Shihpoo Puppies

Two histories in one small dog

A Shihpoo is a Shih Tzu crossed with a Miniature or Toy Poodle, and the two sides of that cross started about as far apart as two dogs can.

The Shih Tzu is one of the old Asian companion breeds, developed in the Chinese imperial court from small Tibetan dogs sent east as gifts. It was never asked to do a job. It was bred, deliberately and for centuries, to be excellent company: to sit on laps, to walk in gardens, to be a pleasant thing to have in a room. The name means lion dog. The breed reached Britain and Norway in the 1930s, and the American Kennel Club recognized it in 1969.

The Poodle came from the other direction entirely. It began in Germany as a water retriever working out of cold ponds and rivers, was refined in France, and was bred down into Miniature and Toy sizes once it became a town dog. Under the haircut it is one of the quickest-learning breeds there is, and it brought a dense curling coat along with the brain.

Put the two together and you get the Shihpoo: a small companion dog with the Shih Tzu’s long habit of enjoying people and the Poodle’s coat and quick mind. It is a crossbreed rather than a recognized breed, which means there is no single standard it is measured against and rather more variety between individuals than a purebred litter would give you. That is worth knowing because it changes how you choose. You are picking the puppy in front of you rather than a formula.

What a Shihpoo grows into

Most Shihpoos stand somewhere around nine to thirteen inches at the shoulder and weigh between eight and eighteen pounds, with the smaller end coming from Toy Poodle crosses and the larger from Miniature. They are compact and sturdily built rather than fine-boned, the sort of small dog you can pick up with one arm without feeling you are handling glass.

The face is where the cross shows most. A Shihpoo usually has the Shih Tzu’s large round dark eyes and a short muzzle, softened by the Poodle’s finer bone, and the whole arrangement sits inside a halo of coat. The ears hang. The tail either curls up over the back or plumes out behind, depending on which parent won that particular argument.

Colours run right across both sides of the family: cream, apricot, gold, red, silver, brown, black and white, very often in combination, and frequently with white markings on the chest and feet. Coats commonly lighten as the puppy matures, so an apricot puppy may finish a good deal paler than it started.

The coat and the grooming calendar

The coat is the part of a Shihpoo you plan around, and it is straightforward once it is a habit. It ranges from a loose wave to a tight curl depending on which parent it leans toward, it is long and soft and dense, and like both parent breeds it keeps growing rather than dropping out, so it sheds very little.

Growing hair wants combing rather than brushing. A slicker over the top followed by a metal comb all the way down to the skin, every day or every other day, keeps the coat smooth and takes about five minutes on a dog this size. The places that want the most attention are behind the ears, under the front legs and along the back of the hindquarters, where the hair is finest.

Then there is the trim. Most owners book a groomer every six to ten weeks and keep the coat in a short, even teddy bear cut, with the face rounded and the body clipped down. It is comfortable in Florida and Tennessee heat, it dries fast, and it brings the daily comb-out down to a couple of minutes. Owners who like the long look keep it long and comb accordingly. Either way the rest of the list is short: nails a little and often, ears wiped while you comb, and the hair above the eyes either trimmed back or tied up so the dog has a clear view of the world.

Bred on both sides for company

Both parent breeds spent the most recent stretch of their history being somebody’s companion, and it shows. A Shihpoo is a people dog first. It wants to be where you are, it moves rooms when you move rooms, and it is generally delighted by visitors, children, other dogs and anything else that looks like company arriving.

The temperament tends to land between the two sides. The Shih Tzu contributes a settled, cheerful, lap-shaped disposition and a real talent for spending an afternoon being pleased about very little. The Poodle contributes energy, humour and a fondness for games. Most Shihpoos come out somewhere in the middle: playful in bursts, affectionate in long stretches, and easy to have underfoot.

They suit small homes well, because their exercise needs are modest and their main interest is you rather than acreage. They will announce a knock at the door and then take their cue from you about whether it matters. And they are good with older children who want a dog that will genuinely play rather than simply put up with being carried around.

Training a Shihpoo

Both parents bring something useful to training. The Poodle side learns fast and enjoys the process. The Shih Tzu side is more inclined to ask what is in it for them, which is a fair question and easily answered with cheese.

Short and well paid is the whole rule. Two or three minutes, one thing at a time, marked the moment it happens, finished while the dog still wants more. Shihpoos read tone closely and give their best to someone cheerful, so keep it light and skip the repetition.

House training goes best on a predictable routine: out first thing, after meals, after naps, after play, and a proper celebration every time it goes right outside. Handling is the other early job. A puppy that has learned the comb, the nail clippers and the ear wipe all arrive with treats attached is a pleasure to groom for the next fifteen years, and five relaxed seconds a day builds that faster than one long session a week.

What a day with a Shihpoo looks like

Mornings are gentle. A Shihpoo is happy to wait for you to be ready, and then wants a walk. Two short ones a day suit most of them better than one long one, and in a Florida or Tennessee summer the cool hours at either end of the day are the pleasant ones.

The middle of the day is company and short bursts. A game of fetch down a hallway, a food puzzle, a few minutes with a comb, and a long nap in whichever room has people in it. Shihpoos are excellent at arranging themselves against a leg or a cushion and staying there until something happens.

Evenings belong to the sofa. This is a dog bred on both sides to be good at exactly this: present, warm, easy, glad you are home. A Shihpoo that has had its walks and its games spends the evening pressed against somebody with its chin over an arm.

Come and meet the Shihpoo puppies

Two Shihpoo puppies from the same litter can look quite different from one another, which is the honest and rather nice thing about a crossbreed. Coat texture, colour, muzzle length and final size all vary, and no photograph is going to settle any of it for you.

Our Shihpoo puppies come from our network of licensed breeders, and our team can tell you what a particular puppy’s coat feels like and how it has been getting on with people. We have a store in Orlando and one in Nashville, and you are welcome to sit on the floor with a puppy for as long as you like before deciding anything. Find directions and hours, and ask about financing while you are here. Every puppy here goes home with its vet records, its vaccination history and a health warranty, and our team will walk you through what those cover.