At home
Look at their muzzle
Some Shih-Poos have the Poodle's longer nose, some the Shih Tzu's short one.
What's going onThe shorter the muzzle, the harder heat and exercise are for them. It tells you how careful to be in summer.
Breed guide · Dogs
Shih-Poo
She learns tricks when she feels like it. I keep the treats in my pocket anyway.
- Lifespan
- 12 to 16 years
- Size
- Small
- Weight
- Usually 1.8 to 7 kg
- Shedding
- Low
Last updated 12 October 2026
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The Shih-Poo at a glance.
Is a Shih-Poo a Shih Tzu Poodle mix?Yes, with a Toy or Miniature Poodle. Every puppy gets a different share of each parent.How big does a Shih-Poo get?Small, usually 1.8 to 7 kg. The Poodle parent's size, and which side they take after, decide it.Can a Shih-Poo cope with the Dubai heat?Indoors, yes. Outside, carefully. A shorter muzzle makes heat harder, so walk only in the cool hours.Do Shih-Poos shed?Very little. The loose hair stays in the coat, so brush to the skin several times a week.What health problems do Shih-Poos have?Teeth, eyes, knees and ears. Dental disease is the one to watch at every age.Is a Shih-Poo easy to train?On their own terms. Short sessions and small rewards suit both sides of them.
Shih-Poo traits
What they brought with them.
Tap a card to see what is going on.
At home
Why does my Shih-Poo lie on the tiles?
Stretched out flat on the kitchen tiles every afternoon.
What's going onLying on cold tiles is how they get rid of heat. Put their bed nearby, and keep the room cool from May to September.
At home
Two moods, both real
Some days they learn a trick in minutes. Other days they look at you and sit down.
What's going onThe Poodle half wants to learn. The Shih Tzu half was a palace dog, kept for company, not orders. Short sessions and small rewards win both.
At home
Low shedding, not allergy-free
Hardly any hair on the sofa, and a coat that mats within a few weeks.
What's going onThe coat keeps its loose hair until you brush it out. No dog is guaranteed to be allergy-free, however little they shed.
At home
Why does my Shih-Poo rub their eye?
A paw at one eye, a squint, or a small red lump in the corner.
What's going onCherry Eye (a gland that pops out in the corner of the eye) and Dry Eye (the eye not making enough tears) can show up from puppyhood. For a red lump or squinting, contact your vet that week.
At home
Ramps, not jumps
Up onto the sofa and down again, all day long.
What's going onFrom four years, Intervertebral Disc Disease (IVDD, a slipped disc in the back) becomes a risk. If they stop jumping up, or yelp when you lift them, contact your vet now.
A Shih-Poo in Dubai
The bit nobody tells you.
Their day
Built for: One parent for a palace, one for work in the water.
In Dubai: Indoors in the air conditioning, which suits them, until the front door opens.
Their face
Built for: Some of the Shih Tzu's short face.
In Dubai: A Dubai summer, the one thing that face finds hardest.
Their coat
Built for: The Poodle's thick coat, made for water.
In Dubai: 45°C heat outside the door.
The panting, the walks cut short and the afternoons flat on the tiles mostly come from that gap.
You cannot change the summer. You can keep them out of it, and the ten things below are how.
Your plan is built around their breed: the risks on a Shih-Poo's record at every age, and the care that goes with each one.
Join the founding families. AED 1,999 of essential care for AED 199.
Daily care for a Shih-Poo
Ten things that make their life better.
A shorter-faced parent can mean a shorter-faced puppy, and the Poodle's size sets theirs.
Before they come home
Why
A shorter-faced parent can mean a shorter-faced puppy, and the Poodle's size sets theirs.
What to do
Ask the breeder how the Shih Tzu parent breathes in the heat and on walks, whether the Poodle was a Toy or a Miniature, and what eye tests both parents had. Keep the answers, and bring them to their first vet visit.
Mats trap heat against the skin, and hair in their eyes makes them sore.
Every age, hardest from 6 months to 2 years
Why
Mats trap heat against the skin, and hair in their eyes makes them sore.
What to do
Several times a week, brush and then comb right down to the skin. Ask the groomer to keep the hair short round their eyes, and the coat lighter for summer.
Eye problems and ear infections can both start in puppyhood.
Every age
Why
Eye problems and ear infections can both start in puppyhood.
What to do
Wipe each eye every day with a fresh damp pad. Once a week, look and smell inside their ears, and dry them after every bath. For a red lump in the corner of an eye, contact your vet that week. An ophthalmic evaluation (eye exam) is in your plan from six months to four years, and an ear cleaning routine from age two.
Dental disease is the first risk on their record at every stage.
Every age
Why
Dental disease is the first risk on their record at every stage.
What to do
Brush every day with a dog toothbrush and dog toothpaste, never human toothpaste. At six months, look for baby teeth that have not come out. A dental cleaning is in your plan from six months old.
The Poodle half wants work. The Shih Tzu half wants it on their own terms.
Every age
Why
The Poodle half wants work. The Shih Tzu half wants it on their own terms.
What to do
Two or three minutes at a time, indoors in the cool, with tiny rewards from their daily food. Stop while they are still getting it right.
Both sides of the family have spent generations as company for a person.
Every age, hardest from 6 months to 2 years
Why
Both sides of the family have spent generations as company for a person.
What to do
If they are alone for more than a few hours, arrange a visit or daycare. Keep leaving calm and low-key. If they are distressed when you go, contact your vet rather than trying to fix it at home.
The Poodle side likes to carry things.
Every age, most of all 6 months to 2 years
Why
The Poodle side likes to carry things.
What to do
Give them a small soft toy that is theirs. When they take your things, swap for a treat, and never chase.
Shih-Poos feel the heat more than most, and a shorter face makes panting work less well.
Every age, most of all puppies and from 7 years
Why
Shih-Poos feel the heat more than most, and a shorter face makes panting work less well.
What to do
From May to September, walk before sunrise and after dark only, and keep it short. Put the back of your hand on the pavement for five seconds first. Use a harness, not a collar. When they sit down, let them. Never leave them in a car.
Patellar Luxation (a slipping kneecap) can show up when young, and Intervertebral Disc Disease (IVDD, a slipped disc) from four years.
Every age, most of all from 4 years
Why
Patellar Luxation (a slipping kneecap) can show up when young, and Intervertebral Disc Disease (IVDD, a slipped disc) from four years.
What to do
Put rugs on marble and a ramp up to the sofa. Lift them with one hand under the chest and one under the back end, and lift them down rather than letting them jump. An orthopaedic evaluation (a joint and bone exam) is in your plan from six months to four years, and a spinal evaluation from age four.
Extra weight makes heat harder, and their coat hides it.
Every age
Why
Extra weight makes heat harder, and their coat hides it.
What to do
Weigh them once a month and write it down. Once a week, feel for their ribs through the coat: you should find them easily. Note any new lump the same week you find it.
Three of these are in your plan. The rest you can do at home.
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Shih-Poo health by age
Their health, at every age.
How old are they?
Their age
Shih-Poo Puppy health
the first six months
What to watch for
- Retained deciduous teeth, malocclusion (teeth that do not meet properly) or early dental crowding
- Congenital or early inherited ocular disease related to Eye Problems (Cherry Eye, Dry Eye)
- Developmental or early clinical signs of Patellar Luxation (PL, slipping kneecap)
- Juvenile onset of allergies / atopic dermatitis
- Juvenile onset of ear infections
The care that goes with it
- Core vaccinations, microchip and Dubai Municipality registration
- Deworming, and flea and tick prevention
- Growth and nutritional evaluation, and early socialisation
- Dental disease screening, from the first visit
- Early follow-up for any signs of Cherry Eye or Dry Eye
The full care detail
- Core vaccination programme, microchipping and Dubai Municipality registration. Titre testing discussion where clinically appropriate; not a substitute for completing the core vaccine series
- Deworming and external parasite prevention tailored to Dubai exposure
- Body Condition Score (BCS, a check on whether they are the right weight), Muscle Condition Score (MCS, a check on their muscle), dental, growth and nutritional evaluation, and early socialisation
- Baseline screening focused on Dental Disease
- Early diagnostic follow-up for signs suggestive of Eye Problems (Cherry Eye, Dry Eye)
Their age
Shih-Poo Juvenile health
6 months to 2 years
What to watch for
- Early periodontal disease (gum disease) and dental crowding
- Progression or first clinical detection of Eye Problems (Cherry Eye, Dry Eye)
- Emerging Patellar Luxation (PL) with exercise intolerance or lameness
- Recurrent or persistent allergies / atopic dermatitis
- Recurrent or persistent ear infections
The care that goes with it
- Dental cleaning
- Ophthalmic evaluation (eye exam)
- Neutering or spaying, timed for a small breed
- Orthopaedic evaluation (joint and bone exam)
- Finding the cause of a limp that keeps coming back, rather than assuming it is the kneecap
The full care detail
- Dental cleaning
- Ophthalmic evaluation
- Neuter/spay timing discussion that accounts for small-breed growth and disease risk
- Orthopaedic evaluation
- Investigate recurrent signs rather than repeatedly treating presumed Patellar Luxation (PL)
Their age
Shih-Poo Young Adult health
2 to 4 years
What to watch for
- Dental Disease
- Eye Problems (Cherry Eye, Dry Eye)
- Patellar Luxation (PL)
- Allergies / Atopic Dermatitis (itchy allergic skin)
- Ear Infections
The care that goes with it
- Dental cleaning
- Ophthalmic evaluation (eye exam)
- Orthopaedic evaluation (joint and bone exam)
- Allergy testing and management
- An ear cleaning routine
The full care detail
- Dental cleaning
- Ophthalmic evaluation
- Orthopaedic evaluation
- Allergy testing and management
- Ear cleaning protocol
Their age
Shih-Poo Prime Adult health
4 to 7 years
What to watch for
- Dental Disease
- Eye Problems (progressive)
- Intervertebral Disc Disease (IVDD, slipped disc in the back)
- Hypothyroidism (an underactive thyroid)
- Ear Infections
The care that goes with it
- Dental x-rays and cleaning
- Ongoing eye care
- Spinal evaluation (back and spine exam)
- Thyroid function testing
- Ear treatment when it flares
The full care detail
- Dental X-rays and cleaning
- Ongoing eye care
- Spinal evaluation
- Thyroid function testing
- Ear treatment
Their age
Shih-Poo Senior health
7 to 10 years
What to watch for
- Dental Disease (advanced)
- Arthritis
- Heart Disease
- Kidney Disease
- Chronic Eye Conditions
The care that goes with it
- Advanced dental care
- Pain relief and joint supplements
- Cardiac evaluation (heart check)
- Kidney function monitoring
- Ongoing eye care
The full care detail
- Advanced dental care
- Pain management and joint supplements
- Cardiac evaluation
- Renal function monitoring
- Ophthalmic care
Their age
Shih-Poo Geriatric health
10 years and over
What to watch for
- Dental Disease
- Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD, long-term kidney failure)
- Heart Disease
- Arthritis
- Cognitive Dysfunction (dementia in older pets)
The care that goes with it
- Ongoing dental care
- Renal support therapy (kidney care)
- Cardiac monitoring (heart care)
- Pain control and mobility support
- Cognitive enrichment (games that keep their mind busy)
- Quality-of-life assessment
- Palliative care (comfort care)
- End-of-life planning with your veterinary team
The full care detail
- Ongoing dental management
- Renal support therapy
- Cardiac monitoring
- Pain control and mobility support
- Cognitive enrichment
- Quality-of-life assessments
- Tailored palliative and comfort-focused care plan
- Compassionate end-of-life planning with your veterinary team
Breed predispositions indicate an increased risk rather than certainty of disease. What is right for them always comes from their own history and an evaluation.
Getting a Shih-Poo puppy in Dubai
Before they come home.
Toy or mini Shih-Poo
Which Poodle, and what size
A Shih-Poo has a Shih Tzu parent and either a Toy or a Miniature Poodle. The Poodle's size sets the puppy's, and the face can land anywhere between the Shih Tzu's short muzzle and the Poodle's longer one. Ask the breeder which Poodle was used.
Colours
Any colour, often more than one
A Shih-Poo can wear any of the Shih Tzu's colours and markings, from gold and white to black and white, or one of the Poodle's solid shades, from cream and apricot to silver and chocolate.
The first six months
Caring for a Shih-Poo puppy
Their full vaccination course, microchip and Dubai Municipality registration come first. Start brushing their teeth and wiping their eyes now, while they are small enough to sit on your lap for it.
Puppy health, 0 to 6 months
Getting the home ready
Cool floors and a ramp
Leave them a cool tiled spot out of the sun, and a ramp or step up to the sofa and the bed. Rugs on marble help young knees, and a harness is kinder than a collar to a short face.
Ten things that make their life better
Before you commit
Ask how the Shih Tzu parent breathes
Ask the breeder how the Shih Tzu parent copes in the heat and on walks, and for both parents' eye test results. Eye problems can start in puppyhood, and a shorter muzzle makes summer harder.
Before the clinics open
Join the founding families
AED 1,999 of essential care for AED 199. No payment now.
For a new puppy: First 30 days with a new puppy · Puppy vaccinations in the UAE · Heatstroke in dogs
When to see a vet
When it is not behaviour.
They'll still decide when the lesson starts. If they pant while lying still, tell your vet.
Shih-Poo history
Before they were yours.
A Poodle, etching by Wenceslaus Hollar after Matham, 1649. Before 1900
The Poodle, a water retriever
The Poodle brought ducks back out of the water for hunters, and its name comes from the German "pudeln", to splash in water. The smaller Poodles were later kept as companions and performing dogs.
What they still carryA quick mind, a love of tricks, and a coat that keeps growing.
Two Lhassa Terriers, the long-coated small dogs of Tibet, from Dogs of All Nations, 1915. Before 1940
The Shih Tzu, from Tibet to the palace
Small lion-like dogs from Tibet were given to the Chinese imperial court and kept as palace dogs, for company and nothing else. The breed reached England in the 1930s, and The Kennel Club recognised it in 1940.
What they still carryA short face, a long coat, and a dog never bred to take orders.
A Shih-Poo, photographed in 2006. The cross begins
The first Shih-Poos
Breeders in the United States crossed the Shih Tzu with Toy and Miniature Poodles, for a small companion with a coat that sheds less.
What they still carryA face that can land anywhere between the two parents.
Today
In Dubai
In the UAE a Shih-Poo lives indoors, in air conditioning, which suits them. The heat outside is what their face handles worst.
What they still carryA love of the sofa, and a face that finds 45°C summers hard.
Shih-Poo questions
The ones you type at midnight.
Is a Shih-Poo a Shih Tzu Poodle mix?
How big does a Shih-Poo get?
How long do Shih-Poos live?
Do Shih-Poos shed?
Is a Shih-Poo hypoallergenic?
Can a Shih-Poo cope with the Dubai heat?
What health problems can a Shih-Poo inherit?
Why is my Shih-Poo so stubborn?
Breeds like the Shih-Poo
If the Shih-Poo suits you, so might these.
CavapooThe same kind of dog: a small poodle cross, a little calmer, with a Cavalier for the other parent.
CockapooAnother small poodle cross, with a cocker spaniel parent and a face that copes better with heat.
WestiepooThe same lively, friendly and chatty temperament, in a poodle cross with a Westie parent.
Shih TzuA similar size and the same need to stay cool, in the Shih Tzu parent itself, calmer, with a flatter face.