How Long do Shiba Inus Live?

You’re in search of your next best furry friend and you decided that you want a cute Shiba Inu, since they’re so adorable and very popular these days. But as we all know, death and taxes are the only two things that are unavoidable, so in order to make your buying decision you need to ask yourself: How long do Shiba Inus live? 

You don’t want it to die so soon. No one likes experiencing the death of a loved one. So, in order to postpone that dreadful event in your life, you’d want to look for a partner that has longevity. We’ll be comparing the lifespan of the Shiba Inu dog to the average life span of dogs in general, in order to help you reach a conclusion. 

The Shiba Inu (Or Is It “Doge”?)

You might be familiar with the “Doge” meme that has become viral on social media for a long time, or you just might have seen an image of a dog with a very peculiar and funny facial expression, accompanied by some text in “Comic Sans” format. The dog in the picture is none other than a Shiba Inu!

Shiba Inus are not only just another dog race. They’re a significant part of the Japanese national treasury and pop culture, and they earned this prestigious spot not by mere chance. Apart from being exceedingly cute, they’re also known to be, for the most part, very independent and even “snobby” (some call them “the cats of the dog realm”).

They are also Elon Musk’s favorite breed!

They derived from wolfs (the tail and ears might actually give that one away, for sure!), specifically the “gray wolf“. Shiba Inu dog are relatively small, measuring up to 40cm, with short hair, pointed triangle-shaped ears and mostly curled tail. Shiba Inu dog also come in various colors and breeds, the most common color being beige, but also black or white, with light and dark shades.

Perhaps the most fascinating feature they have is their “rarity”. Originally intended for small hunting, these dogs were soon being replaced by other more effective breeds and races that were imported from abroad at the beginning of the 20th century, which lead to a steep decline in their breeding that almost ensured their extinction.

Other factors include the Japanese Occupation during World War II (in which many of these dogs perished under American bombs) and the mixing with other races. That scarcity, added to their already peculiar traits, represents another catalyst to their current popularity.

Most recently, the Shiba Inu dog was on the spotlight of the Cryptocurrency space, thanks to the popularity of the “Dogecoin” token, which in turn inspired the creation of the “Shiba Inu” token (with the ticker $SHIB). Popular cryptocurrency exchange platforms like Binance and (most recently) Coinbase listed these two tokens due to popular demand. Dogecoin particularly popularized the infamous “meme coin” scene, which led to the creation of various grassroots meme tokens with varying degrees of success.

But, How Long Shiba Inu Live?

The life expectancy of a Shiba Inu, according to most studies, is 12 to 14 years. In comparison, the longest lifespan is that of the Chihuahua, which ranges between 15 to 20 years, while the Newfoundland dog (or “Newfie”) has the shortest lifespan with an expectancy of 6 to 10 years. So, in comparison, Shiba Inus sits comfortably in the middle of the range. 

That doesn’t mean they can’t last longer. A famous dog actor, star of Softbank commercials in Japan (the famous white Shiba father), died at 16. Nonetheless, in order to achieve that they had to spend enormous amount of time and money, so keep that in mind.

Shiba Inu Care Tips

• AVOID TABLE FOODS: Shiba Inus have a tendency to get hefty, so they need a special diet to improve their body weight and health condition.
• KEEP TRACK OF THEIR FEET: In line with the previous tip, the excess of weight could produce orthopedic issues such as hip dysplasia and luxating patella, so it’s important to perform regular check-ins with the vet.
• BRUSH THEIR TEETH: Just as humans, animals can develop dental tartar, which also affects overall health. Twice a week is enough.

Are Shiba Inus Hard To Train?

Recommended Readings:

• The Friendliest Dog Breeds.
• 10 Most Spectacular and Desirable Japanese Dog Breeds.
• What Is A Parti Yorkie?