Quick Links: Table of Contents
- Shih Tzu Breed Overview
- History of the Shih Tzu Breed. Where Shih Tzus came from
- What the Shih Tzu Looks Like
- How Much is the Shih Tzu Puppy?
- Best Shih Tzu Breeders
- Adopting or Rescuing the Shih Tzu
- Shih Tzu Growth
- What Colors do Shih Tzus Have?
- The Temperament of the Shih Tzu
- How Long Shih Tzus Live
- Shih Tzu Litter Size
- How Fast Shih Tzus Can Run
- Good Names for Shih Tzus
- How Intelligent are Shih Tzus?
- How Popular are Shih Tzus with New Dog Owners?
- Health Problems in Shih Tzus and How to Prevent Them
- How to Take Care of Shih Tzu
- Dog Breeds That Are Similar to Shih Tzus
- Other Things to Know About Shih Tzus
Shih Tzu Breed Overview
The Shih Tzu is a tiny-sized dog.
The adult Shih Tzu stands 9 to 10 inches tall at the shoulder.
The Shih Tzu belongs to the Companion Dogs group.
Dogs in the Companion Dogs group, like the Shih Tzu, were bred to be companions for humans. Their main goal in life is to be with people, and they will be very sad if left to themselves for long hours day after day.
The fact that the Shih Tzu belongs to the Companion Dogs group is one of the reasons why Shih Tzus have the personality and temperament that they have.
The temperament of the Shih Tzu is generally described as:
- Clever
- Friendly
- Intelligent
- Lively
- Outgoing
- Playful
History of the Shih Tzu Breed. Where Shih Tzus came from
The Shih Tzu is a breed of dog that originated in China.
Its name means “lion dog” in Chinese, and it is also known as the Tibetan Shih Tzu and the Chinese Shih Tzu.
The Shih Tzu is a small breed with a long coat that can be either straight or curly.
The breed`s origins are somewhat shrouded in mystery, but it is thought that the Shih Tzu was developed by crossing the Lhasa Apso and the Pekingese.
The Shih Tzu first arrived in the West in 1930, when it was given as a gift to Queen Elizabeth II of England.
Today, the Shih Tzu is a popular companion dog all over the world.
Thanks to its friendly temperament and easy-going nature, the Shih Tzu make a great pet for families with children.
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What the Shih Tzu Looks Like
Shih Tzus are a small breed of dog that originates from China.
They typically have a short muzzle and large round eyes, and their bodies are covered in long, silky fur.
Shih Tzus come in a variety of colors, including black, white, brown, and gray.
They are considered to be intelligent and loyal dogs, and they make excellent companion animals.
Shih Tzus require regular grooming to maintain their long coats, and they should also be brushed daily to prevent matting.
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How Much is the Shih Tzu Puppy?
The average price of a Shih Tzu puppy is $1820. The price of a Shih Tzu puppy ranges from $1200 to $2300.
A lot of factors determine the price of the Shih Tzu. These factors include what health records the Shih Tzu puppy has, the lineage of the Shih Tzu puppy, the US state the breeder is located in, etc.
To estimate how much you can expect to pay for a puppy Shih Tzu based on the many factors that determine the price of the Shih Tzu puppy, check out our calculator that lets you estimate how much you should expect to pay for the Shih Tzu puppy based on what you want in the puppy.
When looking to buy a puppy, look at buying a puppy only from well-established breeders that breed puppies primarily for the love of the Shih Tzu breed, and secondarily for profit. Do not buy a puppy from a puppy mill. Puppy mills mass-produce puppies in bad living conditions for maximum profit.
You may also consider adopting instead of buying a puppy. Adoption costs are very low compared to the price of a puppy.
Best Shih Tzu Breeders
We have researched reputable Shih Tzu breeders that you can buy a puppy.
Go to this page for our complete list of reputable Shih Tzu breeders in various states in the United States.
On this page, you will see how much these breeders sell their puppies for, and how many puppies they have available.
A few of these breeders are listed below.
Preferred Kennels
Puppy Price: Check with breeder
Barbara Glover
Puppy Price: $BLACK-$1,500.00
Got The Giggles Shih Tzu
Puppy Price: Check with breeder
N-Finiti Shih Tzu
Puppy Price: Check with breeder
The Ohana Paws
Puppy Price: $1800-$2400
Adopting or Rescuing the Shih Tzu
You may consider adopting a dog instead of buying a puppy. Many dogs, Shih Tzus included, are currently available for adoption in your local dog shelters.
These helpless but adorable dogs are waiting in dog shelters hoping that someday someone will rescue them. Dog adoption costs are lesser than the cost of a new puppy. Dog adoption costs are usually around $300 or even less.
In addition to your local dog shelter, another good place to find dogs that are available for adoption is petfinder.com.
Below is an adorable Male Shih Tzu named Polo that is currently available for adoption on Petfinder.com. You can find other lovely Shih Tzus like Polo on pefinder.com.
Doug is the name of another Shih Tzu (Male) on petfinder.com that is looking for a new forever home.
You can find more Shih Tzus that are available for adoption on petfinder.
Shih Tzu Growth
New Shih Tzu owners need to know about the growth of their Shih Tzus. This will help them plan their living spaces accordingly.
Also, knowing the typical growth pattern of the Shih Tzu will help new owners catch the abnormal growth of their Shih Tzu early.
See our calculator for predicting how big your Shih Tzu puppy will get. You will also learn about the typical weight of the Shih Tzu at different ages and how to catch abnormal growth in your Shih Tzu
What Colors do Shih Tzus Have?
Shih Tzus come in the following beautiful primary colors:
- Apricot / Beige
- Black
- Yellow / Tan / Blond / Fawn
- Golden
- White / Cream
- Bicolor
- Gray / Blue / Silver
- Sable
- Tricolor (Brown, Black, & White)
- Brown / Chocolate
- Red / Chestnut / Orange
Shih Tzus come in the following lovely secondary colors in addition to their primary colors:
- Brindle
- White / Cream
- Gray / Blue / Silver
- Golden
- Yellow / Tan / Blond / Fawn
- Black
- Apricot / Beige
- Brown / Chocolate
- Red / Chestnut / Orange
- Sable
The Temperament of the Shih Tzu
The temperament of the Shih Tzu based can be summarized as in the table below.
The table shows the scores of the Shih Tzu for 13 important dog behavioral factors.
We obtained these scores by analyzing raw data from the C-BARQ dog personality survey tool. The higher the score of a dog for a factor, the worse the temperament of the dog regarding that factor.
The C-BARQ tool was developed by researchers from the University of Pennsylvania, and it is a scientific tool that is used worldwide for reliably measuring the temperament of dog breeds.
See our complete analysis of the temperament of the Shih Tzu here.
| Factor | Score |
|---|---|
| Dog Directed Fear | 60.0 percent |
| Attachment Attention Seeking | 54.5 percent |
| Energy Level | 48.3 percent |
| Separation Related Behavior | 47.5 percent |
| Nonsocial Fear | 46.0 percent |
| Stubbornness | 45.4 percent |
| Touch Sensitivity | 40.8 percent |
| Dog Rivalry | 36.4 percent |
| Excitability | 34.2 percent |
| Owner Directed Aggression | 32.4 percent |
| Dog Directed Aggression | 28.9 percent |
| Stranger Directed Fear | 27.9 percent |
| Stranger Directed Aggression | 23.6 percent |
| Prey Drive | 10.7 percent |
How Long Shih Tzus Live
The lifespan of the Shih Tzu is typically from 10 to 16 years.
Moreover, a few years back, veterinarian researchers performed a scientific study to determine the lifespan of the Shih Tzu. In this study, the scientists collected data on how long 83 pet Shih Tzus lived.
From the study, it was found that Shih Tzus have an average lifespan of 13.1 years. Furthermore, the study found that it is not uncommon for Shih Tzus to live as long as 19.3 years.
Note that you need to put in some effort if you want your Shih Tzu to live long.
Shih Tzus live long if they eat well, drink well, exercise well, and visit the veterinarian regularly.
There are also dog supplements that you can give your Shih Tzu to improve your Shih Tzu`s quality of their life.
Click here to learn more about how to make your Shih Tzu live long.
Shih Tzu Litter Size
Researchers from the Norwegian School of Veterinary Science did a study where they counted the numbers of puppies in 95 different Shih Tzu birth litters.
From this study, the researchers found that the average number of puppies that Shih Tzus can have is 4 puppies. Also, the Shih Tzu can have as few as 1 puppies per litter and as many as 9 puppies per litter.
The number of puppies that the Shih Tzu will have depends on factors such as the age of the Shih Tzu, the method of pregnancy, etc.
Click here to see our calculator for predicting how many puppies your Shih Tzu will have and how the litter size of the Shih Tzu compares to the litter size of other dog breeds.
How Fast Shih Tzus Can Run
How fast a dog breed can run is a good measure of how athletic the dog breed is.
The American Kennel Club (AKC) regularly conducts dog running competitions. The AKC records the running speed of competing dogs in these competitions. These competitions are open to all dog breeds.
Based on our analysis of the speeds of 19 different Shih Tzus, the average speed of the Shih Tzu is 15.1 mph (24.2 kmph).
The fastest speed on AKC record that the Shih Tzu ran in a race is 21.25 mph (34.2 kmph) and the minimum speed on record in a race for a Shih Tzu is 8.92 mph (14.4 kmph).
Click here to see how the speed of the Shih Tzu compares to the speed of other dogs and other mammals such as cats, horses, humans, etc.
Good Names for Shih Tzus
Here are some really good names that are typical for the Shih Tzu ranked by popularity:
- Chewy
- Gizmo
- Buddy
- Max
- Teddy
- Bear
- Diego
- Charlie
- Milo
- Bentley
How Intelligent are Shih Tzus?
| Shih Tzu | |
|---|---|
| Intelligence Rank | 70 out of 130 dog breeds |
| Trainability | Tend To Learn New Commands After 80 To 100 Repetitions Or More! |
According to Prof. Stanley Coren, a Canadian psychology professor/dog trainer, the total intelligence that a dog demonstrates is the addition of three types of intelligence. These intelligence types are:
- Instinctive Intelligence: This is the natural intelligence that comes from instinct. For example, dog breeds that have been historically bred to be guard dogs will have a high `guarding` intelligence compared to dogs that were not bred for guarding.
- Adaptive Intelligence (learning and problem-solving ability): This indicates what a dog can learn to do for himself or herself. Adaptive intelligence is specific to each dog, and not breed specific. You can improve your dog`s adaptive intelligence by investing time to train your dog.
- Working/Obedience Intelligence: This type of intelligence is breed-specific. Certain dog breeds tend to have higher working/obedience intelligence than some other breeds. This intelligence is the closest to what we might call school-learning ability and it is based upon what the dog can learn to do when instructed by humans. This type of intelligence can be measured for each dog breed and compared to that of other dog breeds.
Professor Stanley Coren measured and ranked the working intelligence of about 130 different dog breeds.
Prof. Coren found that the Shih Tzu has an obedience intelligence rank of 70 out of 130 dog breeds. Thus, Prof. Coren put Shih Tzus in the `Lowest Degree of Working/Obedience Intelligence Dogs` category.
This means that Shih Tzus tend to learn new commands after 80 to 100 repetitions or more!.
However, we should mention that a dog should not be judged based on its intelligence alone. There are other important factors you need to consider when deciding on which dog breed to get. These other factors include sociability, adorability, and compatibility of the dog breed with your lifestyle.
See the intelligence ranking of some other dog breeds below:
| Breed | Intelligence Rank |
|---|---|
| Doberman Pinscher | 5 |
| Papillon | 8 |
| Australian Cattle Dog | 10 |
| Pembroke Welsh Corgi | 11 |
| Miniature Schnauzer | 12 |
| German Shorthaired Pointer | 17 |
| English Cocker Spaniel | 18 |
| Belgian Malinois | 22 |
| Cardigan Welsh Corgi | 26 |
| Giant Schnauzer | 28 |
| Manchester Terrier | 32 |
| Cairn Terrier | 35 |
| Scottish Deerhound | 47 |
| Boxer | 48 |
| Ibizan Hound | 53 |
| Akita | 54 |
| Skye Terrier | 55 |
| Chinese Crested | 61 |
| Basset Hound | 71 |
| Basenji | 78 |
How Popular are Shih Tzus with New Dog Owners?
Every year, the American Kennel Club (AKC) publishes information on how popular a dog breed is in that particular year. The AKC gets the popularity information of a breed from how many dogs of that breed the owners register with the AKC every year. The AKC collects this data for about 200 dog breeds.
The graph below shows the popularity trend of the Shih Tzu.
The popularity of the Shih Tzu averaged over the years is Number 19 out of about 200 dog breeds.
Do not get a dog breed just because it is a popular dog breed. And do not reject a dog breed just because it is an unpopular breed.
Health Problems in Shih Tzus and How to Prevent Them
Every dog breed has its own set of health problems that it tends to develop. There is nothing like a perfect dog breed.
The Shih Tzu is prone to certain genetic health conditions. The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) is an organization that keeps track of genetic health problems in dog breeds.
From the extensive records that the OFA keeps, the OFA knows what health problems each dog breed is naturally prone to develop.
Hence, the OFA recommends which health screening breeders should perform on a dog breed to make sure that the breeders won`t breed `defective` dog parents that can pass down defective genes to their puppy offspring.
If you want a Shih Tzu puppy that will grow up to be healthy, make sure that your Shih Tzu breeder screens your puppy or your puppy`s parents for the health problems that the OFA recommends for your puppy`s breed. This will increase the chances that your puppy is free from genetic defects.
The following are the health tests that Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) recommends that breeders should screen Shih Tzus for:
You can find out more about OFA`s recommended tests for Shih Tzus here.
How to Take Care of Shih Tzu
To take good care of your Shih Tzu, you need to make sure that you groom your Shih Tzu regularly.
Secondly, you need to find a veterinarian in your area that will routinely check the health status of your Shih Tzu regularly, and give you appropriate recommendations on your Shih Tzu`s preventative care.
Thirdly, you need to commit some time to exercise your Shih Tzu daily. Regular exercise helps improve the health and quality of life of your Shih Tzu.
Also, you need to feed your Shih Tzu high-quality dog food, and the food should be of the right amount to prevent your Shih Tzu from getting overweight or underweight.
See our recommendations on what to feed the Shih Tzu and how much food to feed the Shih Tzu at different life stages.
Finally, you need to make sure that your Shih Tzu has access to clean water all the time. See our recommendations on how much water your Shih Tzu needs to drink at different ages.
Dog Breeds That Are Similar to Shih Tzus
If you have not made up your mind on which dog breed to get, you may also want to consider some other dogs similar to the Shih Tzu.
We crunched the numbers and found that the following dog breeds that have similar behavior and temperament as the Shih Tzu:
- Dandie Dinmont Terrier (79 percent match with Shih Tzu). Learn more about the Dandie Dinmont Terrier here.
- Peek A Poo (79 percent match with Shih Tzu). Learn more about the Peek A Poo here.
Other Things to Know About Shih Tzus
Here are some of the very important characteristics of the Shih Tzu that you need to know about the Shih Tzu breed: