The Republic of Venice was the centre of a trading empire whose contacts spread not just around the Mediterranean, but also along the Silk Road to the far east. They traded not just silk and spices, but also livestock, including horses and dogs. Some of the latter, from the mysterious land of Nippon, were much prized for their intelligence and sought after by the ruling elite.
Now the leader of Venice was elected for life. The Venetians were opposed to the idea of inherited office, although many leaders tried to bypass this by nominating their sons as the next leader. Eventually laws were passed preventing this. This angered the current leader, who took revenge by nominating his pet, saying that there was nothing in the rules to prevent it. Thus it came about that a Shiba Inu was elected Doge.