The beautiful Shih Tzu is actually a native Chinese breed. Precisely because it originated in China, truly purebred Shih Tzus are relatively uncommon, and many dogs on the market are mixed with other bloodlines. So if you want to raise a Shih Tzu, it is important to know how to judge whether it is purebred. The essence of the breed lies mainly in its coat and eyes.
How to Tell Whether a Shih Tzu Is Purebred
If you want to know whether a Shih Tzu is purebred, pay attention to the following features. An adult Shih Tzu should generally stand no more than about 16 centimeters at the shoulder and weigh no more than around 7 kilograms. A dog that is clearly too large or too heavy does not fit the ideal type. The Shih Tzu has a double coat, and the hair should be dense and glossy. A high-quality Shih Tzu also has a full face, large round eyes, and dark pupils, with a balanced body and smooth outline. These are all markers of a purebred-looking Shih Tzu. The key focus should be on the coat and the face. The coat must be thick and shiny, while the face should be full and the eyes lively and expressive. If you recognize those two points well, you usually will not go too far wrong.
Disadvantages of the Shih Tzu
As a generally easy dog to keep, the Shih Tzu does not have many major drawbacks, but most of its disadvantages come from its long coat. First, the coat needs to be groomed every day, and doing it properly takes a considerable amount of time. For office workers, this means that a large part of already limited free time can be taken up by grooming. Second, the breed can shed quite noticeably, and the main ways to reduce this are frequent brushing and keeping the diet mild and not too rich.
A third disadvantage is that Shih Tzus often drool. Since the hair around the mouth is long, drool easily wets the facial hair and makes it hard to keep clean. Drooling also makes bad breath more likely, so regular tooth brushing is important for oral health. The long coat also easily traps dirt beneath it. Once dirt builds up, bacteria can grow, and that can lead to different skin diseases and unpleasant odors. For that reason, owners should bathe the Shih Tzu regularly and use grooming products made specifically for dogs.