Shiba is one of the eight ninken that have entered into a contract with Kakashi Hatake. He can be summoned to the battlefield using the Summoning Technique, but only if an active contract with this animal exists. The procedure is as follows: the user applies blood to the palm, forms five seals, and presses the hand against a surface.
As a combat unit, Shiba is valued above all for his sense of smell: he follows a trail without error, can speak, moves across water, and acts in tandem with the other dogs of the pack. He is also capable of moving underground, following a scent, and once he locates the target, he clings to it and holds it in place, giving his master time to attack.
In appearance, he is a dog with light-gray fur, a white belly, and a black crest on his head resembling a mohawk. Above his eyes he has dark markings reminiscent of those of Kisame Hoshigaki. Around his neck is a Konoha bandage, on his body a blue vest with the He-no-He-no-Moji symbol, and on his front paws - bandages.
