Best Smart Shiba is an Amazon Associate. We earn a small commission from qualifying purchases. For more information, visit my privacy policy page.
Shiba Inu Border Collie mix is a cross between a purebred Shiba Inu and Border Collie. You’re probably asking, what does the mix look like? How do they behave?
The offspring is a high-energetic breed that’s cute and affectionate. Being a cross between a Shiba Inu and Border Collie, it’s obvious there must be a mix of traits. So, the mix is stubborn, highly energetic, intelligent, and affectionate.
This guide takes through various Shiba Inu and Border Collie mix insights you must know as an owner or an aspiring one. It’s an adorable crossbreed and makes a good family pet.
Table of Contents
What Is a Shiba Inu Border Collie Mix
As said earlier, the Shiba Inu Border Collie mix is a crossbreed between a purebred Shiba and a purebred Border Collie.
View this post on Instagram
It falls within the designer dog category. Albeit the designer dog controversies, some crossbreeds become perfect family pets.
This breed has its requirements which you have to fulfill as the owner. The primary needs of the breed are training and socialization. The mix is an intelligent breed and is relatively easy to train for first-time owners.
The difficulty in training this breed most likely comes from Shiba Inu’s independent nature. However, it’s still possible to train them. You need to master practical training tips beforehand.
They’re protective, loyal, and affectionate. Some like cuddling, while others are totally against it. Mind you, traits vary between an individual crossbreed and another.
Personality of Shiba Inu Border Collie Mix?
The key things to expect from the Shiba Inu Border Collie are intelligence, high energy, and stubbornness. The dog has the intel of a Border collie and stubbornness of a Shiba, at least in most cases.
Now, if you’d wish to own this amazing crossbreed, prepare for lots of exercise. Exercising your Shiba Inu Border Collie mix stimulates their mind and keeps them mentally and physically fit.
Exercise also makes them active and happy. Otherwise, your fur suffers boredom and frustration. This situation often puts them in mischief.
For Border collies, their work remains to be primarily herding livestock. They enjoy fulfilling tasks and are happy with every process.
This doesn’t mean you have to be a farmer to get one. Anyone can get this crossbreed. Thankfully, you’ll enjoy training them with a little bit of nagging.
View this post on Instagram
Shiba Inus, on the other hand, has moderate exercise needs compared to a Border Collie. Also, they’re intelligent, independent, and stubborn. They’re not easy to train like Border Collie.
If you own this crossbreed, harsh correcting is one thing to avoid. They’re highly sensitive to reprimanding. So, use positive reinforcement more instead of being aversive.
Especially during training, encourage and reward good behavior while ignoring the wrong ones. Training sessions come in handy.
Shiba Inu Border Collie crossbreed is good with children, but you have to train and socialize your fur friend prior.
Appearance of a Shiba Inu Border Collie Mix?
Shiba Inu Border Collie mix is a medium-sized dog. It has a height of between 16” and 19” and weighs between 20-40 pounds.
View this post on Instagram
Shiba Inus have an appearance that dominates Border Collie. Therefore, the offspring is a foxlike dog with a narrow and sleek face. Also, Shibas have sharply pointed ears and slightly longer bodies.
Your Shiba Inu Border Collie mix has a well-proportioned body. Besides, the crossbreed is slightly muscular, especially in the front and hind quarters.
The Coat of Shiba Inu Border Collie mix has short hair from Shiba Inus and long hair from Border Collie. So, you must always prepare for heavy shedding.
Heavy shedding of this crossbreed occurs twice a year. So, year-round grooming is necessary. The mix varies between several colors. Shiba Inu Border Collie colors include black, tan and white, liver, red, and cream.
Less occurring coat colors of the Shiba Inu Border Collie mix include blue, brindle, merle, blue merle, and lilac. The crossbreed can have a curled, smooth, or rough coat.
Shiba Inu Border Collie Mix Temperament
You can expect a Shiba Inu Border Collie mix to be an active, intelligent, and loyal dog. These are traits from both cross sides.
Further, you can expect your crossbreed to be a little stubborn. So, if you’re a new dog owner, you might want to keep off this crossbreed.
Also, Border Collies control livestock and like doing tasks. So, they need tasks to accomplish. They’re happy to do a job successfully.
Notably, Border Collies are amongst the top intelligent dog breeds. So, the crossbreed has intelligence from the Border Collie, with a little stubbornness from Shiba Inu.
Both primary breeds don’t like sensitive punishment. So, don’t be aversive when training or interacting with your Shiba Inu Border Collie mix. You have to be kind and patient with this breed.
Especially during training sessions, stay calm and exercise patience. They can be aggressive if you punish them. That said, start training and socialization early.
If your Shiba Inu Border Collie mix has more Shiba traits, expect them to be weary with strangers. This hybrid dog is alert and intelligent; thus, it’s an excellent watchdog.
Are Shiba Inu Border Collie Mix Dogs Good with Kids?
Shiba Inu Border Collie mix dogs are good with kids but need early socialization and training. So, you must start training from an early age.
The crossbreed borrows traits from both parents. So, if your cross has more Shiba traits, they may not be good with children. Shibas are aggressive and thus aren’t good with kids.
Further, if your cross leans more to the Border Collie parent, they are likelier to be good with kids. They’re not only loving and loyal, but they’re also affectionate.
However, the bottom line is always training and socializing your dog. Before you let your dog play with kids, ensure you interact them together. That way, you can caution against bad behavior.
Start training your Shiba Inu Border Collie at the age of between 6 and 9 months. They’ll grow to behave well even when alone with kids.
Are Shiba Inu Border Collie Dogs Good Apartment Dogs?
Shiba Inu Border Collie mix needs a large place to play around and dispel off energy. However, you can keep them in an apartment and do daily exercise walks.
Although this crossbreed can be content in an apartment, it’s not the best place for a mix of a Shiba and Border Collie.
They need enough space to run up and down freely. So, even if they’re not huge dogs, they need more exercise.
So, if you’re living in an apartment, you may want to consider a dog with less energy. This crossbreed will trouble you in an apartment.
The lack of space can make your Shiba Inu Border Collie mix destructive. So, if you’re unsure of the available space, you may want to consider another breed.
Are Shiba Inu Border Collie Mix Good for First-Time Owners?
Shiba Inu Border Collie mix isn’t a good choice for first-time dog owners. The crossbreed has a little bit of complexity that easily bores new owners.
The crossbreed is smart and has a lot of energy to play around with. So, being a new owner, you can easily find this energy boring.
Also, you can easily find them stubborn if you’re a new owner. Woe unto you if your Shiba Inu Border Collie has more Shiba Inu traits. They’ll be stubborn and aggressive.
Nevertheless, I usually advise people to do enough research into a breed before owning it. Due to the misinformation available online, doing good research works perfectly.
Through research, you’ll know the training tips and basic commands to start with. Also, you’ll know where to seek assistance if things are going berserk.
Being a first-time owner and going for a Shiba Inu Border Collie might be a bad decision. However, if you have a friend who owns one, you can always get tips and help from them.
What Are Shiba Inu Border Collie Mix Exercise Needs
Shiba Inu Border Collie needs a little more energy than Shibas needs. Remember, a Border Collie is a working dog. It needs tasks to accomplish. So, the crossbreed is highly energetic and needs more exercise.
There’s no way you can substitute exercise with anything. If your fur friend needs exercise, the only thing you can do is to include exercise in your schedule.
Besides, you can offer both outdoor and indoor exercises. Since the breed is small enough for indoor exercise, you can also use indoor exercises where possible.
Shiba Inu Border Collie mix likes playing games. So, you can always initiate a game with your crossbreed for exercise. Games can be an alternative when you don’t feel like going for exercise walks.
The average time enough for a Shiba Inu Border Collie mix to exercise should be an average of 60 to 90 minutes. This is daily.
Also, purchase enough interactive dog toys for your fur friend. Interactive toys are good for mental stimulation. So, they help your canine friend stimulate their mind.
What Are Shiba Inu Border Collie Mix Training Needs?
Shiba Inu Border Collie mix is an intelligent hybrid dog and needs training. Since it’s an intelligent crossbreed, the dog needs training from a young age, possibly 6 months.
This crossbreed is easy to train, especially if it has more Border Collie traits. However, you might encounter challenges during training if it’s more of a Shiba Inu.
Shiba Inus have an independent mind which hardly submits. So, if your Shiba Inu Border Collie has more Shiba traits, they might be stubborn during training.
But the trick is always to start training early. Also, ensure t be consistent and calm during training sessions.
This crossbreed doesn’t need the use of aversive training. If you’re hard on your canine friend, they can easily become aggressive.
Thankfully, the crossbreed responds well to praises, treats, and positive reinforcement. So, you can use treats to make training easier and goal-oriented.
Also, socialization is part and parcel of training your dog. So, ensure to socialize your fur friend from an early age. Socialization will help your puppy grow into a confident and social dog.
Does Shiba Inu Border Collie Mix Shed a Lot?
Since both breeds have double coats, the crossbreed will also have a double coat. So, expect a lot of shedding, especially during the coat-blowing seasons, which come twice a year. This is during spring and fall.
Shiba Inus are known to be heavy shedders. So, any of their crossbreeds are likely to experience high shedding, including the Shiba Inu Border Collie mix.
So, you should always have a brush to groom your Shibas fur and brush it. Brushing helps remove the weak fur at a go.
During the coat-blowing seasons, you should groom your Shiba Inus at least once daily. Otherwise, you’ll encounter tumbleweeds of fur on your furniture.
Also, baths are necessary. However, they shouldn’t be frequent; once a month is fine for a bath. Frequent bathing depletes your dogs’ natural skin oils. Ideally, you can use quality deodorizing wipes for dogs to clean your dog swiftly.
Other grooming practices you don’t want to forget include clipping the nails, cleaning their ears, and brushing their teeth. All these should be frequent practices for your dog.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Long Do Shiba Inu Border Collie Mix Live?
Shiba Inu mix Border Collie can live for an average of 11 to 15 years. However, a good diet and care can prolong your fur friend’s lifespan.
So, ensure to feed your high-quality dog food and to follow the grooming practices. That way, you maintain your canines’ health and can prolong their lifespan.
How Much Does a Shiba Inu Border Collie Mix Cost?
A Shiba Inu Border Collie mix will cost you between $500 and $1000. The price depends on several factors, including breeder location.
Also, the records of both parent dogs can influence the price. If the primary parents are high-quality purebreds, the price can shoot high.
Are Shiba Inu Border Collie Mix Dogs High Maintenance?
Shiba Inu Border Collie mix dogs aren’t high-maintenance dogs. They’re of average maintenance since they’re not prone to diseases.
That said, the cost of maintaining this crossbreed averages the costs of maintaining both breeds.
Can Border Collie Shiba Inu Mix Be Left Alone?
Shiba Inu Border Collie mix can be alone for a short period. If you’re away for long and your fur friend gets bored, they can become destructive.
However, if you’re going to be away for a short while, provide their best toys to keep them busy. Also, ensure to put all sensitive items far from the access.
Are Shiba Inu Border Collie Mix Dogs Aggressive?
Shiba Inu Border Collie mix dog can be aggressive; however, that happens if the cross has more Shiba Inus traits.
Further, you can always train your dog against aggression. Also, socialization helps reduce aggression.
Do Shiba Inu Border Collie Mix Dogs Bark a Lot?
This crossbreed hardly barks unless it’s necessary to do so. They only bark to alert their owners of something.
So, the Shiba Inu Border Collie mix does not bark a lot. They’re quiet despite Shiba Inu being excessive barkers.
The Wrap-Up
Shiba Inu Border Collie mix is a dog with an amazing personality. The cross is loyal, affectionate, loving, and intelligent.
So, being an intelligent dog, you don’t expect to encounter issues during training. However, if it happens, that may be a result of the Shiba Inu gene composition.
Thankfully, they are quick to grasp commands. Also, Border Collie likes doing tasks successfully. So, you’re assured of obedience from the crossbreed.
The crossbreed between a Shiba Inu and a Border Collie is a good family pet and knows to relate well with kids.
Ensure to introduce your fur friend to training and socialization while young. Every dog is easier to train at a young age.