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MediumNon-Sporting Group

Shiba Inu

The Shiba Inu is the smallest and oldest of Japan's six native breeds, documented in archaeological records back 3,000 years.

Calculate Shiba Inu age
Lifespan14.6 yrrange 14–16
SizeMediumNon-Sporting Group
Weight17–23 lb7.7–10.4 kg
Senior at7 yrgeriatric at 11

Gallery (3)

About

About the Shiba Inu

The Shiba Inu is the smallest and oldest of Japan's six native breeds, documented in archaeological records back 3,000 years. The breed was nearly lost to distemper outbreaks and WWII bombings; modern stock descends from three regional strains reconstructed after 1945.

Aging

How Shiba Inus age

RVC VetCompass gives a median 14.6 years (n=514) — among the longest-lived AKC breeds. Allergies and atopic dermatitis are the defining late-life welfare concerns; patellar luxation, hip dysplasia, and glaucoma are secondary on OFA screens.

Lifespan deep-diveAvg 14.6 yr · range 14–16Senior careSenior at 7 · geriatric at 11Common health issues7 tracked conditions
Physical

Physical characteristics

Weight
17–23 lb(7.7–10.4 kg)
Height
13.5–16.5 in(34.3–41.9 cm)
Coat type
Double
Colors
Black & TanCreamRedSesame
Temperament

Temperament

How Shiba Inus tend to show up around their people, other dogs, and the world.

alertactiveattentivespirited
  • Energy
  • Trainability
  • Good with kids
  • Good with other dogs
  • Shedding
Health

Common health issues

Full health profile
  • Moderatetypical onset ~2 yr

    Elbow Dysplasia

    Description and veterinary guidance for Elbow Dysplasia land in Phase 4. Prevalence and onset-age figures above are drawn from https://ofa.org/diseases/disease-statistics/.

  • Moderatetypical onset ~5 yr

    Periodontal Disease

    Description and veterinary guidance for Periodontal Disease land in Phase 4. Prevalence and onset-age figures above are drawn from https://ofa.org/diseases/disease-statistics/.

  • Low prevalencetypical onset ~2 yr

    Patellar Luxation

    Description and veterinary guidance for Patellar Luxation land in Phase 4. Prevalence and onset-age figures above are drawn from https://ofa.org/diseases/disease-statistics/.

Exercise
45min
per day

Shiba Inus are satisfied by around 45 minutes of daily activity (energy level 3/5). Short, regular outings beat one long session.

Related

Related breeds

Breeds with a similar size and group profile, for readers comparing options.

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References

Sources

Lifespan and health figures on this page are drawn from the peer-reviewed and organizational sources below.

  1. AKC breed standardAmerican Kennel Club breed page

    Breed size, weight range, height, AKC group, origin, coat type, and temperament baseline.

  2. RVC VetCompassRoyal Veterinary College VetCompass life-table research (McMillan et al. 2024)

    UK primary-care records; source for the median-lifespan and mortality figures.