We found Kim at the annual Shiba party because we were so interested in the breed. After that we kept in touch. We were interviewed by her to make sure her pups will be taken care of by serious owners. A plus! Kim is very friendly, accommodating and a trustworthy breeder. I know I can count on her anytime, she's like family. She takes care of our now 6 year old baby when we're out of town, she even sends photos of him too! Our Tobi loves her and I would definitely recommend her if you're looking for a Shiba! read more

Southampton Shibas - Pet Breeders Near Me

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Uploaded pictures of Koji. He is now 15 months old. We adore this dog. Thank you Kim! read more

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After my first Shiba passed away at age 14, I started "interviewing" Shiba breeders. Kim had the highest standards, which was the most important to me. Most of the other breeders simply put us on a waitlist and it was first come, first serve. Kim cares about where the puppies/dogs go and wants to make sure they end up in the right home; otherwise, you'll have unhappy people, unhappy pets, and a sad situation of trying to rehome dogs or dogs ending up in shelters. I respected that Kim wouldn't just let us pick a number and get in line. We spent many hours meeting with her and her dogs and puppies and she treats them like family. She will give you options for what puppies she thinks will work for your lifestyle/family. Her dogs are beautiful and she has a long, documented lineage she will show you of dogs she has been breeding for many decades. We ended up getting both a puppy and the puppy's mother, who Kim retired from breeding. They have been the best additions to our home and Kim regularly checks in, asking for photos and updates. If you care about responsible breeding, be patient, do your homework and pay a visit to Kim. read more

Southampton Shibas - Pet Breeders Near Me

My wife and I started the search for a Shiba in 2016 and everything pointed to Kim @ Southampton Shibas. We went up to her house in July of 2016 so we could interview each other and we decided to go ahead and put a deposit down on a puppy; we were beyond excited. Kim was wonderfully accommodating and full of heartwarming information about her dogs and their lineage. In December of the same year, Kim got in touch with us as she was helping a fellow breeder place a 2 yo female and thought we would be a great fit for each other. As the recommendation came from Kim, we were over the moon excited to meet this pup and eventually take her into our home! As we were no longer on Kim's waitlist, she willingly refunded us our deposit without us even having to ask. We now take Zoe to stay with Kim when we go out of town and we, including Zoe, could not be happier with Kim and her family. They are caring, knowledgable and just all-round great people with a passion for Shiba Inus. If we were ever in the market for another pup, we wouldn't even look at another breeder outside of Kim. If you are even merely interested in learning more about the breed, give Kim a call. read more

I had an amazing and positive experience with Kim and her Southampton Shibas. Throughout the process of adoption, Kim helped me find my dream Inu, Curry. Two days after Curry and his littermates were born, Kim let me visit the little puppies. I was fortunate to watch the Shibas mature from little "potatoes," the size of my palm, to beautiful, seven-weeks-old puppies. Very few people have the privilege to watch the Shibas grow up since the moment they were born. I am very grateful to Kim for letting me play with the "potatoes" and be part of their growth. Kim is a patient and legitimate breeder. She will try to match the dog's temperament to the owner's personality and lifestyle to insure that the puppy goes to the perfect home. Kim gives helpful suggestions on picking the right Shiba (i.e. informing the future owner about the temperaments of each puppy) and also listens to other people's thoughts and/or concerns. Furthermore, Kim takes the time to give helpful advice. Whenever we have questions about training Curry, she always responds promptly and thoroughly. She even came to our household to give suggestions on where to put the outdoor and indoor playpen, where we could install a doggy door, etc. Not many breeders would have the kind heart to help out novice owners. I would definitely recommend Southampton Shibas to any Shiba lovers who are willing to do their homework beforehand. read more

Southampton Shibas - Curry - Pet Breeders Near Me

KIM BOUSSON is the best and the only in USA when comes to pure breed SHIBA INU. I did an extensive research about Shiba Inu before buying my Shiba puppy from Kim. I am so very lucky to have found her without having to fly to Japan and spend days or weeks looking for a pure and perfect breed of its kind. I found Kim to be so honest, kind and keep excellent records of all her puppies. She is the best person and the only person that anyone should go to when comes to Shiba Inu. She is always willing to help and identify problems when I have questions about my puppy. I am always so grateful that I am now having a love of my life because of Kim Bousson. Thank you so much. Penny Hamilton from Palo Alto, California read more

We were referred to Kim 17 years ago when we were looking for our first Shiba, actually our first dog. It is hard to describe the puppy we brought home. She was not only a beautiful, robust, spirited girl, but even-tempered, and devoted to us. She went everywhere with us for years -- including spending six years as an "office dog" with my husband and attending hundreds of kids sporting events as a virtual "team dog". People literally stopped us on the street to ask about her. She defied the reputation Shibas have for being difficult or stand-offish. There was no doubt we made the right choice when we chose to work with Kim. We lost Rosie at 15 a year and half ago, and when we were ready, we went back to Kim. Once again, she selected a puppy that she felt would be compatible with our family. Once again, we couldn't be happier. Gus is nothing like Rosie, a bundle of energy and antics, but with the same even-temperament and knock-out looks. As affectionate as can be. And a rollicking companion for three cats that are teaching him the ropes. Kim's business practices are simple and straight-forward. There was no pressure, nothing complicated. She takes the time to meet her clients and lets them meet her dogs in her home. She raises her puppies as part of her family and it shows. We got Gus at 8-weeks and he was already virtually housebroken and well-socialized. And although we had been waiting for another female, she reached out about Gus because she felt we would be a good fit. She got it right. It is not just a business deal for Kim. She loves her dogs and values the people she works with. read more

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Great customer service skills! Knowledgeable able to answer any of your Shiba needs. Answers questions very respectfully with a quick response. Thank you again! read more

I had an unpleasant and what I consider unfair business dealing with Kim. As such, I would not recommend doing business with this greedy and unreasonable breeder. I met and spoke with Kim a couple of times in late 2015 to early 2016. At the time, I was interested in purchasing a Shiba Inu pup from her so I was put on her waitlist and paid a $250 deposit. The litter came not long after. However, the pups unexpectedly had long hair (very rare) due to a recessive gene (nothing wrong with them, I just didn't prefer the look), so I remained on her waitlist for the next short-haired litter, which would take at least 6-9 months. Before this new litter was even conceived, before the mother dog was even in heat, I informed Kim that I was no longer interested in a pup, especially considering the added long wait from the failed long-haired litter, and I asked for a refund of my deposit. She then informed me that deposits are non-refundable if I had confirmed to remain on the waitlist. So, I asked her whether she would agree to refund my deposit (even if partial) once she found a new buyer to take my place, since she had a long list of interested buyers (at least 10). Kim then informed me that she would not refund my deposit under any circumstances, even if she had 100 people to instantly take my place. I felt Kim's greed to keep the $250 to be unreasonable and rather petty for a 'quality' breeder, considering that she probably had 10+ people happy to take my place (for a litter of about 4 pups) . Further, her non-willingness to provide a justifiable reason to keep my deposit was a major red flag. Another annoying thing about breeders like Kim is that she insists on matching you to the pup, rather than having you interact with the litter of pups and select the one you prefer. In short, you have little or no say in which pup you get out of the litter, simply because she knows better than you. I found this know-it-all, god-like matchmaker behavior to be a another red flag. It means that despite being 'next' on the waitlist, should she decide that no pups in that litter has the temperament that matches your household, personality and experience, you'd have to wait for the next litter. It may have been a way for her to give preferential treatment to selected individuals of her choosing. I cannot speak to her skills as a breeder. However, I can say from my experience that I'd refrain from doing business with breeders like Kim. read more

I have to update my review (still 5 stars) as I have a new 8 mo old named Wasabi. He is simply amazing! He has the best temperament ever...... he loves everbody and everything! I have never seen him anything but enthusiastic (except nail trims, but he doesn't complain about it anymore) This is exactly the reason why I will ALWAYS recommend Kim read more

Southampton Shibas - Wasabi the Wonder Dog - Pet Breeders Near Me

I originally met Kim at the Cow Palace dog show at the Shiba bench. She was friendly and really wanted me to understand the breed. Shibas are different from the Siberians, Goldens and Labs that I owned in the past. I worked with Kim for about two years prior to getting my 1st Shiba. She invited me to the annual Shiba Picnic to talk to other owners and to see the dogs in action. After getting to know my personality and life style (and the amount of time I was at work), she recommended a retired show dog rather than a puppy. Trixie was 2.5 years old. At first, I wanted a puppy, but came to realize Kim knew what she was doing. I worked long hours and a puppy would be a lot of work, especially being my 1st Shiba. This is what a true breeder should be about. Someone that evaluates her dogs behaviors and personality, educates perspective first time Shiba owners on what they are getting into owning a Shiba, and evaluates the potential owner on their personality and lifestyle. The end goal to find a match and a forever home for her dogs. I highly recommend reaching out to Kim about Shibas. She is very knowledgeable about the breed and easy to work with. Even today if I have any issues, I reach out to her for advise on my dog. read more

Sterling in every way: 100% committed to the best results, not only for her shibas but for their carefully-paired adoptive homes. I met Kim 25 years ago, when I first saw her and her beautiful dogs at the benched Cow Palace show. Since then, she helped me navigate from my first male in 1995 (silly me, I'd been all too certain I'd consider only a female, but finally Kim counseled male, and what a match it was: he thrived to almost 17 years old), and then adopted two more red males from Southhampton over the next years. Kim takes the long view and works hard to be transparent and to take lifelong interest in and concern for the dogs. One story best reflects Kim's skill and commitment: my second adoption was special needs-- a seven year old whose owner in Upstate NY had passed away very suddenly, leaving three shibas behind. That owner had put a clause in her will that Kim would have final say over where the dogs went! At great effort, Kim arranged fosters and finally, thoughtfully sought lifetime placement for the surviving dogs. So kudos to the owner who so wisely knew that Kim would do the best for her dogs, and most of all to Kim, whose shiba expertise, empathy, and great judgment combine to create happy endings. read more

We are lucky that here in California, we have a number of EXTREMELY reputable Shiba Inu breeders. Kim at South Hampton is incredible and one of the best in northern California. Most of the reputable breeders in northern California are members of 'Shiba Fanciers of Northern California'. This is a membership organization that has a code of ethics, regular membership meetings, encourages information sharing and works hard to breed not only for conformation, but for good temperament as well. This is very important starting point for a Shiba, which if followed by early and frequent socialization with other puppies (and desensitized to children, if possible, and exposure to as many people, situations and noises as possible), will create a good 'dog-citizen' who will dumbfound those who expect shibas to hate other dogs, be unpredictable with people, and VERY stand-offish. With Kim, you will get one of the very best handled shibas in the country, you will never regret your decision (as long as you know that this is NOT an easy breed to train due to their incredible intellect and success at problem-solving :-) ) read more

Kim of Southampton Shibas is a top-notch breeder of, consultant for and expert on Shibas. She has been at the helm for many years and is well-known in the Shiba community and well respected by other breeders. When I went searching for a Shiba breeder, Kim and Southampton Shibas stood out from the others. She is a Breeder of Merit with AKC. If you look up AKC Breeders of Merit, you will find this information on the program: "Here at the AKC, we believe in honoring responsible breeders who have gone above and beyond on health issues, temperament, and genetic screening, as well as to the individual care and placement of puppies in responsible homes. That's why we started the AKC Breeder of Merit Program: To give breeders a way to prove their dedication to preserving breed characteristics and producing healthy, well-socialized puppies. We consider them the most conscientious and most committed breeders." This was important to me. When we contacted Kim, she met with us to understand the home and people the puppy would be going to. I respect that she wants to ensure the best environment and dedicated people for her puppies. That approach is in the best interest for the dog, which is the most important factor. We eventually got our puppy and are so happy with him! We got to see all the available puppies in the litter and chose the one that we liked best. Kim has given us advice from the start and additional training tips as time goes on. She is an wonderful resource and very willing to advise when asked. As we meet more Shiba owners, it is amazing how many know of Kim. We are so happy with our Shiba. He is beautiful, smart and funny! I know that this is because of Kim's diligence in insisting on the best breeding and care for the dogs. I cannot say enough good things about Kim and Southampton Shibas. read more

We bought two beautiful dogs from Kim. She is very reputable, honest and giving of her time and advice. She obviously cares a great deal about her animals and in shows in her beautiful well tempered and behaved dogs. read more

In Dec of 2017 I bought a red male, Rally, from Kim (Southampton). I grew up in the dog breeding world and knew it was going to be hard to find a breeder that match the standards that I grew up with i.e a breeder who is trying to preserve the breed, ethical, and knowledgeable. I was extremely happy with Kim, she came highly recommended by another well known breeder and when I spoke to her she seemed to tick all the boxes I was looking for. I called and emailed 5 breeders from around the country, so needless to say it's a arduous task and Kim took the time to listen. I was a first time buyer and first time shiba owner two red flags for a competent breeder. Nevertheless she let me come see the litter and the mom to the puppies. It's the same process my mother a breeder (different breed) of 30+ years would do, see how you interact with the breed and puppies and if you have the interest and wherewithal to actually raise a puppy. Kim and I chatted back and forth and we agreed I would be purchasing Rally. She drove over an hour through mid morning Bay Area traffic to meet me up North and the contract was simple, no clauses or addendums. Unfortunately 7 months later Rally was killed by a car and I had to call Kim, broken hearted and grief stricken that this horrific thing happened. She completely understood and never once made me feel like a bad person or bad dog owner. A year later we met at the local specialty (breed specific dog show) again with hugs and warm welcomes. She's an asset to the Shiba community and a guardian of the breed. Just know it's an active and at times long process to purchase a puppy from any good breeder. read more

Southampton Shibas - Rally - Pet Breeders Near Me

I have gotten 2 Shiba puppies from Kim, a little over a year apart. With the first one she wanted to meet with us to make sure her puppy was going to a good home. I liked the idea because it showed she really cared about her puppies. And it also showed me where my puppy was coming from, which was a very clean and loving breeder. I could see Kim was very loving and caring with her dogs and puppies, and a very nice person. I got two healthy and happy puppies and now have two healthy and happy Shibas ages 12yrs and 11yrs old. They are beautiful and have very good temperments. If I was ever to get another puppy it would defineatly be a Shiba and most defineatly from SouthHampton Shibas. Kim is always available if you want any info. or have any questions about your Shiba. She is the best! read more