly — and price alone doesn’t tell you this difference.

ENCI pedigree and proper paperwork

Litters registered in the ENCI Stud Book, pedigree, microchip, national dog registry registration, health booklet with at least two vaccinations, veterinary health certificate. Each of these items has a cost and, above all, a meaning: they certify that the subject is what it claims to be, with a verifiable chain.

Lifelong support

Delivery is not the end of the relationship: it is the beginning. We answer questions about feeding, care, training and behaviour for the dog’s entire life, with specialist, targeted advice. This service has no price list, but it contributes to your peace of mind — and that is what counts.

Why we don’t publish a price

We are not a shop! That is the most important answer.

Every litter is different, with its own characteristics, lines and colour combinations, and any figure published out of context quickly becomes misleading. Without understanding what you are buying and the guarantees listed above, it communicates the opposite of what it means. Feel free to ask for an indication during the call. We will tell you transparently how we work, what is included and why.

The hidden cost of a “low price”

A cheap puppy is usually cheap because something was skipped: absent or partial genetic tests, parents never tested for morphology or temperament, continuous litters without socialisation, non-existent or dubious-chain “international” pedigrees, imports from foreign “puppy farms” with long journeys and certain temperament and health problems. Often what seemed a saving comes back as veterinary bills — and as temperament problems caused by the lack of socialisation.

The right comparison is not between figures: it is between what two breeders guarantee you behind those figures.

What to ask a breeder, beyond the price

• Do the parents have official ENCI FCI titles? Can you see them?
• Which genetic and health tests have they passed, and where can you see them?
• Is the pedigree ENCI/FCI or recognised by ENCI/FCI?
• How old is the mother, and how many litters has she had to date?
• At what age is delivery, and with which documents?
• What happens after delivery: is there support, and for how long?

If the answers are concrete and documentable, you will find that the price turns out to be the least important part of the conversation.

In short

There is no “one” price for a Shiba: there is the value of a puppy born from serious selection, and the transparency of those who breed it. If you want to know how we work, start from the FAQ, have a look at the available puppies and the waiting list and meet the breeders: then call us. The introductory call commits you to nothing — except doing things properly.