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 Papillon mix is a cross between two purebred breeds of a Shiba Inu and Papillon. The dog is commonly known as a Papi-Inu and gives you an excellent family dog.
The Shiba Inu Papillon mix is a spunk, pleasant crossbreed with unique personality traits. Among the key traits are loyal, intelligence, and courage. Therefore, this crossbreed has the loyalty of a Shiba Inu but is more friendly, thus suitable for family life.
While both parent breeds have moderate to high energy levels, the cross is more active, like the Shiba Inu.
In this Shiba Inu Papillon guide, we’ll take you through this crossbreed’s key details, including their appearance, personality, and care tips.
Table of Contents
Shiba Inu Papillon Mix Physical Appearance
This crossbreed is slightly smaller than Shiba Inus.
Males are from 8 to 17 inches tall and weigh between 5 and 24 lbs on average, while females are 8 to 16 inches in height and weigh between 5 and 20 lbs.
Your Papi-Inu can take the physical appearance of a miniature Akita, thus translating to the above dimensions.
In addition, they have a silky coat that is long and fine, like that of a teddy bear. The cross has a double coat, meaning they have two layers of fur. The outer coat is straight and stiff, while the inner coat is soft and thicker.
Besides having a teddy bear appearance, the crossbreed has a fluffy tail even more than that of a Shiba Inu and curls above its hindquarters.
Body-wise, this crossbreed is compact with an athletic body. They’re muscular and have small feet which appear cat-like.
Their head is small to medium size and has a somewhat long muzzle that’s fine and tempering. They have scissor-like round eyes with dark inside. Their eyes can only be round or squinty.
The crossbreed’s nose is black in color with erect fridged ears that often point forward. Their coat is more likely to have white patches with an additional color from either of the parents.
Most colors that couple the white patches are red, black, or brown. Additional colors include orange-red, sesame (a red background with black-tipped hairs), or urajiro (white to creams ventral color).
Shiba Inu Papillon Mix Personality
This crossbreed is a fantastic dog good for family life, full of energy, affectionate, friendly, and cheerful to every family member.
In addition, additional traits to expect include intelligence, playfulness, and liveliness from this cross.
They’re loyal to their owners and are outgoing. Since they’re outgoing, I’d recommend you train your pooch friend on the common commands.
They’re social but not to strangers and often inherits the barking and yappy nature of Papillon parent. This calls for the need to introduce obedience training and socialization early.
Socialization makes them good with kids and your family cat. So, this is a practice you don’t want to miss.
They also have less hunting and prey drive compared to the Shiba Inus. However, some have a strong prey drive and occasionally follow their nose senses after unusual scents.
Instead of following your pooch friend into the bushes, brambles, and briars, you’ll want always to have the leash on when leaving your home compound.
They’ll initially resist the idea of a leash and will do all sorts of dramatic things. But you shouldn’t give in and let them go. Instead, train them from an early age.
Use positive reinforcement and firm training to ensure they finally accept the idea of a leash. Encouragement methods and praises also work wonders during the training period.
What Are Care Tips for Shiba Inu Papillon Mix?
Grooming Requirements
Grooming is essential for every other dog. So is the Shiba Inu Papillon mix. Although this crossbreed has less fur, you must groom them occasionally.
You must note that grooming involves several practices, which are brushing the coat, clipping your canines’ nails, and bathing them.
You don’t have to do all these grooming practices at the same time. Instead, have a timetable for each. For example, you can brush their coats twice a week. Clip their nails once every three months, and take them for a bath every three to six months.
Although the Shiba Inu Papillon doesn’t shed much, you should invest in a good vacuum cleaner. It helps keep your floor clean and free from fur.
Otherwise, occasional shedding will happen, thus causing fur everywhere in your house. If your crossbreed is more of a Shiba Inu, a vacuum cleaner and a brush will come in handy.
Exercise Requirements
This crossbreed is a moderate-energy dog. So, you don’t need a lot of exercise. Plan for long or short walks to keep your canine friends’ energy levels down.
Enough walks for your canine friend should last at least 40 minutes. However, you can do up to an hour; this depends on your pooch friends’ state by the 40th minute.
Lack of exercise can make them destructive. So, ensure you exercise your pooch friend at least once a day. The crossbreed can either have a high or moderate energy level.
So, exercising them prevents a lot of bad traits. Besides, a tired dog is a good dog. You can also use other exercise ways like playing games.
Playing games around your homestead with your crossbreed helps them exercise. At the same time, you can introduce training and positive reinforcement during play.
Training Needs
This crossbreed is intelligent and a little bit difficult to train. The breed often wants to take the alpha position, which you shouldn’t allow.
Instead, you have to be firm and consistent always. Ensure to be firm always so that they can know their place.
The best way to train your canine friend is to break the training into smaller sessions. Short sessions are easier and take an average of 5 minutes. This keeps their attention span high.
Also, the crossbreed might have a high prey drive. So, ensure to handle them properly and initiate obedience training early.
Positive reinforcement should always stick to your fingertips. Praise them when they do well and try to correct bad behavior.
Socialization Needs
Shiba Inu Papillon mix needs socialization. Although this crossbreed is often good with people, you need to socialize them.
Socialization should go hand in hand with training. So, as you train them, ensure you visit the dog park for socialization.
Also, socialize them with people. However, most Shiba Inu Papillon mixes are usually good with people. However, this isn’t a guarantee; the Shiba Inu might override the Papillon.
If Shiba Inus overrides Papillon, the cross may not be good with strangers. Therefore, socialization should be compulsory.
However, if your pup isn’t aggressive and behaves well with strangers, there’s not much need for socialization.
Diet And Nutrition
Shiba Inu Papillon mix needs a good diet as the cross is a muscular dog with a lot of athleticism. Besides, the cross loves to play and can move all day without wearing out.
So, you should feed them a high-protein diet to supplement their high energy needs. The dog’s body is naturally fat-friendly. I don’t mean feeding your pup until they’re overweight.
So, 2 to 2 and ½ cups of food daily is enough. You can divide the amount into two meals. Also, the different food types you use have guidelines. Ensure to read them prior to feeding your canine friend.
Health Issues in Shiba Inu Papillon Mix
This crossbreed of a Papillon and a Shiba Inu is generally healthy. However, there are some complications the breed is prone to, including;
- Cataracts: This health condition affects the eyes. Whereas it’s not life-threatening, this condition can lead to blindness.
- Allergies: This crossbreed is prone to both food and skin allergies. So, you must know what you’re feeding your canine friend. Common causes of allergies are mold spores, pollen, and some types of proteins.
- Patellar Luxation: This condition involves the dislocation of the kneecaps. The treatment usually involves surgery.
- Glaucoma: This is an eye complication that results from high fluid pressure inside the eye. It often causes blindness and has no treatment.
- Hip Dysplasia: This is a joint problem where the hind socket joints dislodge from their normal position. So, they keep rubbing together, causing pain and mobility issues.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Much Is a Shiba Inu Papillon Mix?
Shiba Inu Papillon mix costs at least $500; however, the price goes up to $1,000. It depends on the parent breeds and the reason for selling.
This is a pretty friendly breed that new owners can consider having. However, you must be ready for training and socialization.
Also, ensure to do pretty much research first.
What Does a Shiba Inu Papillon Look Like?
A Shiba Inu Papillon mix has traits from both parents. The cross has triangular hairy ears that stand attention and has a muzzle with a square nose.
The crossbreed can assume a variety of colors. Size-wise, the crossbreed is a medium-sized dog with strong musculature and stamina.
What Is the Shiba Inu Papillon Mix Lifespan?
Shiba Inu Papillon can do between 12 and 15 years on average. The better you feed your dog, the more you’ll have them around.
You should feed your dog high-quality food to boost their lifespan. Besides, high-quality food keeps dogs healthy.
Are Shiba Inus Papillon Mixes Aggressive?
Shiba Inu Papillon mix isn’t an aggressive breed. They’re friendly, loving and loyal to their owners and family.
So, this crossbreed is good for family life. Besides, it takes pride in having a friendly family and being playful around owners.
That said, if you’re planning to own one, you have nothing to worry about aggression.
Concluding Sentiments on Shiba Inu Papillon Mix
This crossbreed is typically not demanding. So, all they need is a little bit of human attention and affection. Also, they don’t need much exercise.
Thankfully, this crossbreed is social and hardly has aggression issues. So, if you have other pets at home, be sure that they won’t bring chaos. Instead, they’ll integrate well.
Also, the exercise needs for the crossbreed aren’t high. They need only 40 minutes of exercise every day. However, you can play some games at home without going for walks.
Thankfully, this crossbreed doesn’t necessarily shed a lot. So, you may be lucky to get one that doesn’t shed a lot.