How to Identify a Shih Tzu

The shih tzu was bred as a house pet and companion, so it must be a happy, outgoing and friendly dog. Since this breed was bred specifically for a house pet, it should not be reserved toward strangers, nor should it ever be aggressive. The long double coat--the shih tzu's distinctive feature--needs daily grooming. Even though this is a toy breed, it packs soundness in its small body.

Things You'll Need

  • Breed specification book
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Instructions

    • 1

      Look at the general appearance of the shih tzu. It should be solid and should carry its weight and substance properly. Males and females measure 9 to 10 1/2 inches at the shoulders and weigh 9 to 16 lbs. It is a rectangular shaped breed, with the length from the shoulders to the rear a bit longer than the measurement at the withers.

    • 2

      Make sure the round, broad head is proportionately balanced with the rest of the dog. It has a warm, sweet expression, helped along by large, round eyes. They are not prominent and are place quite far apart on the skull. They are very dark, but may be a bit lighter on liver-colored dogs. The ears are large and set just below the top of the skull. The nose, eye rims and lips are fully pigmented--black on all colors, except for liver dogs. Liver dogs have a liver pigmentation on the nose, eye rims and lips. Blue pigmented dogs will have blue-pigmented eye rims, nose and lips.

    • 3

      Check that the shih tzu is completely balanced. The neck is long enough to hold the head proudly and sits on well-angulated shoulders and a broad chest. The feet are frim and well-padded. The rear angulation should match the front angulation, giving the dog perfect balance. The hocks are quite low and the feet are well-padded and firm. The hair on the tail is heavy and the tail is held in a curve over the top of the back.

    • 4

      Pet the long, flowing coat. It is a dense coat and should be straight or almost straight, but never curly. The shih tzu can be of any color and may have a number of different markings, but no markings are set in the breed standard.