you guys dont get it when I say Kaz is a Shiba Inu. this is not me going "haha hes the japanese dog" this is not me just choosing a random animal on a whim no. He literally is a shiba inu
First the superficial similarities: The most common red coat of shiba inu is alike to Kaz's striking blonde hair but also the eyebrow markings showing Kaz's very prominent eyebrows, the only markers of his emotion behind his aviators. While the Shiba is a small breed, one of the smallest on Japanese dogs, I feel this only fuels the connection to Kaz because his entire personality is this constant projection of trying to make himself more powerful, more bigger, and that to me invokes the image of a smaller animal that growls at any who dare come close. Shiba Inu is also a clean dog, one that despite its very frequent shedding often grooms and cleans itself, this reflecting Kazuhira Miller's own habits of keeping high upkeep of his appearances, something that is constant in Peacewalker, Foxhound and yes even MGSV (being period typical stylization of facial hair and attire)
Moreover, shiba inu while it is considered a "hunting dog" itself does not hunt. Rather, it helps its master in hunting by scattering small game in bushes, hence its name of "brushwood" (shiba) "dog" (inu). This I think reflects the relation that he and bibo had, especially before their falling out, where while Big Boss the master, the true "hunter" on the field, he is the dog who supports in his own way to help the hunter catch with ease.
The personalities as well correlate, the Shiba Inu the notoriously stubborn and strong willed dog, one that does not do well with negative reinforcement, just as Kaz's own stubbornness is core to him and he is a man who never forgives, holding grudges against all who cross them whether they be Skullface or Big Boss himself. Shiba Inu are very distinct from other dogs as well for their independent nature, who do not seek approval from their owners but rather mutual respect. Shiba's for this reason are notoriously difficult to train. Though shiba inus are very intelligent dogs, these smarts being something kaz too shares, their own cleverness makes them more able to make decisions for themselves meaning only with true trust can they be trained, much how like when kaz first "joined" MSF he refused to be a part of it but gradually came to trust in Big Boss to lead the organization side by side.
Finally, to me the most poignant reason: the history The Shiba Inu today is simply known as a popular dog of japan, but their origins goes deeper than that. Kaz and the modern shiba inu were both products of post war japan and shaped by the legacy and destruction it wrought on their bloodline. The Shiba Inu dogbreed, though it is ancient, were nearly wiped out due to Japan's warring activity and had to be revived by combining three Shiba Inu sub-breeds, while Kaz is the product of a Japanese woman resorting to sex work with an American soldier in order to live through poverty. Both were fundamentally shaped by the aftermath of ww2 and combined with personality, its nature and even the aesthetic similarities, i can think of nothing else that embodies Kaz best
