Shiba Inu Vs. Korean Jindo Breed Comparison

Are you torn between a Shiba Inu vs a Korean Jindo as you try to decide which one suits you better? Maybe that’s the case, but below is a detailed comparison.

Both breeds share several similarities in the same way they have differences.

Before you decide to get a puppy, you need to crosscheck the breed you’re going to buy or rescue to determine if the canine is a good fit for your home.

Korean Jindo is a sporting dog, while a Shiba Inu is more of a companion dog. Both breeds are of the spitz dog family.   

This article takes you through crucial differences between a Shiba Inu and a Korean Jindo and helps you determine whether both breeds are related.

In addition, if you’re considering getting any of these breeds (or both), I’ll help you determine the most suitable for you and your home.

Shiba Inu Vs. Korean Jindo Comparison Chart

	Shiba Inu	Korean Jindo
Size in height	13 to 17 inches	16 to 25 inches
Weight	15 to 25 pounds	35 to 50 pounds
Lifespan	11 to 15 years	14 to 17 years
Grouping	Companion dogs	Hunting dogs
Coat Type	Double coat	Double coat
Temperament	Alert, sassy and Vigilant	Good with pets & loyal
Bite force	200 to 400 PSI	200 to 400 PSI

The values above aren’t accurate, but an average estimation expects the numbers to differ in some cases.

Shiba Inu Breed Overview

There’s no doubt that Shiba Inus are among the most popular breeds of Japanese origin currently. Shibas have gained massive fame with the emergence of the Shiba Inu coin.

Shibas aren’t only famous in Japan and other parts of the world, like the United States. Many people are becoming more obsessed with the breed as the years go by.

Shiba Inus are unique in their ways. For example, this breed has some funny ways of communicating with its owner, which often involves the “Shiba Scream.”

The Shiba Inu scream is a vocalized shriek produced by Shibas when they’re overly excited or feel threatened.

In addition, Shiba Inus have an alert and active temperament. Although they’re categorized under small dogs, Shibas aren’t your typical small dog.

Further, Shibas aren’t the type of dog that spends the entire day cuddling on your lap. They’re independent and often want to spend some time by themselves.

Generally, Shiba Inus are free-spirited and love to think by themselves and do what they think is right. They even ignore their owner when not in the mood.

Shiba Inus are naturally independent. Therefore, expect your Shiba Inus to show stubborn streaks now and then. While they’re independent, Shibas are so affectionate and loyal.

In addition, Shiba Inus are extra vigilant with their immediate surrounding. This breed is always watchful and cautious of any strangers.

Although they don’t have the perfect body to offer protection, Shibas will alert you in case of any stranger or person they don’t know.

Korean Jindo Breed Overview

Korean Jindo came from THE Jindo Island, where KVDs, meaning Korean Village Dogs, were bred to closer and closer likeness without significant influence from human inhabitants to form a single recognizable phenotype.

Korean Village Dogs had inhabited mainland Korea for thousands of years before ending up on Jindo island.

There is confusion between the KVDs and Jindo since most people hardly differentiate them, including a large population of Koreans.

Purebred Jindos have fiercely loyal to a fault, willing, biddable, and very protective of their owners. In addition, this breed has a quite calm and thoughtful demeanor.

Jindos are available in several colors: white, brindle, red, wolf grey, black and tan, and black.

A purebred Jindo will have unique round, thick ears that appear to hood forward and bear thick cartilage.

Notably, Jindo’s aren’t just for everyone. If you’re a first-timer considering a Jindo, you may want to rethink your decision. They’re very intelligent for a new owner and can often manipulate you.

Some of the breed’s quirks include being stubborn, strong-willed, hard-headed & extremely smart, not forgetting their high prey drive.

A summary of Korean Jindo traits consists of the following features;

• Extremely smart and intelligent
• Highly dominant
• They’re good guard dogs and great for indoor lifestyle for their cleanliness and tidiness
• Require lots of exercise, i.e., at least two hours of walking exercise every day. It’s not a joke.
• High prey drive, i.e., They’ll hunt down birds and small animals and bring them home
• Did I forget the fierce loyalty? Yes. They’re very loyal, by far more loyal than Shibas.
• Escape artists all day, every day.
• Somewhat difficult to have in a pack
• Weary of strangers but warms up to them quickly fast.
• Highly dominant. You need to train them ASAP before they train you.
• Selective on other dogs to play with, even in the dog park

That sums up for I had on Korean Jindo for today.

Shiba Inu Vs. Korean Jindo Appearance Comparison

Shina Inu and the Korean Jindo will want to look similar from a distance; however, when you’re close enough, you can quickly tell which is a Shiba Inu and the Jindo.

Korean Jindos are of medium size and come from the spitz group of dogs, similar to Shiba Inus. In addition, Jindos have erect ears and long tails.

So, now you have one difference above, a Shiba Inu tail will be curled while the Korean Jindo tail is straight, long, and fluffy.

Further, Jindo coats are of medium length and have grey hair all over unless the Jindo is white, otherwise called brown color.

Jindo coats can assume the following colors; white, tan, red, black, and brindle. Shiba Inu coat colors can also have bi-colors such as black and tan.

The thick appearance in both breeds requires frequent grooming several times a week.

Shiba Inu Vs. Korean Jindo Size Comparison

The Korean Jindo is bigger than a Shiba Inu and records an average height of 16 to 25 inches while weighing 35 to 50 pounds.

On the other hand, Shiba Inus have an average height of 13 to 17 inches shoulder height and weigh between 15 to 25 pounds.

Thus, it’s evident that Korean Jindos are also bigger in terms of height and weight. Nevertheless, some bigger Shibas can be bigger than Jindo but are rare.

Shiba Inu Vs. Korean Jindo Lifespan Comparison

Korean Jindo often lives longer than Shiba Inus as they have a lifespan between 14 to 17 years, while Shiba Inus have an average lifespan of 11 to 14 years.

Nevertheless, this is just an average estimation based on common cases; there are cases where either can make it to even 20 years of age. But these cases are rare.

One way to maximize the period you will have your canine friend is to feed them high-quality food.

In addition, ensure you exercise your dog accordingly. Exercise keeps the body fit and helps your canine friend burn excess fats.

Failure to exercise your dog invites body conditions that harm the canine’s health in the long term. One example is obesity in dogs which is often a result of inadequate exercise.

Shiba Inu Vs. Korean Jindo Temperament Comparison

Every breed has its temperament, which should not be generalized based on other experiences. Besides, many factors influence canine behavior.

In Need of a Perfect Family Dog?

Thankfully, Korean Jindo and a Shiba Inu can make for good companions and house dogs; however, I’d argue that Jindo is the perfect family dog if you’re ready to face its uniqueness.

Both breeds have outgoing personalities. The high prey drive in both breeds can be challenging if your family isn’t active. They have a high prey drive which needs a careful and firm handler.

In addition, both breeds are affectionate to family members. Jindos will even have a favorite family member they protect full-time and are fiercely loyal to.

Also, when it comes to behavior around kids, there’s no significant difference between breeds.

Although they don’t top the list of kid-friendly dogs, it doesn’t necessarily mean that these breeds will not tolerate kids around them.

Although both breeds are good with kids, they need more time to familiarize themselves, socialize, and get used to them.

Guarding Behavior

Since both breeds are loyal to their owners, they have dog-guarding behavior. Korean Jindos are more guards than Shiba Inus, though.

While Shiba Inus have some guarding behavior, with proper training and socialization, they learn to coexist well with family members.

Jindo is better with other dogs than Shiba Inus. Generally, both breeds aren’t that good with other dogs unless they’re well-socialized and have undergone obedience training.

When it comes to strangers, Korean Jindos are weary of strangers but are quick to learn what position that stranger holds. In addition, they warm up to strangers quickly based on your reaction.

Shiba Inu Vs. Korean Jindo Adaptability Comparison

• Adaptability to Apartment Living
• Adaptability To Hot Weather
• Adaptability To Cold Weather

What’s more;

Adaptability To Apartment Living

While not all dogs are suitable for apartment living, some dog breeds do perfectly.

Some of the key reasons that prevent dogs from being good apartment dogs are associated with size, noise, shedding level, energy level, and smell.

Both Korean Jindo and Shiba Inus are considered good apartment living. They are silent and hardly bark unless there’s a reason to do so.

However, they’re both double-coated. That means you expect moderate shedding throughout the year and heavy shedding twice a year.

You’ll need to prepare for the shedding seasons with a shedding brush and vacuum cleaner.

Adaptability To Hot Weather

Depending on your region’s climate, you may want to consider a dog that adapts fairly well to the respective climate.

Hot weather may not be the best for double-coated dogs. While Shiba Inus can adapt slightly to hot weather, Jindo’s aren’t the best with hot weather as they have a lot of fur.

Shiba Inus have better chances of adapting to hot weather than Jindo. Therefore, when the warm weather comes, schedule the exercise early morning or in the evening.

Avoid pavements. Remember, it’s too hot for paws if you can feel the warmth on the pavement or ground with your hand.

Adaptability To Cold Weather

Cold weathers and temperatures are the best for these two breeds. They support cold temperatures falling even below 20⁰ F.

Thankfully, the double coat works best to help maintain average body temperature. Extreme winters aren’t a big issue for Shiba Inu and Korean Jindo.

Since they both tolerate cold weather, you don’t have to worry about cold-associated problems like hypothermia and frostbite.

Shiba Inu Vs. Korean Trainability Comparison

Obedience training plays a crucial role in your dog’s life. While some canines are easier to train, others are somewhat challenging.

These two breeds are intelligent and thus quickly grasp commands. Therefore, you need to train them.

Korean Jindos are more accessible to train than Shiba Inus. Jindos like to please their owners and are fiercely loyal.

However, these two breeds aren’t easy to train for first-time owners. They’re usually stubborn, independent, and strong-willed.

However, experienced owners don’t have a hard time training Jindo and Shiba Inus. However, Jindos are better at grasping and obeying commands.

If you select any of these two breeds, you should always have these three dog training pillars: patience, persistence, and consistency.

If you don’t have enough time for training, you may hire the services of a professional trainer. Remember, your canine friend should be trained in your presence as it increases the chances of success.

Do Korean Jindo and Shiba Inu Need a Lot of Physical Activity

Korean Jindos need a lot of physical activity. They’ll need at least 2 hours of exercise every day, and they can still do far more than that.

On the other hand, Shiba Inus don’t need lots of exercise. An average of 45 minutes walk is enough daily for a Shiba Inu.

Physical activity makes your canine friend happier and healthier and helps bond and wears out your dog, thus making the dog relaxed.

When selecting a breed, it’s crucial to consider the physical activity requirements. If your family isn’t that active, don’t make the mistake of selecting high-energy breeds.

Korean Jindo dogs have a high level of exercise needs compared to Shiba Inus. Shibas only require moderate exercise and physical activity.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Shiba Inu and Korean Jindo Live Together?

Shiba Inus and Korean Jindo do perfectly well together but may need some training and socialization in the early days.

The critical thing is socialization. Since both breeds are dominant, they may show same-sex aggression.

Are Jindos Related to Shiba Inu?

Jindos are related to Shiba Inu in that they belong to the same family, the Spitz dog family. Far from that, they’re not closely related.

However, they may share a common ancestor due to their wolflike appearance.

The Bottomline: Shiba Inu Vs. Korean Jindo

These breeds are similar in appearance; however, Jindos are slightly bigger than Shiba Inus and have thicker fur.

In addition, they are good family dogs; Jindos are suitable for protection and companionship, while Shiba Inus are suitable for a companion.

Since both have a double coat, be prepared to deal with the shedding seasons, especially coat blowing, which happens twice a year.

These breeds are weary of strangers but are quick to warm up to them. Don’t forget about the breed’s high prey drive.

Always have them on a leash when walking due to their high prey drive. Otherwise, your canine friend will likely bolt into thick bushes running after small animals.