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Shiba Inu Akita mix has become a popular breed in recent times. They’re protective, loyal, and downright adorable. So, you may want to know what is so good about the Shiba Inu Akita mix.
This crossbreed is known to be protective and loyal to its owner. Shiba Inu Akita mix makes an excellent pet choice if you’re looking for a protective dog of moderate size. Also, they’re loving and faithful companions. Thankfully, you can train and socialize your Shiba-Akita mix.
If you always want to learn more about this intriguing breed, find all your answers here. Some of the things we’ll take you through include appearance, personality, and temperament, among others.
Table of Contents
Shiba Inu Akita Mix Appearance
Shiba Inu Akita mix comes from the spitz family. So, the cross features almond-shaped eyes, thick, soft coats, and triangular eyes.
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Both parent breeds are natives of Japan and thus have a close relationship. As per DNA, the two parent breeds are among the oldest ancient breeds in Japan.
Both breeds have been around as long as 12,000 years ago. The Shiba Inu Akita mix has been working alongside humans throughout this time.
The crossbreed has a strong musculature. The crossbreed has its tail curl over its back gracefully.
Akitas are larger and thus can weigh up to 100 pounds. So, the dog is too much for you if your place has limited space. Also, it needs somewhat prior experience to care.
On the other hand, Shibas are much smaller or moderate in size. They average 20 pounds and are merely a foot and half tall.
The combination gives a protective dog. So, you can have the Shiba Inu Akita mix as a guard dog for your home.
The cross gives a medium-size 30-45 pounds. So, the cross is smaller than Akitas and has wolf-like beauty and intelligence.
Shiba Inu Akita Mix Temperament
Shibakita tends to borrow traits from both parents. Therefore, they have a moderate temperament and are easily attached to their owners.
However, it’s still difficult to pinpoint the exact personality of a relatively new breed. To get a rough idea of how your Shibakita might turn out, check the temperament of both parents.
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The Shiba Inu Akita mix is known to be a strong dog with a playful and artistic personality. Besides, the cross has a high prey drive due to the hunting instincts in both parent breeds.
Also, this cross is good for protection and serves as a guard dog. They do exceptionally well as guard dogs. However, they still maintain kindness and gentleness with people they know.
However, they have a relatively high temperament while around other animals. So, if you want to have yours close to other animals, ensure to introduce and socialize them together.
Even if you don’t have other dogs, it’s good to start socializing your furry friend with other dogs. You can utilize doggy parks and daycare centers for socialization.
Although Shibakita dogs are affectionate, they shy away from loud households. So, if you have loud kids around, expect your furry friend always to take some time off. They do this to recharge and get some solace by themselves.
How Does the Shiba Inu Akita Mix Behave at Home?
The Shiba Inu Akita mix is an amazing cross in your home. They’re intelligent; thus, their need to seek solace at times by staying alone.
Therefore, there’s nothing to worry about if your Shibakita doesn’t need your attention all the time. You can’t force this cross to cuddle or show affection.
Always be free and cuddle when they need it. However, excess of it might bore your canine friend. So, don’t overdo the cuddle with your dog as it can bore them.
Thankfully, the breed has a soft, lusciously thick coat which is cool to play with. Besides, it’s a delight to cuddle. The challenge comes during shedding, especially the profuse shedding.
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When dogs get bored, they easily turn destructive, become unhappy, and are at risk of depression. This breed has high energy and needs to exercise and accomplish tasks. So, it’s upon you to exercise them.
Due to the breeds shedding, you should make grooming a regular practice. The breed’s alertness and playfulness are among its best positive points.
Ensure to have a fence so that you keep them safe. Otherwise, you risk your fur friend escaping, which comes with many risks. Remember, Shibas are escape artists. So, the cross has some bit of this trait as well.
Also, ensure to take long walks at a faster pace. This should be frequent, at least once a day. I recommend you go for walks in places other than the dog park.
This crossbreed tends to ignore playing with other dogs. That’s one of the biggest downsides of the Shibakita mix.
Maintenance And Caring Tips for the Shiba Inu Akita Mix
i. Grooming Needs
Shiba Inus and Akitas are among the breeds you’ll recognize instantly. Besides, they have unique, beautiful features common to the Spitz family.
Since both breeds have some shedding, grooming is necessary. Regular brushing is a must. You must brush the breed’s coat at least twice a week.
However, if it’s during the coat-blowing season, you’ll need to do it at least twice a day. Brushing helps remove the loose fur and prevent matting.
In addition to brushing, you also have to wash your canine friend. Yes, baths are necessary. However, not so frequently. A bath can come once in three to six months.
Training Needs
Every dog deserves to undergo training. This is the best technique to have your canine friend under your control. So, you need to introduce training from an early age.
The right time to introduce training should be from 5 or 6 months of age. The crossbreed is easier to train while still a young puppy. As the breed grows, it becomes more challenging to train.
Start with obedience training. This includes helping your pup learn all basic commands. From there, you can advance to the more complex commands.
Training is also good for the breed’s intelligence. It helps make them friendly and fosters discipline.
Positive reinforcement is something you may want to try out. It works out well with the most intelligent breeds. Besides, it helps utilize your pup’s short concentration span.
Socialization Needs
Socialization should come along with training. These two go hand in hand. This crossbreed is relatively good with other dogs.
However, you need to socialize them with other dogs using dog parks. That way, you teach them to play and spend time with other dog breeds.
Awkwardly, this crossbreed tends to dislike playing with other dogs. So, ensure to start socialization at a young age. Failure to which you risk keeping an aggressive dog.
Also, socialization helps to handle the breeds’ high prey drive. They have the desire to go after small animals all the time. However, socialization helps make them friendly to smaller animals.
Growth And Age Expectancy of The Breed
The Shiba Inu Akita mix weighs approximately 30-45 pounds. This is an average of both parent breeds. When an adult, the crossbreed lies in the medium-size dog breeds.
Of course, the crossbreed has a stocky and strong body. The cross may be a little larger or smaller depending on the heritage. This results from Shibas being a far more compact type of dog.
The Shiba Inu Akita mix has a lifespan of anywhere between 12 and 16 years. This depends on the amount of care and regular exercise you provide.
It’s still difficult to get one of the average age. This is a result of the breed’s newer status.
Exercise Needs
The Shiba Inu Akita mix needs a mixed type of diet of good nutritional value. Besides, due to the breed’s health, regular exercise is a must.
Missing a single day can cause a catastrophe at home. If you miss a day, ensure to play lots of games with your fur friend to wear them out.
The Shiba Inu Akita mix prefers long and faster walks. So, set aside enough time to exercise your fur friend for at least an hour daily. This keeps your dog happy and full of life.
You can also try walks twice a day if you have enough time.
Remember, the best place to walk your crossbreed is away from other breeds. Since the breed is loyal to you and your family members, they can easily become too defensive. This happens when there are other dogs around.
Nutrition And Feeding Needs
Nutrition is a crucial factor in the rearing and keeping of dogs. So, you must ensure to feed your dog high-quality food.
This is one way to prolong your Shibakita lifespan. You can buy more time to be with your canine friend by feeding them high-quality food.
Ensure to find the food that settles well with your breed. Some dogs are good with raw food while others don’t like it.
Trial and error will help you determine what is right for your pooch friend and what is wrong for them. High-quality food also prevents health conditions that come from eating bad food.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is the Shiba Inu Akita Mix Lifespan?
Shiba Inu Akita mix, also known as Shibakita, has a lifespan of between 12 and 16 years.
Your canine friends’ lifespan depends on several things, such as nutrition and care. So, feed your dog high-quality food to prolong their lifespan.
Are Shiba Inu Akita Mix Dogs Good with Kids?
Shiba Inu Akita mix is relatively good with kids. However, you need to socialize them together first.
So, before letting your kid play with the crossbreed, socialize them first. Otherwise, the Shiba Inu Akita mix can easily become aggressive under provocation.
Are Shiba Inus Related to Akitas?
Shiba Inus and Akitas relate in that they all belong to the Spitz family. In addition, both dogs share the same origin that is Japan.
However, every breed is it’s own distinct. So, they’re both their distinct breeds. Despite having Japan as their origin, both breeds are becoming popular globally.
Are Akitas Just Big Shibas?
No. Akitas aren’t big Shibas. Although the two breeds look alike, they’re distinct from one another.
So, as long as they look alike, they have distinct origins. They’re slightly related in that they belong to the same family.
Is A Shiba Inu a Miniature Akita?
No. Shibas aren’t miniature Akitas. Both breeds have separate, distinct lines. Despite looking alike, they’re different breeds.
Besides, they were all meant for different purposes. Shibas were hunters of small animals, while Akitas were hunters of bigger animals like bears and elk.
Conclusion On Shiba Inu Akita Mix
The Shiba Inu Akita mix is an amazing breed with a good personality. So, you might want to keep one for yourself or the family.
Also, the crossbreed is intelligent. That said, it’s easy to train. However, it has a somewhat independent trait.
That means the breeds’ concentration span might be small. Regardless, you can utilize shorter training sessions. The breed easily grasps training commands.
Apart from training, socialization shouldn’t be left aside. Both come hand in hand. So, introduce them both from an early stage in your Shibas life.
The Shibakita is friendly, smart, strong, and good in endurance. So, it’s perfect for giving your home an amazing canine companion.