Shih Tzu Chihuahua Mix – Full Dog Breed Information

Sometimes we just yearn to have a furry buddy to unload all our love and affection on. The glitch usually is which of them to get. As you know when it comes to dogs, there are so many breeds out there but above all the designer dogs are getting popular by the day.

The Shih Tzu chihuahua mix is one designer dog that is willing to accept all the affection you have to offer. Being a toy dog, it’s easy to carry it around with you. Companionship at its peak.

You either just heard of the Shih Tzu chihuahua mix or ran into it while surfing the internet, but either way, I’m about to give you all the necessary details on this cute bud.

The Shih Tzu Chihuahua Mix

Being a hybrid, the chihuahua Shih Tzu mix may be unpredictable in terms of appearance and temperament. But before we get into how this crossbreed came about let’s talk about its parent breeds.

The Shih Tzu has been around for quite a long time, since the ancient Chinese ages. It is also known as the “lion dog” and not only treated as royalty but is royalty. This is because the Shih Tzu dog was a companion to only the Chinese royalty in ancient times. It is friendly, elegant and one of the most pictured dogs.

There are several theories suggesting the origin of the chihuahua. Some say China, others say South America. Whatever the case might be, the current chihuahua we know today came from the Mexican state of Chihuahua. The perfect phrase for the chihuahua would be “tiny dog, huge personality”. It would amaze you how much attitude is compacted into such a small body. But beneath all that is a sweet and affectionate dog whose loyalty and courage never wavers.

So we’ve gotten that the Shih Tzu chihuahua mix is a crossbreed between the Shih Tzu and chihuahua. They are friendly dogs, easygoing and happy.

It wouldn’t be so cool if someone asks you the breed of your dog and you say Shih Tzu chihuahua mix, therefore there’s been unofficial names for this hybrid. One of them is “shichi”. Sounds cute right?

With the chihuahua Shih Tzu mix, you have a dog that is a pack of joy, friendly, very loyal, and has a lot of love to offer. They are very alert as well and can be protective of their family.

Appearance

This is where we dive into the looks of the chihuahua Shih Tzu mix. Saying for a fact how this crossbreed would look is difficult at the moment as there’s no standard yet. Even in the same litter, the puppies would take different appearances and combos from the parents.

Both parent breeds are small dogs, so expect the chihuahua Shih Tzu mix to be the same or even smaller as it is indeed a toy dog. This crossbreed weighs only about 9 – 16 pounds and won’t grow past 12 inches tall from paw to shoulder. You can see they’re petite dogs.

For the coat, it can resemble one parent more than the other. If the Shih Tzu chihuahua mix inherits more from their Shih Tzu parent, then they’d have a longer coat. But if the chihuahua prevails, then the pup would have short coat hair.

All the colors of both parent breeds are available to the Shih Tzu chihuahua mix. Though the most common are; white, black, brown, cream, or a combination of these colors.

Their ears may hang down like the Shih Tzu or erect like the chihuahua. Due to these discrepancies in appearance, the chihuahua Shih Tzu mix is not recognized by the American kennel club or any authorized body.

Temperament

The personality of the chihuahua Shih Tzu mix depends largely on his parents. Not only that but which parent he resembles more and how balanced the inherited traits from both parents are.

Though generally, this hybrid is energetic, affectionate, and friendly. This steadfast loyalty and alertness make him very protective of his family. Being a hybrid of two companion dogs, the Shih Tzu chihuahua mix will follow you around everywhere and anywhere you go.

The shichi is probably not the best dog to be around children as they may get hurt unintentionally by kids. And being a small dog, the Shih Tzu chihuahua mix tries to defend himself by lashing out whenever he feels threatened. This will lead to a growling dog.

They are very playful dogs, love having fun with his owner. Nevertheless, they have short attention spans and energy that doesn’t last long. They love taking naps on their owner’s laps as well while receiving gentle strokes on the back.

It’s easier to socialize if Shih Tzu’s personality is more dominant in this hybrid due to the laid back nature of the Shih Tzu. On the other hand, if the puppy is more of chihuahua then socializing might be more difficult. Either way, early training, and socialization will help massively.

Training

Being born from two breeds with an overbearing personality, the chihuahua Shih Tzu mix might not be so easy to train. Especially if you don’t have prior experience with dogs.

 Positive reinforcement still remains the best method to train your dog. This and consistent training can fix any behavioral problems your chihuahua Shih Tzu mix might exhibit. This hybrid is good driven, so training would be way easier once you make the sessions enjoyable using treats.

Alternatively, you can pay for a puppy class. This would help train your pooch, expose them to socialization and obedience training as well.

Do not think that the chihuahua Shih Tzu mix wouldn’t do much because of their size and spend little to no time in training them. Despite their size, if untrained, the Shih Tzu chihuahua mix can become a self-centered, distrustful and noisy fellow….. usually annoying.

The shichi is quite the expressive breed as they don’t mind barking or yapping to get your attention. This can become excessive. A good way to curb this is to use commanding words like “stop”. Once they stop barking, make sure to reward them to show they did a good thing.

It’s best to start training on the first day you bring your pooch home. It might not be so easy but persistence and consistency get the job done.

Exercise Requirement

The Shih Tzu and chihuahua mix isn’t an active dog that needs intense exercise daily. Though they’re still dogs, so daily walks are still required. Anywhere around 20 minutes of walks once or twice daily is good.

Even at that, the chihuahua and Shih Tzu mix prefer staying indoors, therefore you’ll need to get them chew toys to play with and burn pent-up energy. This can count as part of their daily exercise as well.

Mental stimulation is also of equal importance. Here, puzzle toys can be very helpful as it would keep them busy while you avoid their mischief.

Remember, if during walks you feel your dog is panting or gasping for breath, just pick him up and take him home to rest.

Nutrition

The Shih Tzu mix with chihuahua can easily get overweight since they are toy dogs, so it’s best to monitor what and how they eat.

To feed your Shih Tzu chihuahua mix, a half cup to a cup is enough. Remember to divide it into two meals – morning and evening. This would help sustain their energy throughout the day.

It’s not only about the amount, the quality of the dog food matters as well. High-quality dog food with a good composition of required nutrients is necessary for good health and growth. For the chihuahua Shih Tzu mix, it would be food high in protein but low in carbohydrates with at least 15 – 20% fat.

If you’re still in the dark about how to feed your chihuahua and Shih Tzu mix then by all means visit your vet or a pet nutritionist for advice.

Health Concerns

One of the reasons crossbreeds are becoming popular is due to their health vigor. They’re less likely to succumb to diseases because of the widening of the gene pool.

Nevertheless, the possibility still remains that they can inherit any of the many disease conditions from their parent breeds. Some of the common health conditions common in the chihuahua and Shih Tzu mix are;

• Obesity
• Eye problems
• Hypoglycemia
• Patella luxation
• Respiratory issues

A Shih Tzu chihuahua mix can live to be up to 12 – 15 years old on average depending on how healthy his lifestyle is.

Throughout your dog’s life, it’s best to keep up with his regular vet checkups as this would lead to early diagnosis and treatment if there is any disease.

Grooming

The grooming needs of your dog would depend on which parent’s coat he inherited. If he’s more of the Shih Tzu long coat, then your shichi would require brushing 2 – 3 times weekly to prevent matting or tangling. But if it gets the short coat of the chihuahua, then once a week will be enough to keep it shiny and healthy.

Note that the Shih Tzu chihuahua mix would not really be a hypoallergenic dog just because he has a parent that is. Though they shed relatively less fur than many dog breeds.

Remember to bathe your Shih Tzu chihuahua mix monthly or when needed. Brush their teeth as frequently as possible to prevent germ buildup and bad odor. Clean their ears weekly with a damp cloth. Do not allow them to keep long nails, always trim them.

While grooming your dog, always remember to look for any abnormalities in their body that can be a sign of a disease condition. This will help in early diagnosis and treatment.

Getting A Chihuahua Shih Tzu Mix

A few factors go into determining the price of the chihuahua Shih Tzu mix. Such as breeder, location, the appearance of the pup, etc. On average, a Shih Tzu chihuahua mix puppy would cost about $300 – 1000.

While getting your puppy, make sure it’s from a reputable breeder and avoid puppy mills. Request for the parent’s health clearance to make sure they’re free from certain disease conditions.

Bear in mind that you’d still have to spend on vaccinations, food, toys, puppy classes, vet visits amidst many other things.

Alternatively, if you don’t have time and patience to train a puppy you could just adopt one from local rescue shelters. Since it’s a designer dog, it might take some time to see one but you’d definitely find one.

Bottom Line

This is the dog for you if you need a cuddly friend who can also stand up to threats. The chihuahua Shih Tzu mix is ideal for apartment living and always love sleeping around on his owner’s laps.

The chihuahua Shih Tzu mix is a playful and happy dog that has a lot of affection to give though requires special attention. This toy dog is definitely going to bring spunk into your life!