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Shiba Inu Rat Terrier mix is a cross breed of a purebred Shiba Inu with a purebred Rat Terrier. Both parent breeds can be friendly but have distinct traits. So, you may ask yourself, what are Shiba Inu Rat Terrier mix breeds like?
Shiba Inu Rat Terrier mix is a friendly dog with a little bit spunky. Therefore, the crossbreed is often inquisitive on most occasions. You have to stay on the lookout for such behaviors and correct them. This crossbreed is a good family dog and has moderate energy.
However, this crossbreed needs training and socialization. These two are crucial for any other dog, especially designer dogs.
In this guide, you’ll learn the personality and traits of a Shiba Inu Rat Terrier mix. Also, you’ll learn some care tips for this pooch friend.
Table of Contents
What Is the Shiba Inu Rat Terrier Mix Personality?
The personality of this crossbreed is quite complex as it mixes two breeds that are quite the opposite.
Rat Terriers are jovial, gregarious, and have a merry personality. So, they’re good with pretty everyone.
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Also, they get along with pretty everyone. Also, they’re affectionate to their human families and people they meet on the streets.
Further, Rat Terriers can occasionally show aggression. However, they’re social most, if not all, the time.
On the other hand, Shiba Inus have a completely different personality. Despite being loving and loyal, they have independent personalities.
Besides, they’re a little bit difficult with strangers. Also, Shibas reserve their affection for their human families.
Now, the Shiba Inu Rat Terrier mix has more outgoing traits. So, the crossbreed has fewer Shiba Inu traits. Also, the crossbreed is loving and affectionate.
What about the physical characteristics? Let’s explore that below.
Shiba Inu Rat Terrier Mix Temperament Level
Shiba Inu Rat Terrier mix is an intelligent breed that often shows affection, but not all the time. Also, they can be quite energetic.
Besides, the Shiba Inu Rat Terrier mix is social and has incredible athleticism. So, if you’re looking to own one, prepare for daily exercise.
This crossbreed is family-oriented and enjoys living with its human family. Funny enough, the Shiba Inu Husky mix doesn’t like interacting and playing with other dogs.
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However, training and socialization help a lot. Of importance, both training and socialization can make your crossbreed good with children. You only need to socialize them together.
Luckily, this cross enjoys romping around kids, especially if they know boundaries. You should teach your kid these boundaries as early as possible.
If this crossbreed lacks good training and socialization, it can be aggressive to people. Not only people but other pets as well. So, lack of training causes behavior issues.
Common behavior issues include chewing, marking, barking, and even territoriality. So, initiate training as early as you can. That can be anywhere from 5 months.
Shiba Inu Rat Terrier Mix Physical Appearance
Shiba Inu Rat Terrier mix resembles a tall, lanky pug. In addition, they have a short muzzle, not jowly.
This crossbreed has either of these colors: Black and white, brindle, or seal. When they’re adult dogs, the Shiba Inu Rat Terrier mix is of moderate size and weighs between 6 pounds and 20 pounds.
Rat Terriers aren’t particularly tall dogs. So, they grow to be 9-15 inches in shoulder height. Whereas Shiba Inus are stockier than Rat Terriers.
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Shibas have luxurious coats with pricked ears. The tail is fluffy and curls to the top or side. In addition, Shiba Inus appear foxlike, especially on the face and eyes.
Shibas are slightly bigger than Rat Terriers. They grow to be between 14 and 22 inches tall and weigh between 18-22 pounds.
The Shiba Inu Rat Terrier mix has an unusual-looking appearance. Rat Terriers’ short square face elongates after mixing with Shibas delicate facial features. So, the cross has an upright and triangular ear while the eyes are wide apart.
Shiba Inu Rat Terrier mix varies in color. The color of the crossbreed is usually a mix of both parent breeds. However, most are often brown or brindle in color. On rare occasions, the cross has splotches of white.
Shiba Inu Rat Terriers weigh between 12-25 pounds, while they have a height of between 10-16 inches. The cross hardly has Shibas plush coat.
So, the cross is more of a Rat Terrier with sleek, short hair. Their coat is usually short or medium in length.
What Are Care Tips for Shiba Inu Rat Terrier Mix?
Grooming Requirements
Grooming is essential for every other dog. So is the Shiba Inu Rat Terrier 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 in three months, and take them for a bath every three to six months.
Although the Shiba Inu Rat Terrier 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 Rat Terrier 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 Rat Terrier mixes are usually good with people. However, this isn’t a guarantee; the Shiba Inu might override the Rat Terrier.
If Shiba Inus overrides Rat Terrier, 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 Rat Terrier 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 before feeding your canine friend.
Health Issues in Shiba Inu Rat Terrier Mix
This crossbreed of a Rat Terrier 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 Rat Terrier Mix?
Shiba Inu Rat Terrier 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 Rat Terrier Look Like?
A Shiba Inu Rat Terrier mix has traits from both parents. The cross has triangular 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 Rat Terrier Mix Lifespan?
Shiba Inu Rat Terrier 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 Rat Terrier Mixes Aggressive?
Shiba Inu Rat Terrier 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 Rat Terrier 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 home pets, be sure 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.