Timberwood Paws

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Timberwood Paws

Shiba Inu and Finnish Lapphund preservationist breeder in Cincinnati, Ohio

10/30/2026

Shiba Coat Education: Sashige (Dirty Red)❤️🐕

Today, Angel and Simmer made a trip to the vet for their annual checkups! 🩺 While they were there, we thought their beautiful coats would make the perfect opportunity for a little Shiba Inu color education!

❤️ What is Sashige?

Both Angel and Simmer have red coats with black ticking scattered throughout. This is commonly referred to as Sashige, or “dirty red.” Rather than having a uniformly red appearance, sashige Shibas have darker hairs mixed into their red coat, creating a more shaded or “dirty” look.

But how does sashige differ from other Shiba Inu colors?

🐾 Red: A red Shiba with a cleaner, more uniform red appearance and without the noticeable dark ticking seen in sashige.

🐾 Sashige (Dirty Red): A red-based coat with black or dark-tipped hairs scattered throughout the red, giving the coat a darker, speckled appearance.

🐾 Sesame / Red Sesame: Sesame is a distinct coat pattern involving black hairs distributed over a red base in a characteristic pattern. Red sesame generally has a stronger red appearance with black overlay, while traditional sesame has a more balanced distribution of red and black hairs.

Although these coats can sometimes look similar, the distribution and pattern of the dark hairs are key to distinguishing them.
We love celebrating the details that make each Shiba Inu unique! ❤️

Did you know about sashige before today? Tell us in the comments! 👇

10/23/2026

3 boys! 🥂
PicassoXPrada

10/23/2026

💕 The news we’ve been waiting SO long to share… PRADA IS FINALLY PREGNANT & LABORING RIGHT NOW! 🎉🐾

This pregnancy is extra special and has been a long time coming!

Since finishing Prada’s AKC Championship, we have attempted to breed her several times without success. After so many disappointments, I had honestly started to believe that Prada might never become a mother. I even considered placing her in a loving pet home, thinking perhaps motherhood just wasn’t in the cards for her.

But someone wasn’t ready to give up on Prada. ❤️

My wonderful co-owner and co-breeder, Rex Ga***rd of Shomaisou Shiba, offered to take Prada and give it another try. When I was beginning to lose hope, Rex still believed in Prada and the possibility of what she could produce.

And HE DID IT! 🥹❤️

With careful timing and the use of frozen semen from Morningstar Shibas, PRADA IS FINALLY EXPECTING!

After all the unsuccessful attempts, I had begun to worry that something might be reproductively wrong with her. Looking back, between previous males with fertility issues and missed ovulation windows, it seems we simply hadn’t gotten all the pieces of the puzzle right at the same time.

All we needed was the right timing and viable semen!

I cannot begin to express how incredibly thankful I am to Rex. Thank you for believing in Prada when I was losing hope, for putting in the time and effort, and for helping make something happen that I had almost convinced myself wasn’t possible.

Rex and I are beyond excited to welcome these long-awaited babies into the world!

Sometimes the journey isn’t easy, but that makes the happy endings so much sweeter. ❤️

Here’s to Prada’s very first litter and the 2nd generation of Timberwood Shibas! 🐾💕

10/21/2026

Prince went Winners Dog at the Non Sporting specialty in Tennessee and earned a 3 point major! He now has both majors and is only 2 points from his championship! Good boy, Prince 👑

10/21/2026

🐾 A KENNEL UPDATE! 🐾

First, I want to apologize for being a little quiet on social media lately! Life gets busy, and I haven’t been as active here as I’d like to be. ❤️ Over the next several days, I’ll be sharing updates about the dogs, changes in our kennel, and what we have planned for the future, so stay tuned!

Back in March, I shared a kennel update, and quite a bit has changed since then! As much as we grow attached to every dog who comes through our doors, one of the realities of breeding is that sometimes dogs come and go as our kennel evolves. These decisions are never made lightly. Whether it’s making room for future generations, strengthening our breeding program, or simply recognizing what is best for an individual dog, each decision is made with care and purpose.

With keeping two puppies, Simmer and Darling, from our last litter of five that I posted about in June, and with more exciting breedings planned for the future, I knew it was time to make some thoughtful decisions about the direction of our kennel.

✨ Icon has gone to a very loving and wonderful pet home, where I know he will be cherished and get to enjoy life as a beloved companion. Sometimes, the very best thing we can do for a dog is find them the perfect home to call their own. ❤️

✨ Dream has an incredible pedigree and so many wonderful qualities to offer the breed. After much consideration, I decided to share her with another breeder who can continue to appreciate and build upon those qualities in their own program. While she is no longer part of our kennel, I’m excited to see what her future holds!

These changes also allow us to make room for future planned breedings that we are so excited about! 🐶💖 Every decision is part of the bigger picture of building a kennel with intention, always keeping the individual dogs and the future of our program in mind.

Thank you to everyone who continues to follow our journey, support our dogs, and cheer us on through every chapter. I’m looking forward to catching everyone up on what’s been happening around here! 🐾💕

08/31/2026

My problem is… I’ve fallen for her 💖
But I fall for them all!
*she’s found her new home 🙂

08/30/2026

Prince has been doing very well in the show ring! Only 1 more major & 6 more points to go. For 9 months old, he’s doing absolutely FABULOUS!

08/16/2026

Both are reserved to wonderful homes 🥰

07/31/2026

Angel looks incredible! ❤️🐕

07/24/2026

When instinct meets purpose. 🦊🐭

One of the things I love most about preserving the Shiba Inu is seeing centuries of instinct come to life.

Many people don’t realize that Shiba Inu were originally bred in Japan as small-game hunting dogs. Their job was to independently locate, flush, pursue, and dispatch prey such as birds, rabbits, and rodents in dense brush and rugged mountain terrain. Their confidence, quick reflexes, intelligence, and determination weren’t accidents—they were intentionally bred into the breed over generations.

So when a Shiba has a strong prey drive, that’s not a flaw—it’s history.

Recently, my bred-by boy Timberwoods Devil Hunter “Denji”, and his co-owner (main owner) Alyssa started hunting. While every dog has different instincts and interests, seeing a Shiba confidently use the traits his ancestors were bred for is incredibly rewarding.

Even more impressive is that he was able to work off leash. Anyone who knows Shibas knows that reliable off-leash work doesn’t happen by chance. It takes an exceptional bond, countless hours of training, consistency, and a safe environment. This wasn’t luck—it was the result of dedication and trust.

As breeders, we aren’t just preserving a look—we’re preserving temperament, instinct, and purpose. Moments like these are a reminder that beneath the fox-like face is a capable little hunter whose roots stretch back hundreds of years.

No, I don’t expect every pet Shiba to become a mouser. But I do hope people understand that prey drive is a normal, natural part of the breed. Rather than trying to eliminate it, we should learn to respect it, manage it responsibly, and appreciate the incredible heritage these little dogs carry with them.

This is exactly why I fell in love with the breed. ❤️🐕

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Cincinnati, OH

Website

http://www.timberwoodpaws.com/

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