What animal appears in the logo and mascot of Dogecoin?

The Shiba Inu appears in the logo and mascot of Dogecoin.

Dogecoin was introduced in December 2013 by software engineers Billy Markus and Jackson Palmer. The cryptocurrency used the popular “Doge” internet meme, which featured a Shiba Inu named Kabosu alongside humorous phrases written in broken English. That meme-inspired branding distinguished Dogecoin from more serious presentations of digital currency.

Dogecoin’s software was based on Litecoin and used a proof-of-work design derived from the Scrypt algorithm. Unlike Bitcoin, which has a programmed maximum supply, Dogecoin has an inflationary issuance model with new coins continuing to enter circulation.

The breed is sometimes mistakenly called an Akita because both are Japanese dog breeds. The original meme dog, Kabosu, was a Shiba Inu. Dogecoin’s logo has changed stylistically over time, but the Shiba Inu remains its defining symbol and is the reason the cryptocurrency is often described as a meme coin.