The main difference in the Akita vs Shiba Inu comparison is size. The Royal Kennel Club’s Akita is a large, heavy-boned dog that needs more than two hours of exercise a day; the Japanese Shiba Inu is a small-to-medium spitz that needs up to an hour. In Dogs Trust’s UK data, the Shiba’s median lifespan is about three years longer.
We haven’t owned either breed, so everything below comes from the Royal Kennel Club’s breed standards and breed pages, Dogs Trust’s study of UK dog lifespans, PDSA’s Akita guide and gov.uk. Where no UK source covers a point, we say so rather than fill the gap.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Akita vs Shiba Inu at a glance
| Akita | Japanese Shiba Inu | |
|---|---|---|
| Royal Kennel Club group | Utility | Utility |
| Breed Watch | Category 1 | Category 1 |
| Height (breed standard) | Males 66–71cm, Females 61–66cm | Males 39.5cm, Females 36.5cm (2cm either way) |
| Weight | Not given in the breed standard | Not given in the breed standard |
| Size | Large | Small to medium |
| Exercise | More than 2 hours a day | Up to 1 hour a day |
| Grooming | Once a week | Once a week |
| Coat | Coarse outer coat, soft dense undercoat | Hard outer coat, soft dense undercoat |
| Colours | Any colour except merle | Red, red sesame, black and tan, white |
| UK median lifespan | 11.4 years (3,828 dogs) | 14.6 years (423 dogs) |
| UK legal status | Not a banned type | Not a banned type |
Sources: Royal Kennel Club breed standards (Akita, updated 1 August 2025; Japanese Shiba Inu, April 2025) and breed pages; Dogs Trust 2024 UK longevity study; gov.uk. A breed standard describes the ideal dog, so individual dogs vary.
How to tell an Akita from a Shiba Inu
Size
Size is the difference you’ll notice first. The Royal Kennel Club standard puts Akita males at 66–71cm at the withers and females at 61–66cm. For the Japanese Shiba Inu, it gives 39.5cm for males and 36.5cm for females, with 2cm allowed either way. That makes an Akita roughly 25–30cm taller at the shoulder.
Neither standard gives a weight, so we haven’t either. The Akita standard describes a large, powerful, alert dog with heavy bone and plenty of substance. The Shiba is described as small, well balanced and sturdy, and very slightly longer than it is tall.
Head, ears and tail
Both breeds have the pricked ears and curled tail of a spitz-type dog, but the proportions are different.
The Akita’s head is large and broad. Seen from above it forms a blunt triangle, with no wrinkle, a broad, strong muzzle and relatively small eyes. Its ears are small for the size of the head, thick and triangular, and carried forward in line with the back of the neck. The tail is large and full, set high and carried over the back in a full or double curl.
The Shiba’s head also forms a blunt triangle, with a broad, flat skull and a straight muzzle that tapers gradually. Its ears are small, triangular and pricked, leaning slightly forward. Its thick tail is carried either curled or curved like a sickle, and the standard describes it as moving lightly and quickly.
Coat and colours
Both breeds have a two-layer coat: a harsh outer coat over a soft, dense undercoat.
The Akita’s outer coat is coarse and straight and stands off the body. It’s about 5cm long at the withers and rump, fuller on the tail, with no ruff or feathering. The standard accepts any colour except merle, with or without a mask or blaze, and asks for colours that are brilliant and clear.
The Shiba’s outer coat is hard and straight, with slightly longer hair on the tail. The standard lists four colours: red, red sesame (red with an even overlay of black-tipped guard hairs), black and tan, and white. In the first three, white markings are limited to the cheeks, eye spots, under the jaw, the forechest and the underside of the body, legs and tail. The Royal Kennel Club says these urajiro markings are characteristic of the breed.
Akita or Japanese Akita Inu?
In the UK these are two breeds. The Kennel Club separated the Akita and the Japanese Akita Inu in 2006. The Royal Kennel Club describes the Japanese Akita Inu as the original Akita found in Japan, and says the Akita as we see it today was developed in America, becoming stronger in bone and substance. The two have separate breed standards, with different heights and colours. This page compares the Akita.
Where the two breeds come from
The Royal Kennel Club says the Akita originates in Japan, where it was developed to hunt bear, deer and wild boar. The breed seen today was developed further in America, becoming heavier in bone, and it’s now the largest breed in the Utility group.
The Shiba Inu’s name translates as “small dog”, and it was developed to hunt small game birds. The Royal Kennel Club notes that it bears some resemblance to the Akita Inu in a smaller frame. Three regions of Japan once bred their own type: Mino, Sanin and Shinshu. After the First World War the population was dangerously low, and a survival programme begun in 1928 drew on dogs from all three types. In 1936 the Shiba Inu was declared a National Monument of Japan.
Temperament: what the breed standards say
A breed standard describes the temperament judges look for, not how every dog will behave. We found no UK study comparing the two breeds directly.
The Royal Kennel Club standard describes the Akita as “dignified, courageous, aloof”. It adds that Akitas tend to show dominance over other dogs, a trait the standard doesn’t encourage. PDSA’s Akita guide fills in the picture for owners:
- Akitas can be wary of strangers and of unfamiliar dogs, so PDSA advises socialising them from a young age and keeping it up throughout their lives.
- Their hunting history left a strong prey drive, and PDSA wouldn’t recommend keeping an Akita with smaller pets.
- They’re intelligent and independent. PDSA says that independence is often mistaken for stubbornness, and recommends consistent, positive, reward-based training with clear boundaries.
For the Shiba, the standard lists its characteristics as “lively and friendly”, and describes an active, keen and alert dog. Beyond the standard we found no UK source on Shiba temperament (PDSA has no Shiba guide), so we haven’t said which breed is calmer, quieter or easier to train.
Exercise, grooming and daily care
The Royal Kennel Club’s breed panels put the two breeds far apart on exercise and space:
- Akita: more than 2 hours of exercise a day, a large house and a large garden.
- Japanese Shiba Inu: up to 1 hour a day, a small house and a small to medium garden.
The Royal Kennel Club suggests grooming each breed once a week and lists both as breeds that shed.
PDSA adds some practical points for Akita owners:
- Exercise: at least two hours a day of running and walking. Because Akitas love to chase, PDSA advises letting them off the lead only in secure areas.
- Heat: their thick coats suit cold climates, so Akitas are prone to overheating in very hot weather.
- Coat: the dense coat sheds a lot. Brush at least weekly, and more often in warmer months when shedding increases.
- Time alone: Akitas get very attached to their families, and PDSA says they should never be left alone for more than four hours.
For the Shiba we have only the Royal Kennel Club’s panels to go on. If you’re comparing brushes for either breed, see our guide to brushes for double-coated dogs.
Lifespan and health
Akita vs Shiba Inu: which lives longer?
Dogs Trust’s 2024 study of over half a million UK dogs across 155 breeds gives these medians:
- Japanese Shiba Inu: 14.6 years (95% confidence interval 14.0–15.1; 423 dogs, 91 of them deceased).
- Akita: 11.4 years (95% confidence interval 11.1–11.6; 3,828 dogs, 2,358 deceased).
The two ranges don’t overlap, so the Shiba’s longer median is unlikely to be chance. The Shiba sample is small, though, and its range is wider. The median across all purebred dogs in the study was 12.7 years. The table lists a single “Akita” entry, so we can’t tell whether Japanese Akita Inus are counted within it. The study also can’t say why some breeds live longer than others. You can read the full findings in Dogs Trust’s study of UK breed lifespans, and see how other breeds compare in our guide to dog breeds with the longest lifespans.
Akita health
PDSA lists these health problems that Akitas are prone to:
- hip dysplasia;
- gastric dilatation volvulus (GDV), often called bloat, where the stomach twists;
- skin problems;
- eye problems, including inherited cataracts and multifocal retinal dysplasia, progressive retinal atrophy, glaucoma, and inward- or outward-rolling eyelids (entropion and ectropion);
- VKH-type syndrome, which can affect the eyes and skin and often shows as lost colour around the eyes and nose;
- autoimmune diseases, including sebaceous adenitis (inflamed skin glands) and hypothyroidism.
When to see your vet: PDSA describes GDV (bloat) as an emergency that needs urgent veterinary attention. If you think your Akita’s stomach may be twisting, call your vet straight away.
Before you buy: PDSA recommends buying an Akita puppy from a Royal Kennel Club Assured Breeder. It also advises checking that the parents have been screened, through x-rays under the BVA/Kennel Club Hip Dysplasia Scheme and the BVA/Kennel Club eye testing available for the breed.
Shiba Inu health
We found no UK breed-specific health source for the Japanese Shiba Inu: there’s no RVC VetCompass study of the breed and no PDSA guide. The Royal Kennel Club places it in Breed Watch Category 1, but that only means no points of concern have been flagged for show judges. It isn’t a health rating. For general advice by breed, see our guide to common health problems by breed.
Which breed suits which owner?
There’s no better breed here, only a better fit.
The Akita suits experienced owners with a large house and garden and time for more than two hours of exercise a day. PDSA says its size and strength make it unsuitable for inexperienced owners. PDSA also wouldn’t recommend one in a home with young children, who could be knocked over, or with smaller pets.
The Shiba Inu fits a smaller home and up to an hour of exercise a day, according to the Royal Kennel Club’s panels. We found no UK source that assesses it as a first dog, so treat any claim that it’s “easy” or “hard” with caution and talk to breeders and owners before deciding.
If you’re weighing up other spitz-type dogs, our Malamute vs Husky comparison covers two more, and you can browse all our breed guides.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a Shiba Inu a small Akita?
No. The Akita and the Japanese Shiba Inu are separate breeds with their own Royal Kennel Club standards. The Royal Kennel Club notes that the Shiba bears some resemblance to the Akita Inu in a smaller frame. It was bred to hunt small game birds, while the Akita was developed to hunt bear, deer and wild boar.
Which is bigger, an Akita or a Shiba Inu?
The Akita, by a long way. Its Royal Kennel Club standard gives 66–71cm at the withers for males and 61–66cm for females. The Japanese Shiba Inu standard gives 39.5cm for males and 36.5cm for females, 2cm either way. Neither standard gives a weight.
Which lives longer, an Akita or a Shiba Inu?
The Shiba Inu, on UK data. Dogs Trust’s 2024 study found a median lifespan of 14.6 years for the Japanese Shiba Inu (423 dogs) and 11.4 years for the Akita (3,828 dogs). The ranges don’t overlap, but the Shiba sample is small.
Is the Japanese Akita Inu the same as the Akita?
No. The Kennel Club separated them into two breeds in 2006. The Royal Kennel Club describes the Japanese Akita Inu as the original Akita found in Japan, while the Akita was developed in America to be stronger in bone and substance. Each has its own standard, with different heights and colours.
Are Akitas or Shiba Inus banned in the UK?
No. Neither is on the gov.uk list of banned dog types: the Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino, Fila Brasileiro and XL Bully. The Japanese Tosa is the only Japanese breed on that list. Whether a dog is a banned type depends on what it looks like, not its breed or name.
