Akita vs Shar-Pei – Which one is a better dog breed for you?
"Find similarities and differences between Akita vs Shar-Pei"
Compare Akita and Shar-Pei. Which is better: Akita or Shar-Pei?
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| Name | Akita | Shar-Pei |
|---|---|---|
| Origins |  Japan |  China |
| Group | Working Dogs | Companion Dogs |
| Popularity Rank | 47 | 64 |
| Reviews | 3 | 4 |
| Rate |
| Other Names | Great Japanese Dog, Japanese Akita, American Akita | Chinese Fighting Dog |
|---|---|---|
| Breed Type | Purebred | Purebred |
| AKC Group | Recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1972 as a Working breed. | Recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1992 as a Non-Sporting breed. |
| FCI Group | Recognized by FCI in the Spitz and primitive types group, in the Asian Spitz and related breeds section. | Not recognized by FCI. |
| Breed Recognition |
American Canine Registry American Kennel Club America's Pet Registry Canadian Kennel Club Dog Registry of America Inc. North American Purebred Registry, Inc. American Canine Association, Inc. Continental Kennel Club National Kennel Club |
American Canine Registry American Kennel Club America's Pet Registry Dog Registry of America Inc. Federation Cynologique Internationale Kennel Club of Great Britain North American Purebred Registry, Inc. American Canine Association, Inc. Australian National Kennel Council Continental Kennel Club National Kennel Club New Zealand Kennel Club United Kennel Club |
| Price | $800-$1200 | $1000-$1200 |
General Appearance - Akita vs Shar-Pei
| Size | Large | Medium |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | Male: 75-120 pounds (34-54 kg), Female: 75-110 pounds (34-50 kg) | 40-55 pounds (18- 25 kg) |
| Avg. Weight | Male: 97.5 pounds (44 kg), Female: 92.5 pounds (42 kg) | 47.5 pounds (18- 25 kg) |
| Height | Male: 26-28 inches (66-71 cm), Female: 24-26 inches (61-66 cm) | 18-20 inches (46-51 cm) |
| Avg. Height | Male: 27 inches (68.5 cm), Female: 25 inches (63.5 cm) | 19 inches (48.5 cm) |
Hair & Care - Akita vs Shar-Pei
| Coat |
Fluffy Dense Waterproof Straight | Dense |
|---|---|---|
| Colors |
Red Fawn White Black Brown |
Apricot Blue Cream Red Brown Fawn Black |
| Grooming | Easy to groom: The Akita doesn't require a lot of grooming. | Average: The Shar-Pei requires average grooming effort. |
| Shedding Level | Akitas are heavy shedders. | Shar-Peis shed none to minimal. |
Characteristics - Akita vs Shar-Pei
| Temperament |
Alert Dignified Friendly Responsive Courageous Docile Intelligent Vigilant Independent Faithful Willing Protective |
Affectionate Independent Reserved Devoted Loving Suspicious |
|---|---|---|
| Intelligent Rank | Average: Akita's has average obedience intelligence. | Average: Shar-Pei's has average obedience intelligence. |
| Trainability | Akitas are easy to train. | Shar-Peis are quite easy to train. |
| Playfulness | Akitas, like any other dog breed, like playing. | Shar-Peis, like any other dog breed, like playing. |
| Sensitivity Level | Akitas don't like an irregular daily routine, noisy household and frequent guest visits. | Shar-Peis are less sensitive than other dog breeds. |
| Affection Level | Akitas are genuinely loyal, soft and gentle, loving and affectionate dogs toward their handlers. | Shar-Peis may seem unfriendly sometimes due to their independence. |
| Social Needs | Akitas need for social interaction is average. | Shar-Peis are kinda antisocial. |
| Barking | Low: The Akita barks none to minimal. | Low: The Shar-Pei barks none to minimal. |
| Watchdog Ability | Akitas are one of the best watchdogs. | Shar-Peis are average watchdogs. |
| Territorial | Akitas are extremely protective guard dogs. | Shar-Peis are extremely protective guard dogs. |
| Biting Potential |
Moderate The Akita has an average chance of biting somebody. |
Low The Shar-Pei has a low chance of biting somebody. |
| Mouthiness | Akitas have an average tendency to nip, chew, play-bite, or herd people. | Shar-Peis have a strong tendency to nip, chew, play-bite, or herd people. |
| Impulse to Wander or Roam | Wanderlust potential of the Akita is strong enough to escape from home. | Shar-Peis tend to escape less than other breeds. |
| Prey Drive | Akitas have a higher impulse to chase and catch something than other dog breeds. | Shar-Peis have an average prey drive, which means that they don't have a high impulse to chase and catch something like a cat or any other small aminals, but it might happen. |
| Apartment Friendly | Akitas are very apartment-friendly dogs. | Shar-Peis are apartment-friendly dogs. |
| Adaptability | Akitas adapt very well to lifestyle changes and basically all living environments. | Shar-Peis adapt to lifestyle changes and different living environments quite okay usually. |
| Tolerates Being Left Alone | Just like every puppy, they are prone to panic, cry, bark, whine when they left alone by their owner. | Shar-Peis handle alone time quite well. |
| Fighting Dog |
Yes In history, this breed was unfortunately used for combat dog. |
Yes In history, this breed was unfortunately used for combat dog. |
Good With - Akita vs Shar-Pei
| Stranger Friendly | Akitas are not the most stranger friendly dogs. | Shar-Peis are not stranger friendly dogs. |
|---|---|---|
| Child Friendly | Akitas are kid-friendly dogs. | Shar-Peis are not kid-friendly dogs. |
| Cat Friendly | Akitas are average friendly towards cats. | Shar-Peis are average friendly towards cats. |
| Dog Friendly | Akitas are average friendly towards other dogs. | Shar-Peis are not the most dog-friendly dogs. |
| Office Friendly |
No Akita is not the best dog breed for office environment. |
No Shar-Pei is not the best dog breed for office environment. |
| Senior Citizens Friendly | Akitas are usually recommended for elderly people. | Shar-Peis are not recommended for elderly people. |
| Pet Friendly | Akitas are generally with other pets. | Shar-Peis are generally with other pets. |
| Good For First Time Owners |
No Akitas are not good for novice owners, due to their stubborn personality. |
Yes Shar-Peis are good for novice owners, due to their easy-going personality. |
| Service Dog |
Not really This breed generally not used as a service dog. |
Not really This breed generally not used as a service dog. |
| Therapy Dog |
Not really This breed generally not used as a therapy dog. |
Not really This breed generally not used as a therapy dog. |
| Detection Dog or Sniffer Dog |
Not really A detection dog or sniffer dog is a dog that is trained to use its senses (mostly its smell) to detect substances such as explosives, illegal drugs, wildlife scat, currency, blood, and contraband electronics such as illicit mobile phones. |
Not really A detection dog or sniffer dog is a dog that is trained to use its senses (mostly its smell) to detect substances such as explosives, illegal drugs, wildlife scat, currency, blood, and contraband electronics such as illicit mobile phones. |
| Search and Rescue Dog (SAR) |
Not really The use of dogs in search and rescue (SAR) is a valuable component in wilderness tracking, natural disasters, mass casualty events, and in locating missing people. |
Not really The use of dogs in search and rescue (SAR) is a valuable component in wilderness tracking, natural disasters, mass casualty events, and in locating missing people. |
| Boat Dog |
Not really Akita breed usually doesn't like being on a boat. |
Not really Shar-Pei breed usually doesn't like being on a boat. |
| Cart Pulling or Drafting Dog |
Not really A drafting dog or draft dog is a dog bred and used for cart pulling. |
Yes A drafting dog or draft dog is a dog bred and used for cart pulling. |
Health Factors - Akita vs Shar-Pei
| Health Issues | The Akita is a healthy breed, but there are certain health issues that you should check with your vet regularly. | Very healthy dog breed. |
|---|---|---|
| Health Problems |
Bloat Hip Dysplasia Hypothyroidism Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) Sebaceous Adenitis |
Bloat Cancer Cutaneous Mucinosis Demodectic Mange Elbow Dysplasia Entropion Fever Glaucoma Hip Dysplasia Hypothyroidism Osteochondrosis Dissecans Patellar Luxation Pyoderma Seborrhea |
| Life Expectancy | 10-14 years | 8-10 years |
| Hypoallergenic | No | No |
| Energy Level | Akitas have a higher energy level than other dog breeds. | Shar-Peis have a lower energy level than other dogs. |
| Exercise Need | Akitas need quite a lot of exercise. | Shar-Peis exercise need is minimal. |
| Sleeping Need | Akitas are quite energetic dogs and they don't spend to much time with sleeping. | Shar-Peis like sleeping so they do sleep a lot. |
| Avg. daily food consumption | Recommended daily amount: 3 to 5 cups of high-quality dry food a day. | 2 to 2.5 cups of a high-quality dog food daily, divided into two meals. |
| Weight Gain Potential | Average to High. | Average to High. |
| Weather & Climate |
Prefers cold weather The Akita can adapt well to harsh weather conditions, and also can be a good mountain dog. | Tolerates warm and cold weather. |
| Stinkiness |
Medium The Akita has an average chance of bad smell. |
High The Shar-Pei has a high chance of bad smell. |
| Drooling tendency | The Akita is a big drooler, so if you're disgusted by slobber spots on your clothes, you should choose a dog from another breed. | The Shar-Pei is a big drooler, so if you're disgusted by slobber spots on your clothes, you should choose a dog from another breed. |
Reproducibility - Akita vs Shar-Pei
| Gestation Length | 60-64 days | 60-64 days |
|---|---|---|
| How often can the have a litter? |
Once a year. More frequent breeding is not healthy. |
Once a year. More frequent breeding is not healthy. |
| Litter Size | 3-12 puppies | 4-6 puppies |
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