Are Shiba Inus Good Dogs? What Science Says

Last Updated: Nov 22, 2022

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Introduction to the Temperament of the Shiba Inu

The are many descriptions of the temperament of the Shiba Inu out there. However, most of these descriptions are difficult to verify or prove. They are based on mere speculations.

In this article, we will provide a factual description of the temperament of the Shiba Inu based on solid scientific research. This will give you a better understanding of what you can expect from the Shiba Inu breed.

We obtained our description of the temperament of Shiba Inu by analyzing raw scientific data from The Canine Behavioral Assessment & Research Questionnaire (C-BARQ) database.

The C-BARQ dog temperament standard was developed by researchers from the University of Pennsylvania. It is considered the gold standard for measuring the behavior of dogs.

Over the years, the C-BARQ study has collected data on the temperament of thousands of dogs of different breeds including the Shiba Inu.

The C-BARQ study obtains its data by asking dog owners to score the behavior of their dogs on different behavior patterns.

The idea behind the C-BARQ study is that if it collects thousands of scores from thousands of dog owners on different aspects of dog behavior, a clear pattern will emerge on the temperament of different dog breeds.

The C-BARQ questionnaire measures 14 behavior aspects of dogs:

  1. Aggression towards stranger
  2. Aggression towards its owner
  3. Aggression towards other dogs
  4. How well they get along with other dogs
  5. Fear of strangers
  6. Fear of new things (new objects, unfamiliar loud sounds, etc)
  7. Fear of other dogs
  8. Separation anxiety
  9. Clinginess
  10. Trainability/ Stubbornness
  11. Prey drive
  12. Excitability
  13. Touch sensitivity
  14. Energy level

In this article, we will discuss the score of the Shiba Inu for each of these 14 characteristics. This will let you know the real temperament of the Shiba Inu.

The summary table below shows the score of the Shiba Inu for the different behavioral characteristics.

High percentage scores close to 100 are bad. Low percentage scores close to 0 are good.

Behavior Score
Prey Drive 75.0 percent
Dog Directed Aggression 66.9 percent
Dog Rivalry 60.5 percent
Touch Sensitivity 56.1 percent
Nonsocial Fear 49.6 percent
Stubbornness 47.9 percent
Energy Level 44.4 percent
Stranger Directed Fear 37.5 percent
Dog Directed Fear 36.7 percent
Excitability 29.5 percent
Separation Related Behavior 29.1 percent
Owner Directed Aggression 28.8 percent
Stranger Directed Aggression 27.3 percent
Attachment Attention Seeking 16.6 percent

Note that with proper training, you can better your Shiba Inu`s temperament. To learn how to properly train your Shiba Inu, I highly recommend that you go through Dr. Ian Dunbar`s online dog training classes, which you can find here.

I learned most of the things that I know about training dogs by reading Dr. Dunbar`s books and watching his training videos. Dr. Dunbar`s dog training methods are for people expecting to own a puppy soon, new dog owners, and experienced dog owners.

Another helpful online dog training class that I recommend is this one. The class will teach you how to properly train your Shiba Inu.

See also our complete ranking of dog breeds from the `best` to the `worst` based on temperament.

Are Shiba Inus Aggressive Towards Strangers?

Dog breeds that are aggressive to strangers show hostile responses to strangers approaching or invading the dog`s or the dog owner`s personal space, territory, or home range.

Stranger-aggressive dog breeds are quick to show aggression to unfamiliar people.

Typical signs of moderate aggression in dogs include barking, growling, and baring of teeth. More serious display of aggression generally includes snapping, lunging, biting, or attempting to bite.

Shiba Inus are a little bit aggressive towards strangers.

This is because the Shiba Inu ranks low for aggression towards strangers.

The Shiba Inu ranks number 78 out of 124 dog breeds for aggression towards strangers.

This information is based on what 119 Shiba Inu owners reported on the temperament of their Shiba Inu in a research survey.

Based on our further analysis of the survey, we found that the Shiba Inu has a stranger-directed-aggression score of 27.3 %.

Other dog breeds that are a little bit aggressive towards strangers just like the Shiba Inu are listed in the table below

Stranger-Directed-Aggression Rank Breed Stranger-Directed-Aggression Score
75 Fox Terrier (Smooth) 27.9 %
76 Lagotto Romagnolo 27.7 %
77 Cardigan Welsh Corgi 27.5 %
78 Shiba Inu 27.3 %
79 West Highland White Terrier 27.2 %
80 Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier 27.0 %
81 German Wirehaired Pointer 27.0 %

The dog breeds that are most aggressive towards strangers are the:

  1. American Eskimo Dog
  2. Dachshund
  3. Miniature Pinscher
  4. Dachshund (Miniature)
  5. Miniature Schnauzer

The dog breeds that are least aggressive towards strangers are the:

  1. Siberian Husky
  2. Greyhound
  3. Irish Wolfhound
  4. Samoyed
  5. Black and Tan Coonhound

Usually, small dog breeds display aggression not because they are mean but because they are afraid and feel insecure due to their small size.

See our complete ranking of dog breeds from the most stranger-aggressive breed to the least stranger-aggressive breed.

Temperament of the Shiba Inu

Are Shiba Inus Aggressive Towards their Owners?

Due to human effort over the course of many centuries, the dog has become a very domestic animal. Dogs have learned to live well with humans. As a result, dogs respect and love their owners. Nevertheless, some dog breeds are less respectful to their owners than some other dog breeds.

Owner-aggressive dog breeds show threatening or hostile responses to their owner or other members of the household when challenged, manhandled, stared at, stepped over, or when approached while in possession of food, objects, or toys.

A dog that is owner-aggressive shows its aggression by barking, growling, and baring of teeth. In extreme cases, these dogs can snap, lunge, bite, or attempt to bite their owners.

Shiba Inus are quite a bit aggressive towards their owners.

This is because the Shiba Inu ranks high for aggression towards its owner.

The Shiba Inu ranks number 29 out of 124 dog breeds for aggression towards their owners.

This information is based on what 119 Shiba Inu owners reported on the temperament of their Shiba Inu in a research survey.

Based on our further analysis of the survey, we found that the Shiba Inu has an owner-directed-aggression score of 28.8 %.

Other dog breeds that are quite a bit owner-aggressive just like the Shiba Inu are listed in the table below

Owner-Directed-Aggression Rank Breed Owner-Directed-Aggression Score
26 English Bulldog 31.9 %
27 Yorkshire Terrier 30.3 %
28 Old English Sheepdog 30.2 %
29 Shiba Inu 28.8 %
30 Cocker Spaniel (American) 28.2 %
31 Chesapeake Bay Retriever 28.2 %
32 Dachshund (Miniature) 27.5 %

The dog breeds that show the most aggression towards their owners are the:

  1. Pekingese
  2. Basenji
  3. Australian Silky Terrier
  4. Lhasa Apso
  5. Alaskan Husky

The dog breeds that are least aggressive towards their owners are the:

  1. Chinook
  2. Pointer
  3. Irish Water Spaniel
  4. Rhodesian Ridgeback
  5. Italian Greyhound

Usually, small dog breeds display aggression not because they are mean but because they are afraid and feel insecure due to their small size.

See our complete ranking of dog breeds from the ones that are most aggressive to their owners to the ones that are least aggressive to their owners.

Are Shiba Inus Aggressive Towards other Dogs?

Dogs that are aggressive towards other dogs will direct aggressive threats or actions toward unknown or unfamiliar dogs.

A dog-aggressive dog will threaten or show hostile responses when approached by unfamiliar dogs

A dog that is dog-aggressive shows its aggression by barking, growling, and baring of teeth. In extreme cases, these dogs can snap, lunge, bite, or attempt to bite other dogs.

Shiba Inus are quite a bit aggressive towards other dogs.

This is because the Shiba Inu ranks high for aggression towards other dogs.

The Shiba Inu ranks number 25 out of 124 dog breeds for aggression towards other dogs.

This information is based on what 119 Shiba Inu owners reported on the temperament of their Shiba Inu in a research survey.

Based on our further analysis of the survey, we found that the Shiba Inu has a dog-directed aggression score of 66.9 %.

Other dog breeds that are quite a bit dog-aggressive just like the Shiba Inu are listed in the table below

Dog-Directed-Aggression Rank Breed Dog-Directed-Aggression Score
22 Rat Terrier 68.0 %
23 Treeing Walker Coonhound 67.9 %
24 Australian Cattle Dog 67.1 %
25 Shiba Inu 66.9 %
26 Belgian Malinois 66.8 %
27 Basenji 66.6 %
28 American Pit Bull Terrier 66.5 %

The dog breeds that show the most aggression towards other dogs are the:

  1. American Eskimo Dog
  2. Parson Russell Terrier
  3. Chinese Crested
  4. Pit Bull mix
  5. Dachshund

The dog breeds that are least aggressive towards other dogs are the:

  1. Pointer
  2. Black and Tan Coonhound
  3. Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
  4. Irish Wolfhound
  5. Keeshond

Usually, small dog breeds display aggression not because they are mean but because they are afraid and feel insecure due to their small size.

See our complete ranking of dog breeds from the ones that are most aggressive to other dogs to the ones that are least aggressive to other dogs.

Personality of the Shiba Inu

Are Shiba Inus Afraid of Strangers?

Some dogs breeds tend to be fearful of strangers.

Dogs that are fearful of strangers will avoid strangers. These dogs will crouch, cringe, or tremble when approached by strangers.

Extreme fear in dogs is characterized by serious attempts to escape or hide from the feared stranger.

Shiba Inus are quite a bit fearful of strangers.

This is because the Shiba Inu ranks high for fear of strangers.

The Shiba Inu ranks number 37 out of 124 dog breeds for fear of strangers.

This information is based on what 119 Shiba Inu owners reported on the temperament of their Shiba Inu in a research survey.

Based on our further analysis of the survey, we found that the Shiba Inu has a stranger-directed-fear score of 37.5 %.

Other dog breeds that are quite a bit stranger-fearful just like the Shiba Inu are listed in the table below

Stranger-Directed-Fear Rank Breed Stranger-Directed-Fear Score
34 Fox Terrier (Wire/Wire-haired) 37.9 %
35 Poodle (Toy) 37.7 %
36 Miniature Schnauzer 37.6 %
37 Shiba Inu 37.5 %
38 Belgian Tervuren 37.4 %
39 Australian Cattle Dog 36.7 %
40 Pomeranian 35.9 %

The dog breeds that show the most fear of strangers are the:

  1. Dachshund (Miniature)
  2. Chinese Crested
  3. American Eskimo Dog
  4. Italian Greyhound
  5. Chihuahua

The dog breeds that are least fearful of strangers are the:

  1. Old English Sheepdog
  2. Irish Wolfhound
  3. Norwegian Elkhound
  4. Siberian Husky
  5. Giant Schnauzer

See our complete ranking of dog breeds from the ones that are most fearful of strangers to the ones that are least fearful to strangers.

Are Shiba Inus Afraid of Other Dogs?

Some dogs breeds tend to show fear when an unfamiliar dog approaches them.

A dog that is fearful of other dogs will try to avoid meeting other dogs.

Shiba Inus are somewhat fearful of other dogs.

This is because the Shiba Inu ranks average for fear of other dogs.

The Shiba Inu ranks number 64 out of 124 dog breeds for fear of other dogs.

This information is based on what 119 Shiba Inu owners reported on the temperament of their Shiba Inu in a research survey.

Based on our further analysis of the survey, we found that the Shiba Inu has a dog-directed-fear score of 36.7 %.

Other dog breeds that are somewhat other-dog-fearful just like the Shiba Inu are listed in the table below

Dog-Directed-Fear Rank Breed Dog-Directed-Fear Score
61 Belgian Malinois 38.6 %
62 German Shepherd 37.2 %
63 Alaskan Husky 37.1 %
64 Shiba Inu 36.7 %
65 English Setter 36.0 %
66 Fox Terrier (Wire/Wire-haired) 35.7 %
67 Greyhound 34.9 %

The dog breeds that are most fearful of other dogs are the:

  1. Dachshund (Miniature)
  2. Fox Terrier (Toy)
  3. Chinese Crested
  4. Chihuahua
  5. Lhasa Apso

The dog breeds that are least fearful of other dogs are the:

  1. Giant Schnauzer
  2. Ibizan Hound
  3. Eurasier
  4. Kuvasz
  5. Borzoi

See our complete ranking of dog breeds from the ones that are most fearful of other dogs to the ones that are least fearful of other dogs.

Is the Shiba Inu a good pet

Do Shiba Inus Have Non-Social Fears?

Dogs that are fearful of sudden or loud noises, traffic, and unfamiliar objects and situations are said to exhibit nonsocial fear.

Shiba Inus are very much fearful of unfamiliar sounds, situations, and objects.

This is because the Shiba Inu ranks very high for non-social fear.

The Shiba Inu ranks number 24 out of 124 dog breeds for being fearful of unfamiliar things and situations.

This information is based on what 119 Shiba Inu owners reported on the temperament of their Shiba Inu in a research survey.

Based on our further analysis of the survey, we found that the Shiba Inu has a nonsocial-fear score of 49.6 %.

Other dog breeds that are very much nonsocial-fearful just like the Shiba Inu are listed in the table below

Nonsocial-Fear Rank Breed Nonsocial-Fear Score
21 Miniature Pinscher 50.5 %
22 Alaskan Husky 50.3 %
23 Bearded Collie 50.0 %
24 Shiba Inu 49.6 %
25 Dachshund (Miniature) 49.0 %
26 Beagle 48.8 %
27 American Eskimo Dog 48.6 %

The dog breeds that are most fearful of unfamiliar situations and objects are the:

  1. Australian Silky Terrier
  2. Dingo
  3. Fox Terrier (Smooth)
  4. English Bulldog
  5. Italian Greyhound

The dog breeds that are least fearful of unfamiliar situations and objects are the:

  1. Giant Schnauzer
  2. Siberian Husky
  3. Irish Setter
  4. Kuvasz
  5. Borzoi

See our complete ranking of dog breeds from the ones that are most fearful of unfamiliar situations to the ones least fearful of unfamiliar situations.

Do Shiba Inus Get Along Well With Other Dogs?

Some dog breeds display high dog rivalry. These dog breeds will threaten or act hostile to other familiar dogs in the same household.

These dog breeds will compete with other dogs. Also, these dog breeds do not get along well with other dogs.

Shiba Inus are very much competitive when dealing with other dogs.

This is because the Shiba Inu ranks very high on dog rivalry.

The Shiba Inu ranks number 20 out of 124 dog breeds for displaying dog rivalry when dealing with familiar dogs.

This information is based on what 119 Shiba Inu owners reported on the temperament of their Shiba Inu in a research survey.

Based on our further analysis of the survey, we found that the Shiba Inu has a dog-rivalry score of 60.5 %.

Other dog breeds that are very much competition-driven just like the Shiba Inu are listed in the table below

Dog-Rivalry Rank Breed Dog-Rivalry Score
17 Chihuahua 62.7 %
18 Jack Russell Terrier 61.7 %
19 Chesapeake Bay Retriever 61.3 %
20 Shiba Inu 60.5 %
21 Chinese Shar-Pei 59.9 %
22 Pit Bull mix 59.7 %
23 Alaskan Husky 58.6 %

The dog breeds that do not get along well with other dogs are the:

  1. Miniature Pinscher
  2. Parson Russell Terrier
  3. Fox Terrier (Smooth)
  4. French Bulldog
  5. Treeing Walker Coonhound

The dog breeds that get along well with other dogs are the:

  1. Chinook
  2. Saint Bernard
  3. Norwegian Elkhound
  4. Italian Greyhound
  5. Scottish Terrier

See our complete ranking of dog breeds based on how well they get along with other dog breeds.

The Shiba Inu. Is it aggressive?

Are Shiba Inus Easy to Train?

Dogs have high trainability have the willingness to listen to their owner. These dogs are not stubborn. These dogs obey simple commands, and they learn very quickly.

Highly trainable dogs excel at fetching objects. They also respond positively to correction and ignore distraction.

Shiba Inus are not easy to train.

This is because the Shiba Inu ranks very low for trainability.

The Shiba Inu ranks number 99 out of 124 dog breeds for easiness to train.

This information is based on what 119 Shiba Inu owners reported on the trainability of their Shiba Inu in a research survey.

Based on our further analysis of the survey, we found that the Shiba Inu has a trainability score of 52.1 %.

Other dog breeds that are not easy to train just like the Shiba Inu are listed in the table below

Trainability Rank Breed Trainability Score
96 Bichon Frise 54.0 %
97 Old English Sheepdog 52.5 %
98 American Eskimo Dog 52.3 %
99 Shiba Inu 52.1 %
100 Great Pyrenees 50.2 %
101 Fox Terrier (Smooth) 50.0 %
102 Black and Tan Coonhound 48.6 %

The dog breeds that are most easy to train are the:

  1. Belgian Tervuren
  2. Belgian Malinois
  3. Border Collie
  4. Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever
  5. Irish Water Spaniel

The dog breeds that are difficult to train are the:

  1. Dingo
  2. Treeing Walker Coonhound
  3. Basenji
  4. Afghan Hound
  5. Pekingese

See our complete ranking of dog breeds from the ones that are easiest to train to the ones that are most difficult to train.

Do Shiba Inus Get Along Well with Cats? Do They Get Along Well with Other Pets?

Dog breeds that have high chase-drive will run after (chase) cats, birds, and/or other small animals, given the opportunity.

Shiba Inus are very much into chasing after other smaller pets like cats, squirrels, chickens, and birds.

This is because the Shiba Inu ranks very high for small-pet-chasing.

The Shiba Inu ranks number 14 out of 124 dog breeds for chasing after smaller pets.

This information is based on what 119 Shiba Inu owners reported on the temperament of their Shiba Inu in a research survey.

Based on our further analysis of the survey, we found that the Shiba Inu has a chasing score of 75.0 %.

Other dog breeds that are very much into chasing after smaller pets just like the Shiba Inu are listed in the table below

Chasing Rank Breed Chasing Score
11 Cairn Terrier 76.2 %
12 Pit Bull mix 75.8 %
13 Afghan Hound 75.1 %
14 Shiba Inu 75.0 %
15 Fox Terrier (Wire/Wire-haired) 74.4 %
16 Airedale Terrier 74.2 %
17 Brittany 73.2 %

The dog breeds that like chasing after cats and other smaller pets are the:

  1. Basenji
  2. Dingo
  3. Ibizan Hound
  4. Parson Russell Terrier
  5. Borzoi

The dog breeds that will not chase after cats and other smaller pets are the:

  1. Pug
  2. Bulldog
  3. Shih Tzu
  4. Bernese Mountain Dog
  5. Great Pyrenees

See our complete ranking of dog breeds based on their prey drive.

Things to know before getting the Shiba Inu

Do Shiba Inus Like Attention? Are they Clingy or Aloof?

Some dog breeds like to stay close to their owners all the time. These dogs like attention, and they like to receive the affection of their owners.

These dogs get jealous when their owners give attention to other dogs or other people instead of them.

Dogs with these traits are described as attachment/attention-seeking.

Shiba Inus are not attachment/attention-seeking.

This is because the Shiba Inu ranks very low for attachment/attention-seeking behavior.

The Shiba Inu ranks number 118 out of 124 dog breeds for attachment/attention-seeking behavior.

This information is based on what 119 Shiba Inu owners reported on the temperament of their Shiba Inu in a research survey.

Based on our further analysis of the survey, we found that the Shiba Inu has an attachment/attention-seeking score of 16.6 %.

Other dog breeds that are not attachment/attention-seeking just like the Shiba Inu are listed in the table below

Attachment-Attention-Seeking Rank Breed Attachment-Attention-Seeking Score
115 Greyhound 19.8 %
116 Afghan Hound 18.4 %
117 Siberian Husky 17.9 %
118 Shiba Inu 16.6 %
119 Scottish Terrier 15.5 %
120 Chow Chow 12.0 %
121 English Setter 11.1 %

The dog breeds that are always seeking the attention of their owners are the:

  1. Poodle (Toy)
  2. Fox Terrier (Toy)
  3. Australian Silky Terrier
  4. Australian Cattle Dog
  5. American Eskimo Dog

The dog breeds that are aloof are the:

  1. Norwegian Elkhound
  2. Borzoi
  3. Kuvasz
  4. English Setter
  5. Chow Chow

See our complete ranking of dog breeds based on their clinginess.

Do Shiba Inus have Separation Anxiety? Do They Like to be Left Alone?

Dog breeds that have separation anxiety do not like to be left alone.

These dog breeds tend to bark and destroy things when separated from their owners.

They become restless or lose their appetite when left alone.

Shiba Inus are a little bit prone to developing separation anxiety.

This is because the Shiba Inu ranks low for separation anxiety relative to other dog breeds.

The Shiba Inu ranks number 84 out of 124 dog breeds for separation anxiety.

This information is based on what 119 Shiba Inu owners reported on the temperament of their Shiba Inu in a research survey.

Based on our further analysis of the survey, we found that the Shiba Inu has a separation anxiety score of 29.1 %.

Other dog breeds that are a little bit prone to develop separation anxiety just like the Shiba Inu are listed in the table below

Separation-Related-Behavior Rank Breed Separation-Related-Behavior Score
81 Poodle (Standard) 30.0 %
82 Newfoundland 29.8 %
83 Doberman Pinscher 29.4 %
84 Shiba Inu 29.1 %
85 Shetland Sheepdog 29.0 %
86 Mastiff (English) 28.6 %
87 Siberian Husky 28.5 %

The dog breeds that are most prone to develop separation anxiety are listed below. These dog breeds do not like to be left alone. These dog breeds are the:

  1. Treeing Walker Coonhound
  2. Fox Terrier (Smooth)
  3. Chinese Crested
  4. Miniature Pinscher
  5. Australian Silky Terrier

The dog breeds that are least prone to develop separation anxiety are the:

  1. Kuvasz
  2. Borzoi
  3. Giant Schnauzer
  4. Eurasier
  5. Bernese Mountain Dog

See our complete ranking of dog breeds based on their tendency to develop separation anxiety.

Temperament Profile of the Shiba Inu

Are Shiba Inus Touch Sensitive? Do They Like to be Groomed?

Dogs that are touch-sensitive are fearful of `painful` procedures such as bathing, grooming, nail clipping, and veterinary examinations.

These dogs do not like going through these `painful` procedures, and they will react to show they do not like the procedure.

Shiba Inus are very much touch-sensitive.

This is because the Shiba Inu ranks very high for touch sensitivity.

The Shiba Inu ranks number 8 out of 124 dog breeds for touch sensitivity.

This information is based on what 119 Shiba Inu owners reported on the temperament of their Shiba Inu in a research survey.

Based on our further analysis of the survey, we found that the Shiba Inu has a touch-sensitivity score of 56.1 %.

Other dog breeds that are very much touch-sensitive just like the Shiba Inu are listed in the table below

Touch-Sensitivity Rank Breed Touch-Sensitivity Score
5 Chihuahua 67.5 %
6 Fox Terrier (Smooth) 64.8 %
7 Chinese Shar-Pei 61.7 %
8 Shiba Inu 56.1 %
9 Pit Bull mix 53.3 %
10 Maltese 50.2 %
11 Afghan Hound 50.2 %

The dog breeds that are most touch-sensitive are the:

  1. Fox Terrier (Toy)
  2. Miniature Pinscher
  3. Pekingese
  4. Australian Silky Terrier
  5. Chihuahua

The dog breeds that are least touch-sensitive are the:

  1. Kuvasz
  2. Borzoi
  3. Pointer
  4. Gordon Setter
  5. Portuguese Water Dog

See our complete ranking of dog breeds based on their sensitivity to touch.

Are Shiba Inus Hyper? Are they Highly Excitable?

Excitable dog or hyper dog breeds display strong reactions to potentially exciting or arousing events, such as:

  • going for walks
  • car trips
  • sound of the doorbell
  • arrival of visitors, and
  • the owner arriving home

Highly excitable dog breeds have difficulty settling down after arousal.

Shiba Inus are not hyper (excitable).

This is because the Shiba Inu ranks very low for excitability.

The Shiba Inu ranks number 102 out of 124 dog breeds for excitability.

This information is based on what 119 Shiba Inu owners reported on the temperament of their Shiba Inu in a research survey.

Based on our further analysis of the survey, we found that the Shiba Inu has an excitability score of 29.5 %.

Other dog breeds that are not excitable just like the Shiba Inu are listed in the table below

Excitability Rank Breed Excitability Score
99 Alaskan Husky 32.0 %
100 Chow Chow 31.4 %
101 Basenji 31.3 %
102 Shiba Inu 29.5 %
103 Bull Terrier 29.1 %
104 Mastiff (English) 28.9 %
105 Akita 27.8 %

The dog breeds that are most hyper (excitable) are the:

  1. Australian Silky Terrier
  2. Fox Terrier (Smooth)
  3. American Eskimo Dog
  4. Parson Russell Terrier
  5. Miniature Schnauzer

The dog breeds that are least hyper (excitable) are the:

  1. Borzoi
  2. Samoyed
  3. Great Pyrenees
  4. Italian Greyhound
  5. Anatolian Shepherd

See our complete ranking of dog breeds based on how hyper they are.

The Shiba Inu

Are Shiba Inus Playful? What is the Energy Level of Shiba Inus

Energetic dog breeds are very playful dog breeds. These are the dog breeds that do not get tired easily.

Shiba Inus are a little bit energetic.

This is because the Shiba Inu ranks low for energy level.

The Shiba Inu ranks number 91 out of 124 dog breeds for energy level.

This information is based on what 119 Shiba Inu owners reported on the temperament of their Shiba Inu in a research survey.

Based on our further analysis of the survey, we found that the Shiba Inu has an energy-level score of 44.4 %.

Other dog breeds that are a little bit energetic just like the Shiba Inu are listed in the table below

Energy-Level Rank Breed Energy-Level Score
88 Pug 46.5 %
89 Beagle 45.5 %
90 Norwegian Elkhound 44.6 %
91 Shiba Inu 44.4 %
92 Bearded Collie 42.6 %
93 Treeing Walker Coonhound 42.4 %
94 Bernese Mountain Dog 42.1 %

The dog breeds that are most playful and most energetic are the:

  1. Belgian Malinois
  2. Belgian Tervuren
  3. Fox Terrier (Toy)
  4. German Shorthaired Pointer
  5. Ibizan Hound

The dog breeds that are laziest are the:

  1. Kuvasz
  2. Anatolian Shepherd
  3. Greyhound
  4. Great Pyrenees
  5. Pekingese

See our complete ranking of dog breeds from the most energetic to the least energetic.

Conclusion on Shiba Inu Temperament

The temperament of your Shiba Inu comes from a combination of its genetics and what environment your Shiba Inu is exposed to.

You cannot change your Shiba Inu`s gene but you can change the things you expose your Shiba Inu to.

Exposing your Shiba Inu to dog training sessions early in its life can help you mold the temperament of your Shiba Inu to what you desire.

Again, with proper training, you can better your Shiba Inu`s temperament. To learn how to properly train a dog, I highly recommend Dr. Ian Dunbar`s online dog training classes, which you can find here.

I learned most of the things I know about training dogs by reading Dr. Dunbar`s books and watching his training videos. Dr. Dunbar`s dog training methods are for people expecting to own a puppy soon, new dog owners, and experienced dog owners.

Another helpful online dog training class that I recommend is this one. The class will teach you how to properly train your Shiba Inu.

If you think the Shiba Inu is the right dog breed for you, see our article on how much Shiba Inus cost and Shiba Inu puppy buying guide.

Also, see our list of reputable Shiba Inu breeders in the United States and the prices of their Shiba Inu puppies.