Animal register · DogIn the app
Shiba Inu
Japanese Shiba Inu, Shiba
The Shiba Inu is a small spitz from Japan; its name means “small dog”, and according to The Royal Kennel Club it was developed to hunt small game birds. The FCI standard describes a small, well-balanced and well-boned dog with a faithful temperament, keen senses and high alertness, a harsh outer coat over a soft, dense undercoat, small pricked triangular ears and a thick curled tail; the colours are red, black and tan, and sesame, always with whitish “urajiro” markings on the cheeks, chest and underside. The AKC standard gives an average weight of about 23 pounds (10 kg) for males and 17 pounds (8 kg) for females.
The Royal Kennel Club recommends up to an hour of exercise a day and grooming once a week, notes that the breed sheds, and gives its lifespan as over 10 years; a large UK study found a median lifespan of 14.6 years. The AKC describes a confident, independent dog that is a better pick for an experienced owner, is happiest with older children and should never be let off the lead outside a fenced or enclosed area. PetMD adds that it needs lots of mental stimulation, benefits from socialisation as a puppy and should have its teeth brushed every day.
Available in the 12-week PetPrep Challenge (paid breed).
Updated:
At a glance
- Size
- small to medium — The Royal Kennel Club S378
- Adult weight
- about males 10.4 kg, females 7.7 kg — American Kennel Club S380
- Daily exercise
- up to 1 hour a day — The Royal Kennel Club S378
- Brushing
- once a week — The Royal Kennel Club S378
- Shedding
- sheds — The Royal Kennel Club S378
Key facts from the sources at the bottom of the page. Where sources differ, each value is listed.
Who it suits
The same tags as in the app. Each tag is backed by the sources listed at the bottom of the page.
What it needs
From breed standards, kennel clubs, veterinary charities and studies. Where sources differ, each one is shown.
Exercise
- Daily exercise: up to 1 hour a day — The Royal Kennel Club S378
Coat and grooming
Meals
General guidance for dogs (not breed-specific):
Lifespan
Life stages
- Reaches adult size at: about 9–12 months (guidance for its size class) — PetMD S10
General guidance for dogs (not breed-specific):
Size and weight
Training
- FCI standard no. 257, group 5 (spitz and primitive types); origin: Japan. — FCI S377
Questions and answers
Answered only from the sourced facts on this page; every answer names its sources.
How much exercise does a Shiba Inu need?
According to our sources, the Shiba Inu needs this much exercise: up to 1 hour a day — The Royal Kennel Club S378.
How long does a Shiba Inu live?
According to our sources, the lifespan of the Shiba Inu is: median 14.6 years — Scientific Reports S376; more than 10 years — The Royal Kennel Club S378. The sources give different values, so each one is listed.
Game rules, not veterinary advice
How PetPrep simulates it
In PetPrep one real week is one month of the pet's life. These are the rules the game uses for this breed. PetPrep chose them from the sources on this page; they are not care instructions for a real animal.
| Life stage | Starts | Meals a day | Daily step goal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Puppy | arrives at 2 months | 4; from month 3: 3; from month 6: 2 | 1,000 steps per month of age (2,000 on arrival), up to 6,000 from month 6 |
| Young dog | month 9 | 2 | 6,000 steps |
| Adult | month 36 (3 years) | 2 | 6,000 steps |
| Senior | month 131 (10.9 years) | 2 | 4,500 steps |
- Step goal = minutes of daily exercise × 100 steps: an adult gets 1 hour, so 6,000 steps a day.
- Learns commands as fast as the mixed breed of the free plan.
- Becomes a senior in month 131 (10.9 years) — the last quarter of the breed's expected lifespan.
- Walks count real steps from Apple Health or Health Connect (with permission, read-only) and the phone's motion sensor — no GPS.
- Combing once a week.
- Care: brushing the teeth every day — a task for the child.
Each game number is a PetPrep decision recorded with its sources. — PetMD, AAHA, Dogs Trust, ASPCA, VCA Animal Hospitals, The Royal Kennel Club, Purdue University Canine Welfare Science, Wikipedia, British Journal of Sports Medicine, Scientific Reports S10S11S14S18S19S21S24S35S45S376S378S381
Health
For information only, not vet-reviewed. Ask your vet about your own animal.
- Environmental allergies can occur in the breed and may lead to repeated skin or ear infections; PetMD suggests weekly ear cleaning for a dog with allergies. — PetMD S381
- Luxating patellas, where the kneecap temporarily slips out of place, occur in the breed. — PetMD S381
- The breed is prone to gum disease (gingivitis and periodontal disease), so PetMD advises brushing the dog's teeth every day and a yearly dental check at the vet. — PetMD S381
- Hip dysplasia, a poorly developed hip joint that can lead to arthritis, occurs in the breed; breeders are advised to have the parents' hips scored. — The Royal Kennel Club S379
Before you buy: what to check with the breeder
Questions to settle before you take a puppy home. The points are advice from vets, welfare charities and kennel clubs; each cites its source.
For every breed
- See the puppy with its mother, where it was born. — PDSA, RSPCA K1K2
- The puppy should not leave its mother before 8 weeks of age. — PDSA K1
- Ask for the pedigree. Under FCI rules a pedigree may be issued for correct parentage only. — FCI K7
- Ask to see the health-test results of both parents. Which tests matter depends on the breed. — PDSA, British Veterinary Association, FOUR PAWS UK K1K9K10
- National kennel clubs can set breeding rules that go beyond the FCI's — ask the breed club which tests the parents need. — FCI K7
- Ask for a written sale contract that records the puppy's background and health. — British Veterinary Association, FOUR PAWS UK K9K10
Laws on the minimum age, microchipping and vaccination differ by country — check the rules where you live.
Health tests of the parents for this breed
Further tests for best practice
These lists come from the UK's Royal Kennel Club and are an orientation; national kennel clubs can set their own, stricter rules. Ask the breed club and the breeder which tests the parents have done.
Similar breeds
Other dogs in the register with similar needs — each with sourced facts.
Sources
Every fact on this page cites one of these sources.
- S10PetMD — S. C. Mitchell, DVM, DABVP, 2025-05-20 — When Do Dogs Stop Growing?https://www.petmd.com/dog/general-health/when-do-dogs-stop-growing
- S11AAHA — 2019 AAHA Canine Life Stage Guidelines — Canine life stage definitionshttps://www.aaha.org/resources/life-stage-canine-2019/canine-life-stage-definitions/
- S14Dogs Trust (UK) — Caring for an older doghttps://www.dogstrust.org.uk/dog-advice/life-with-your-dog/at-home/looking-after-an-older-dog
- S18ASPCA — General Dog Carehttps://www.aspca.org/pet-care/dog-care/general-dog-care
- S19VCA Animal Hospitals (2025-02-21) — Feeding Times and Frequency for Your Doghttps://vcahospitals.com/pets-first/know-your-pet/feeding-times-and-frequency-for-your-dog
- S21The Royal Kennel Club (UK) — Puppy feeding tipshttps://www.royalkennelclub.com/health-and-dog-care/health-dog-care/health/health-and-care/a-z-of-health-and-care-issues/puppy-feeding-tips
- S24Purdue University Canine Welfare Science (content: Pet Leadership Council 2019, bedogsmart.com) — Dog Fitness and Exercise (PDF)https://caninewelfare.centers.purdue.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Dog-Fitness-and-Exercise.pdf
- S35Wikipedia — The Intelligence of Dogshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Intelligence_of_Dogs
- S45British Journal of Sports Medicine (2018) — Tudor-Locke C. et al. How fast is fast enough? Walking cadence (steps/min) as a practical estimate of intensity in adults. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2017-097628https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6029645
- S376Scientific Reports (LJMU repository copy) — McMillan K. M. et al. (2024) Longevity of companion dog breeds: those at risk from early death — published version (PDF)https://researchonline.ljmu.ac.uk/id/eprint/22506/1/2024_McMillan_Scientific_Reports.pdf
- S377FCI — FCI-Standard N° 257 — Shiba (EN PDF; date of publication of the official valid standard 30.10.2016)https://dev.fci.be/Nomenclature/Standards/257g05-en.pdf
- S378The Royal Kennel Club — Breeds A–Z: Japanese Shiba Inu (key facts, Breed Watch)https://thekennelclub.org.uk/search/breeds-a-to-z/breeds/utility/japanese-shiba-inu
- S379The Royal Kennel Club — Japanese Shiba Inu — breed page (older address; health tests, Breed Watch)https://thekennelclub.org.uk/services/public/breed/display.aspx?id=4110
- S380American Kennel Club — Official Standard of the Shiba Inu (approved February 7, 1997, effective March 31, 1997) (PDF)https://images.akc.org/pdf/breeds/standards/ShibaInu.pdf
- S381PetMD — Shiba Inu Dog Breed Health and Carehttps://www.petmd.com/dog/breeds/shiba-inu
- S382Dogs Trust (UK) — Japanese Shiba Inu — breed pagehttps://www.dogstrust.org.uk/dog-advice/getting-dog/breeds/japanese-shiba-inu
- S383American Kennel Club — M. Erickson, 2025-04-14 — Is the Shiba Inu the Right Breed for Your Lifestyle?https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/dog-breeds/shiba-inu-right-for-you/
- K1PDSA — Getting a puppyhttps://www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/looking-after-your-pet/puppies-dogs/getting-a-puppy
- K2RSPCA — Buying a puppyhttps://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/pets/dogs/puppy
- K7FCI (copy hosted by Norsk Kennel Klub) — International Breeding Rules of the FCIhttps://nkk2023.stage22.coretrek.no/getfile.php/131987377-1520848467/Dokumenter/Registrering/FCIs%20avlsregler%202013.pdf
- K9British Veterinary Association — What should you consider when buying a puppy?https://www.bva.co.uk/news-and-blog/blog-article/what-should-you-consider-when-buying-a-puppy/
- K10FOUR PAWS UK — Questions to ask when buying a puppyhttps://www.four-paws.org.uk/our-stories/publications-guides/questions-to-ask-when-buying-a-puppy
PetPrep is a simulation for families. This page is not veterinary advice — for a real animal, ask a vet or the breed club.
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