How long does a Shiba Inu live?

The listed lifespan for a Shiba Inu is 13–16 years.

How tall is a Shiba Inu?

The listed height for a Shiba Inu is 14.5–16.5 in (male), 13.5–15.5 in (female).

Is a Shiba Inu good with children?

The AKC good-with-children score for a Shiba Inu is 3 out of 5.

When is a Shiba Inu full grown?

The growth size band for a Shiba Inu is 8–12 months.

Non-Sporting Group

Shiba Inu

Shiba Inu is a small dog in the Non-Sporting Group. Adult weight is 23 lb (male), 17 lb (female), height is 14.5–16.5 in (male), 13.5–15.5 in (female), and the listed lifespan is 13–16 years. AKC describes the temperament as Alert, Active, Attentive.

Last reviewed November 1, 2026.

Shiba Inu dog — Photo: Jenn & Mike from We are living on the wet west coast., Canada · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Lifespan13–16 years

Weight23 lb (male), 17 lb (female)

SizeSmall GroupNon-Sporting Group

Height

14.5–16.5 in (male), 13.5–15.5 in (female)

Energy

3 / 5

Shedding

3 / 5

Grooming

2 / 5

Trainability

2 / 5

Good with kids

3 / 5

The breed record

Across 45 single-size small breeds, a lifespan midpoint of 14.5 years is about 0.9 years longer than the 13.6-year average. A midpoint adult weight of 20 lb is about 4 lb heavier than the 16 lb average for those small breeds.

The listed origin is Japan. The coat is described as double, short. The AKC energy score is 3 out of 5, 0.5 points below the group average of 3.5 for the Non-Sporting Group. Shedding scores 3 out of 5. Grooming scores 2 out of 5, so home brushing covers most weeks. Trainability scores 2 out of 5, so short sessions tend to work better than long drills. Good with children scores 3 out of 5. Good with other dogs scores 3 out of 5. AKC ranked this breed number 44 in 2025.

Adult size is usually reached in 8–12 months (size-band statement (Salt et al. 2017): very small dogs reach maturity at 8-12 months). AKC parent-club recommended health screenings: Patella Evaluation, Hip Evaluation, and Ophthalmologist Evaluation. These are screening tests, not a list of diseases the breed is guaranteed to develop.

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