Small Preservation Kennel
in Southwest Minnesota

Working to support and preserve the Shiba Inu through collaboration with other preservation breeders.

We are proudly a member of Nihonken Hozonkai (NIPPO) and the National Shiba Club of America (NSCA).

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• About the Shiba Inu
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• Previous Litters
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Website updated: April 16th, 2024

We are located in Southwestern Minnesota near the South Dakota border. Tobitatsu (飛び立つ) means to 'fly away' in Japanese. I feel like in a sense, I am taking off to begin my journey now in the preservation of Shiba Inu. It also pays homage to my other love in the animal world, which is parrots.Tobitatsu Sou is a passion project. I've been involved in Nihon Ken (Japanese Dogs) for over 15 years. I got my first Shiba Inu in 2007. Showing dogs in conformation has been a dream of mine since I was a child. I attended many local dog shows in my teenage years and had a fascination with seeing all of the dogs in the ring. I recently began showing my dogs in the summer of 2021 and I have been gaining so much experience and having fun along the way!My program is currently very small. We have plans to collaborate with other Midwest Shiba breeders in the next ~5 years.My mentors include Marilyn Pikal of Kayobi Shiba (Minnesota) as well as Pam and Leah Crowley of Kokuryuu Shiba (Wisconsin). Marilyn was so kind and allowed me to co-own Suzy, the mother of our first litter. Marilyn is also who we do a lot of shows with! Leah and Pam have also allowed me to co-own my beautiful male Renton, which I finished as an AKC Champion in 2023. Both Leah and Pam have also helped me out tremendously with improving my handling.All of my mentors have been a huge help in my journey and I am so appreciative of their time and efforts.

The Shiba Inu (She-bah Ee-new) is a highly prey-driven small game hunting breed. They were designated as a National Monument in 1936 and are treasured in their country of origin.
They are one of six spitz breeds that originate from Japan. Shibas are the smallest. The medium breeds are Kai, Kishu, Shikoku and Hokkaido. The largest is Akita. All six breeds together are collectively called the 'Nihon Ken' -- which just essentially means Japanese Dogs.The Shiba is a small dog. Generally weighing around 16-25 pounds. They're body is compact while having a short and dense double coat. Shiba shed all year round and typically blow their entire undercoat 1-2 times a year, depending on the individual dog. If shedding is not something you can deal with, I highly suggest steering clear of owning a Shiba Inu.

Health

Shiba Inu are a fairly healthy breed overall. Reputable breeders will screen their dogs to do they best they can to ensure your puppy will not suffer from these issues. Always ask for health certificates! The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals has a public database to look through that will show what testing your breeder has done to ensure healthy breeding parents.The breed suffers from glaucoma at an alarmingly high rate. It isn't uncommon for Shibas to develop eye issues later in life and go blind or have so much eye pressure that the eye has to be removed. Slipping/loose knees (luxating patella) are common among mill and backyard bred Shibas and later stages of LP 3-4 require major knee surgery costing thousands of dollars.The most deadly condition found in Shiba is called Gangliosidosis. It is a hereditary condition that affects the nervous system/brain and has no cure. It has a 100% fatality rate before the age of 2. This condition is completely preventable with genetic testing. Both parents must carry the gene for it to pass on to offspring. It is very uncommon but, tends to pop up in breedings between parent dogs not tested.

Personality

There will always be some variation to individuals in the breed but, Shiba should be confident and bold."The Japanese have three words to describe the Shiba temperament. The first is "kan-i" which is bravery and boldness combined with composure and mental strength. The opposite side of "kan-i" is "ryosei" which means good nature with a gentle disposition. One cannot exist without the other. The charming side of the Shiba is "Soboku" which is artlessness with a refined and open spirit. They combine to make a personality that Shiba owners can only describe as "irresistible."Information quoted from the National Shiba Club of America information document. A link to this website can be found on my 'Resources' page.Shiba are alert by nature. They're very prey-driven and work on instinct. They're considered a primitive breed. The breed is not typically cuddly and will want to stay a distance away from strangers. Some Shiba lines do have a more cuddly personality that can be passed down to offspring -- our male Renton is one such Shiba.People will say that Shiba can be off-leash but, be aware of their prey-driven tendencies. I personally do not recommend having your Shiba Inu off leash at any time. My Shiba personally do not have great recall and it takes a lot of work to get to the point where you can trust your dog. Since all of the dogs in our program have a strong prey drive, I would highly recommend avoiding off-leash activities.

Renton

Male ♂

Puppy of Achievement
CH Kokuryuu's Seventh Swell TKP VSWB FITB

AKC #: NP74486406
Color: Sesame (awat, Ee)
Date of Birth: January 3rd, 2022
Pedigree: Link
Eyes: Clear - Feb 2023
Hips: Pending
Patellas: Normal (May 2023)
GM1 (Gangliosidosis): ClearBred by: Pam Crowley and Leah Crowley
Owned by: Stephanie Koch, Pam Crowley and Leah Crowley

Hanako

Female ♀

AKC Major Pointed
Bonsai Wolf Lotus Blossom at Tobitatsu TKN FITB

AKC #: NP82455001
Color: Red (AyAy, EE)
Date of Birth: February 9th, 2023
Pedigree: LinkEyes: Clear - Oct 2023
Hips: Too Young
Patellas: Too Young
GM1 (Gangliosidosis): --Bred by: Michelle Mak
Owned by: Stephanie Koch

Suzaku

Female ♀

AKC Pointed
Kayobi's Vermilion Sparrow TKN

AKC #: NP71204301
Color: Red (Ayat, Ee)
Date of Birth: September 16th, 2021
Pedigree: Link
Eyes: Clear - Oct 2023
Hips: Good
Elbows: Normal
Patellas: Normal
GM1 (Gangliosidosis): ClearBred by: Marilyn Pikal
Owned by: Stephanie Koch & Marilyn Pikal

Seiryu

Female ♀

Tobitatsu If I Could Fly

AKC #: NP90009102
Color: Red Sesame
Date of Birth: February 5th, 2024
Pedigree: Link out of Suzy x Senzo
Eyes: n/a
Hips: n/a
Elbows: n/a
Patellas: n/a
GM1 (Gangliosidosis): n/aBred by: Stephanie Koch & Marilyn Pikal
Owned by: Stephanie Koch

Byakko

Female ♀

Tobitatsu Walking in the Wind

AKC #: NP90009101
Color: Red
Date of Birth: February 5th, 2024
Pedigree: Link out of Suzy x Senzo
Eyes: n/a
Hips: n/a
Elbows: n/a
Patellas: n/a
GM1 (Gangliosidosis): n/aBred by: Stephanie Koch & Marilyn Pikal
Owned by: Stephanie Koch

Toby

Toby was an altered pet I owned for 12 years & was loved greatly by his entire family. He was my first introduction to not only Shiba Inu but, the other Japanese breeds.Toby passed away in March 2020 after losing a battle against cancer.

Akami

AKC Pointed
Kayobi Tamashii AkamiAkami started developing cataracts at the age of 4 & was swiftly retired from our program.She had a wonderful time with us for two years. She is sorely missed! Best wishes for a happy life as a happy pet! She is now in her forever home!

Tanjiro

Puppy of Achievement
Kokuryuu's Blessed Rain After the DroughtWith a heavy heart, Tanjiro has been retired from our program. He is now living a happy life with his new mama in the Twin Cities, Minnesota!During his short show career, he earned Puppy of Achievement, one Owner Handled Group 3 placement, 40 NOHS points that got him onto the top rankings for Shiba Inu in 2021 and one point towards his Championship.

Haru

AKC Pointed
Kayobi Takaharu TKNHaru was retired from our program after growing a little too tall for conformation shows and having a softer coat. He is now living locally in Minnesota with his new Dad!During his show career he earned 2 AKC Champion points, an Owner Handled Group 4 placement and 25 Owner Handled points.

• Tentatively Planned for Fall 2024
Suzy (Kayobi's Vermilion Sparrow TKN) x Chester (CH Kayobi Cheshire Kat) Pedigree
Red and Black & Tan possible.• Tentatively Planned for Early 2025
Hana (Bonsai Wolf Lotus Blossom at Tobitatsu TKN FITB) x TBA (potentially Renton)
Red possible.• Tentatively Planned for Late 2025
Hana (Bonsai Wolf Lotus Blossom at Tobitatsu TKN FITB) x TBA (Outside stud possibly, will update once I decide)

What do you get for choosing Tobitatsu Sou?- A lifetime of support -- we want to know how your puppy is growing and developing every step of the way. Through the good and the bad.- All puppies are started on their puppy shots (1-2 rounds) & a deworming, as well as vet records for each of their visits.- A bag of their current food, AKC folder & a puppy pack.- Limited AKC Registration, your puppy cannot be shown in conformation but, they can participate in any other AKC event like agility and other sports. Later down the road, we may offer co-ownerships for those who want to show. At the current moment, that is not available.- Entered into the Shiba Inu and Nihon Ken pedigree databases, all our dogs are logged through these pedigree databases so you can see every dog we've produced as well as what testing has been done for each dog.

National Shiba Club of America - Link - The main parent club for Shiba Inu for the American Kennel Club, has a host of useful information and a breeder directory of members of the club.Kayobi Shibas - Link - One of my mentors & the breeder I am currently working with on a co-own for Suzy, our little red Shiba girl. So very thankful for being given a chance to own her dogs and include her lines in my program!Kokuryuu Shibas - Link - Another fantastic kennel to check out, I am working with them on our co-owned sesame Shiba boy — Renton. Both Pam & Leah have been an amazing support team for me as mentors & friends. So thankful for their advice in showing and other aspects of Shiba Inu.Bonsai Wolf Japanese Dogs - Link - A newer breeder that we closely collaborate with. They are located in central California. We co-own our Shikoku Ken, Maeko with them. And we also have a Shiba puppy from one of their breedings -- Hana. If you are looking for a breeder in California and the west coast area, I high recommend checking out their program!Orthopedic Foundation for Animals - Link - The main body for health testing in the United States and beyond. You can check dogs by their registered name or number to find out if they're listed on OFA. Dogs above 2 years of age should have all of their health testing credentials listed on this website prior to breeding OR be able to provide you with proof.

All of the AKC Trick Titles we have worked on from July 2022 to January 2023!

A short showcase of training segments for a number of our dogs.

Renton's Trick Dog Advanced video submission.

Teaching Hana how to ring a bell.

Suzy x Senzo

Born February 5th, 2024
3 Girls, 1 Boy

"Byakko" Tobitatsu Walking in the Wind"Seiryu" Tobitatsu If I Could Fly"Bodi" Tobitatsu Still the One"Suki" Tobitatsu Midnight Memories