Shiba Inu Breed Standard

The Shiba Inu is the smallest of Japan's six native breeds — a compact, alert, fox-like dog standing 33–43 cm and weighing 8–10 kg, with a double coat in red, black & tan, sesame or cream. Bold, clean and independent, Shibas live 13–16 years. Standards: AKC and NIPPO (Nihon Ken Hozonkai).

At a glance

Origin: Japan 🇯🇵
Breed group: Non-Sporting (AKC) · one of 6 native Japanese breeds
Height: Males 35–43 cm · Females 33–41 cm
Weight: Males ~10 kg (23 lb) · Females ~8 kg (17 lb)
Lifespan: 13–16 years
Coat: Double coat; colors: red, black & tan, sesame, cream
Standards: AKC (1992) · NIPPO 1934 · Natural Monument of Japan 1936

Energy

Trainability

Shedding

Barking

Friendliness (with family)

Good with strangers

Appearance

A well-balanced, sturdy spitz-type dog with a fox-like face, small triangular erect ears, deep-set triangular eyes and a thick tail carried curled or sickle-shaped over the back. The double coat has a stiff, straight outer coat and a soft, dense undercoat.

Coat colors

Red — the most iconic and common.
Black & tan — black with tan and cream points.
Sesame — red with even black-tipped guard hairs (must stay ≥50% red).
Cream — recognized but a serious fault in the show ring (urajiro is not visible).

Urajiro

Urajiro is the required cream-to-white shading on the cheeks, muzzle sides, underjaw, throat, chest, belly, inside the legs and underside of the tail. Correct urajiro is essential to breed type.

Temperament

Confident, alert and faithful, with a famously independent, "cat-like" character, a strong prey drive and a reserved attitude toward strangers. Early socialization and positive, consistent training are essential.

Sources: AKC Shiba Inu standard, NIPPO (Nihon Ken Hozonkai). For full guides see our articles.