Shiba Inu and Akita Inu belong to the Spitz family of dogs, and they share many similarities.
Akitas and Shiba Inu share the trait of being independent and wolf-like dogs, and they are better suited for experienced dog owners. They are more challenging to train and might not be friendly with other pets. Akitas and Shiba need early socialization and plenty of exercise. They make excellent activity companions, although both Akitas and Shiba Inu need to be on a leash when you venture out because the dog might not respond to his or her name consistently outside.
There is great variation among individual dogs of different breeds. The home environment affects pets significantly. So, be aware of the differences between the breeds but keep an open mind when choosing a furry friend for you and your family.
The Spitz Dogs Family
Spitz are considered to be very primitive, or wolf-like, dogs. The Spitz family includes Shiba Inu, Icelandic sheepdog, Alaskan Malamute, Pomeranian, and Akita. Shiba Inu are among the smallest spitz dogs.
Spitz dogs are northern creatures – hardy and fluffy. Most of them have a working, herding, or hunting background, so they are diligent and dynamic animals. They need to stay busy.
Being wolf-like means that they have strong instincts and are more independent than their counterparts from other canine families. Spitz dogs are difficult to train and they often benefit from working with a professional trainer.
The Basics
| Characteristic | Akita Inu | Shiba Inu |
| Height | Up to 26 inches (66 cm) | 14 -16 inches |
| Weight | 55 -75 pounds (25 – 34 kg) | 18 – 22 pounds |
| Life span | 10 -12 years | 12 – 16 years |
| Response to training | Hard to train | Hard to train but easy to potty train |
| Personality/ temperament | Independent, stubborn, loyal, protective | Independent, confident, stubborn, energetic |
| Need for exercise | High | High |
| Hypoallergenic? | No | No |
COMPARISON OF IMPORTANT BREED CHARACTERISTICS
Intelligence And Response to Training
Working intelligence refers to the dog’s ability to acquire new commands and skills.
Akita Inu and Shiba Inu are intelligent dogs but, due to their strong instincts and stubborn natures, they need plenty of support and patience in obedience training.
Akita Inu Has Fair Working Intelligence
Due to their strong instincts and independent personalities, Akitas are difficult to train.
According to canine psychologist Stanley Coren, Akita as a breed scores lower than about 75% of other breeds for their working intelligence/obedience potential. That result puts Akitas at the top of the category of dogs with fair working intelligence or the very bottom of the average group.
- Akitas can master simple commands with about twenty-five repetitions.
- Complex commands could take some time for them to respond to but they are expected to improve with practice.
- Akitas can forget skills and commands over time, and regular repetition and practice are important for retention.
- The dog might respond more reliably at home, in a familiar environment, but be more distractible outside and take longer to respond.
On the plus side, Akitas are relatively quiet dogs. They do not bark excessively and do not vocalize much in general.
Shiba Inu Has a Low Average Working Intelligence
Shiba Inu scores a little higher than Akitas in their obedience potential. Out of 79 positions, they share spot # 49 with Dachshund and Staffordshire bull terrier, while Akitas share #54 with Boston terrier.
It is worth noting that Shiba Inu is known to be very quick in potty training, so at least this aspect of welcoming a new puppy or grown dog does not present an excessive challenge.
- They understand most tasks and commands within 25 repetitions but need up to 40 repetitions to demonstrate consistent behavior.
- Dogs of this level of working intelligence require repetition and practice over time, otherwise, they might lose even the skills that they have mastered.
- Their response to commands can be slow.
- Shiba Inu dogs do not respond to commands at a distance, at least not consistently.
- These dogs greatly benefit from being trained by a skilled, patient, and, ideally professional trainer.
Shiba Inu are not prone to barking, similar to Akitas, but they do vocalize a little more and can make some pretty unusual doggy sounds.
The skills and capacity of Akita Inu and Shiba Inu are quite comparable.
Personality And Temperament
Akita Inu dogs are more unpredictable and are likely to require professional training. Shiba Inu is not very different in this respect but, given their less imposing size and appearance, they are less likely to frighten other animals or people.
Akitas are strong, territorial, and challenging to train. These dogs are as gentle and devoted to their human family as most dogs but they are more likely than many dogs to have behavioral challenges. Given their strength, it is important to train and supervise Akitas to avoid incidents.
Shiba Inu and Akita Inu are both energetic dynamic animals. They need to stay active and benefit from spending a lot of time outside. Walking, hiking, and running are excellent activities for these dogs.
Despite being independent dogs, both Akitas and Shiba Inu like to spend time with their human pack and are rather prone to separation anxiety.
Of course, there can be plenty of individual differences among dogs within breeds of the same breed. Proper early socialization, consistent training, and supervision produce good results with most dogs.
Both Shiba And Akita Have a Strong Prey Drive
Shiba Inu and Akita Inu are working and hunting dogs by background, so both have a strong prey drive. Dogs of both breeds should receive appropriate training to teach them to leave small animals alone, especially outside.
Akitas are particularly prone to problems associated with their instinctive prey drive. Unless trained appropriately, they require close supervision around small animals they encounter outdoors. Akitas can have behavioral problems around other household pets, other dogs, and wild animals outdoors.
Shiba Inu are also likely to chase and even nip a smaller running animal. This urge contributes to their infamous trouble with being off-leash and getting lost.
Both Akitas and Shiba usually do quite well with household pets they grew up with but still can behave unpredictably.
The Dogs And Other Pets
As discussed above, your Akita or Shiba might view cats, squirrels, and even small dogs as prey. Their hunting instinct is strong, so this trait could be hard to unlearn.
If you have a grown-up Akita at home, introducing a cat or another smaller animal to your household could be a challenge. Akitas can be territorial and somewhat aggressive with other dogs, especially a new dog in their space.
Shiba Inu could present the same challenges but they are smaller and other pets might not view them as threatening.
If your Akita Inu or Shiba Inu is raised with a cat or another dog from a young age, the animals might be able to live side by side peacefully.
Bringing another dog into your home could be difficult with both Akitas and Shiba. Even a well-trained spitz dog could still feel defensive and unaccepting.
The Dog And Children
Akitas and Shiba Inu can be great pets for older school-age children because these dogs are good hiking buddies and do well with outdoor activities. At the same time, Shiba Inu and especially Akita dogs are not ideal pets for young kids due to these dogs’ reactivity, independence, and potential challenges with training.
If your spitz family dog is raised in your family from puppyhood, the dog is likely to become a cuddly, loving family pet, gentle with the children in the household. That said, Akitas and Shiba are reactive dogs and they need some supervision around children.
Both Akita Inu and Shiba Inu tend to be very protective of their resources, food, and toys, in other words.
Kids do not always respect a pet’s space and do not read the pet’s cues when they are still young, so the dog needs to be reserved and not respond aggressively to rowdy behavior. As early as the child can understand and follow instructions, it is also essential to team him or her to avoid cornering pets or trying to play when the dog is eating and to read animals’ cues in general.
Supervising the interactions between kids and dogs is a recommendation that is not specific to Akitas and Shiba Inu. Dogs of these breeds, however, are challenging to train, and their habits are hard to change because they are instinctive. So, it is important to be cautious.
Health Issues
Both breeds are quite hardy, Akitas is especially known to be healthy dogs, although their life span is 2-3 years shorter than Shiba Inus.
The following health concerns are rather common for Akitas:
- Being large animals, Akitas are prone to bloat.
- Dental problems
- Hip and elbow dysplasia, arthritis
- Uveodermatologic syndrome is an autoimmune disorder causing pain and possible blindness in the affected eye.
- Progressive retinal atrophy which leads to progressive blindness
- Glaucoma
- Epilepsy
- Renal dysplasia
Shiba Inu are prone to the following:
- Dental problems
- Glaucoma
- Cataracts
- Distichiasis, is a condition that causes the growth of hairs on the inner side of the eyelid. It can cause corneal ulcers and pain but there are treatment options to remove the hairs permanently
- Dislocation of the patella
- Dysplasia of elbows and hips, arthritis
- Epilepsy
- Bleeding disorders
- Thyroid issues, especially hypothyroidism
- Genetically inherited neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis causes progressive limb weakness and can cause blindness in some dogs
Although both breeds are generally hardy, it is important to be aware of some of the common health problems these pups have to be prepared. If you purchase a purebred puppy from a breeder, it is important to work with a responsible breeder.
To Conclude
Both Akitas and Shiba Inu are charismatic, loyal, and intelligent dogs that are better suited for experienced dog owners, mostly due to some of the training challenges and behavioral needs.
Akitas might be more complicated for a novice owner than Shiba Inu. Due to their strength and sometimes inconsistent response to commands, some Akitas might need more training to make sure that the dog feels confident and supported in unfamiliar environments.
