Shih Poos usually make good apartment dogs because they don't usually bark a lot. They make excellent companion pets.
While shih poos tend to be long-lived, with some living 17 years or more, they can be predisposed to the same health problems as their parent breeds. These include allergies, patellar luxation, vision problems and endocrine disorders such as Addison's disease, hypothyroidism and Cushing's disease.
At their best, Shihpoos are playful, friendly and affectionate, always happy to sit in a lap and give a little love. They generally weigh 7 to 20 pounds, depending on the size of their parent breeds. For their size, they are courageous and make excellent watchdogs, but they can be on the yappy side.
Shih-Poos make great companion animals for just about anyone, but a retired senior would most likely be an ideal match. They love to be doted on, pampered, and loved. They are pretty versatile and can thrive in almost any environment–family home, apartment, or tiny house in the middle of nowhere.
So, at what age can you leave a Shih Tzu alone? In a perfect world, it wouldn't be until the Tzu was 8 or 9 months old. However, since you most likely need to work/go to school/run errands, a puppy of any age can be left for the day... 7, 8 or 9 hours.
Shihpoo are friendly dogs with relatively high energy levels. So they tend to do well in a family setting. Having said that, Shihpoo will need to be handled with care given these so-called designer dogs are relatively small. We don't recommend leaving a dog alone with children unsupervised.
This hybrid will do well with kids and other pets and as they tend to be bright; the Shih-Poo is usually easy to train. Your dog will love getting attention and will sit happily in your lap - he has plenty of love to return as well.
One designer breed that's rapidly gained in popularity over the last decade is the Shih Poo, also known as the “teddy bear dog” for its adorable, affectionate expression that looks just like a stuffed bear.
Health. A shih-poo lifespan is lengthy—these small dogs can live 15 years or more. In general, shih-poos are an easy dog to care for when you take them to the veterinarian regularly, brush their teeth, and stay on top of their grooming appointments, Bruno says.
Tell him "Quiet" when he begins to bark at those things, wait until he stops barking, then reward him with a treat when he is quiet. If he is struggling to stop barking, then move him further away from whatever he is barking at, or get in front of him and softly tell him "Quiet" while you block his view with your body.
A popular method of curtailing excessive barking is teaching the “quiet” command. Use a calm, firm voice to tell your dog to be “quiet” and positively reinforce correct behavior with treats and affection.
Make sure your dog is getting sufficient physical and mental exercise every day. A tired dog is a dog who is less likely to bark from boredom or frustration. Depending on their, age and health, your dog may require several long walks as well as a good game of chasing the ball and playing with some interactive toys.
Shih Tzus are purebred dogs, while Shih Poos are born when a Shih Tzu and Toy Poodle mate. This makes Shih Tzus a little more predictable than Shih Poo puppies, who may come with some surprises! Let's look more at the differences between this purebred and crossbreed below.
The Shih Tzu dog usually is not an aggressive breed, but some of these cute “lion dogs” can exhibit an aggressive streak. The severity of a Shih Tzu's aggression varies from dog to dog, but no matter how mild or extreme a pup's aggressive behavior is, it needs correcting as soon as possible.
Shih Poo puppies may suffer from anxiety when they're left alone for too long. It's common for many dogs to suffer from separation anxiety, but dogs can also get anxiety from other sorts of causes. Shih Poo puppies might develop anxiety from certain situations that startle them.
Maltipoos reach an average height of 8-14 inches, while Shih Poos range from 10-13 inches tall. Additionally, Shih Poos weigh anywhere from 5-25 pounds, while Maltipoos weigh 5-20 pounds on average. However, it always depends on the individual dog as well as the gender of the dog.
While every owners wishes for their Shih Tzu puppy to sleep through the night, many will have disrupted sleeping patterns, some even sleeping most of the day instead of at night. Out of a 24 hour period, a Shih Tzu puppy will generally sleep 16 to 20 hours.
Your Shih Tzu puppy should be able to hold his bladder only about one hour for each month he is old. This means if your dog is three months old, he can hold it for about three hours. Avoid making him wait any longer to go outside.
But a good rule of thumb is that dogs should poop at least once a day. Some may poop up to five times, and others in between. So if your dog poops 3 times a day, that's fine too.
That's because the breed is well known for changing coat colors as he enters adulthood. In fact, by the time your Shih Tzu celebrates his first birthday, he may be a completely different color than he was when you brought him home.
The simple answer is yes, Shih Poos are hypoallergenic dogs. That's because they're a hybrid cross between the Poodle and Shih Tzu, greatly benefiting from their Poodle heritage. Like other Poodle mixes, Shih Poos are generally excellent pets for people suffering from dog allergies.