Shih Tzus were historically known to be a favorite among the Chinese royals while Pekingeses were bred to be a lap dog for the royalty of the Chinese Imperial courts in ancient China. One would have never thought about crossing these two royal breeds to get the Shih Tzu Pekingese Mix.
The Shih Tzu Pekingese Mix is a cross between the Shih Tzu and the Pekingese breed. Also known as Peke-Tzu, Shih-Teze, or Shih Tzu Peke, this Shinese dog is a new designer breed that has a long body, floppy ears, and an adorable flat face with brown eyes and nose. It is an ideal and small companion for apartment dog owners.
However, unlike purebreds, this Shih Tzu Pekingese Mix lacks clear breed standards so the American Kennel Club does not recognize this breed yet. In this complete breed guide, we discuss how to care for your Shinese dog, including exercise and dietary necessities, as well as the grooming needs, shedding incidence, and tips to help keep your canine buddy in pitch condition.
We also review the health issues, average lifespan and temperaments common to this breed. To get us started, however, how does an adult Shih Tzu Pekingese Mix doggie look?
What Does A Shih Tzu And Pekingese Mix Look Like?
It is often difficult to predict how your Shih Tzu Pekingese Mix pup will look once grown, being a hybrid. However, these dear fidos have a small stature, floppy ears, and a long, compact body. The canines also have a dense and wavy coat long enough to veil the eyes and mouth.
Your doggie will also have a short muzzle, roundish head, and a flat face like their brachycephalic parents. Because a Pekingeseโs face is much flatter than that of Shih Tzu, the muzzle length of a Pekingese Shih Tzu Mix doggie varies significantly between dogs.
Coat Colors And Patterns
The Shinese breed often comes in varied coat colors, and your canine may be black, brown, white, or grey. However, this four-legged furry friend will likely have black eyes and nose even though brown eyes and nose are equally common.
The most popular Shinese coat color and patterns include a dominant color with distinct rust marking, such as the mottled or calico pattern. Conversely, a Shih Tzu Pekingese Mix dog can also have a contrasting body and face colors such that the doggie seems to be wearing a face mask.
How Big Do Shinese Dogs Get?
Shih Tzu Pekingese Mix doggies are often longer than they are tall. A fully grown Peke Tzu stands at 8 to 12 inches tall, with females growing no taller than 10 inches.
However, both the adult males and females range between 10 and 16 lbs in weight. Their small size and personality make the Shinese breed well suited for apartment life.
What Is The Lifespan Of A Pekingese Shih Tzu Mix?
The average lifespan of a healthy, well-cared-for Shih Tzu Pekingese Mix dog is 10 to 15 years.
The Shinese dog will have a longer average life expectancy relative to that of its purebred Shih Tzu parents because crossbreeding makes the doggie hardier and more resilient to inherited diseases.
Common Health Issues
Shinese dogs suffer different health issues related to their genetic heritage, physical attributes, the care regime, and the environment. Their major and common health issues include:
Brachycephalic Airway Syndrome
A deformed airway condition arising from the scrunchy face and upturned nose of Shinese canines causes respiratory issues and severe difficulty in breathing.
This face and muzzle condition also makes your furry companion very prone to allergies and infections, with varying severity between mild discomfort to potentially being fatal.
Skin Fold Pyoderma
A condition due to bacterial infections in your canineโs skin folds around their droopy faces. Maintain a clean, dry face during the warm seasons to reduce the likelihood of skin fold pyoderma.
We suggest you watch out for other skin fold-related allergies and infections to protect your Peke-Tzuโs sensitive skin and avoid discomfort.
Patellar Luxation
When your Shinese fidoโs kneecap pops out of place, you will see a sudden raising of the affected leg during a run or sudden hips and jumps. Patellar luxation can be considered to be a severe condition that requires surgery to realign the kneecap and prevent future issues.
Other common Shih Tzu Pekingese health issues include intervertebral disc disease, eye problems such as entropion and corneal ulcers, otitis externa, mitral valve disease, and kidney stones.
How To Take Care Of Shinese Dogs?
On taking care of your Shih Tzu Pekingese Mix dog, we recommend a healthy mix of suitable exercise, recommended nutrition, and appropriate supplements.
Exercise
Shih Tzu Pekingese Mix dogs love to walk, and your canine needs at least two daily walks or runs of 10 to 15 minutes each. Yours is also a very playful but moderate energy dog that does not need lots of exercises. Your dog will therefore expend most of the energy playing in the yard or a bigger apartment.
Expect repeated invitations to play, and engaging in different classic doggie games provides sufficient exercise. Take your canine for a jog if they like running, but avoid rigorous or exacting activities that make it difficult for the dog to breathe or cool down.
Diet
A Shinese does not eat much. We recommend 1 cup of high-quality dog food served in two equal meals in the mornings and evenings to allow for proper digestion.
Avoid table scraps, sugars, carbohydrates, salt, and artificial ingredients as treats because the high calories and fats can cause weight gain.
Get a high-quality kibble suitable for doggieโs size and activity levels, like Pet Plateโs Barkinโ Beef meals, a high-protein and grain-free delicious beef recipe. Similarly, provide a daily multivitamin with minerals, fatty acids, and essential vitamins like vitamin C to reduce inflammation and promote cognitive aging.
You should also invest in dental water additives to improve the dogโs oral hygiene and dental health. Buy a special feeding dish as your Shinese would struggle to eat from a regular bowl given their flatter face.
Are Shinese Dogs Smart? Temperaments Of Shih Tzu Pekingese Mixes
The Shinese dogs are very smart. You will find your pooch reacting positively to praise, easy to train, and learning to follow instructions faster than most toy dog breeds.
A study by Stanley Coren found that Shih Tzus have low obedience and low working intelligence. Despite being slow to learn and more disobedient, they can adapt and understand human emotions. On the other hand, Pekingeses are intelligent dogs, albeit with an independent mind and stubborn streak.
As a result of crossing these two diverse breeds, the resulting Shih Tzu Pekingese Mix has the intelligence, independence, and stubbornness of a Pekingese and the adaptability and emotional intelligence of a Shih Tzu.
However, your doggie is also fiercely independent and quite stubborn, so youโll need to be patient, consistent, and firm to establish authority and train your Shinese.
Clingy
Like its Pekingese parent who bred to be a lap dog, this pooch is clingy and tends to make a fuss or become destructive if left alone for more than 6 hours.
However, you canโt miss the aura of royalty beaming off a Shinese and its adorable looks, with these dear fidos having found their places in the Chinese Imperial courts.
Barks A Lot
While typically not aggressive, your Shinese dog may bark a lot when frightened or whine a lot due to pain. Thus, this pooch is a needy dog breed that your family should never take their eyes off.
The Shinese dog is often wary of strangers and will often bark at or passerbys. As such, a Shinese can be a good watchdog if properly trained.
The temperaments of the Shih Tzu Pekingese Mix include:
- Loving
- Protective
- Independent
- Stubborn
- Compassionate
Do Shinese Dogs Shed? Grooming Tips For Shih Tzu Pekingese Mixes
While the long flowing facial hairs and the soft, puffy, and non-draping fur on the body suggest high shedding, a Shinese actually sheds moderately.
In addition, because the Pekingese is not hypoallergenic like the Shih Tzu, your Shih Tzu Pekingese Mix fido has a 50% chance to be hypoallergenic.
A Shih Tzu Pekingese Mix doggie has a thick and long double coat with long, elegant waves of fur. On rare occasions, your furry companion may have a short, plush, and fluffy coat that shines when brushed. This makes grooming this pooch a challenge.
Grooming Tips For Shih Tzu Pekingese Mix
The long and thick coat of a Shinese is prone to tangling and matting and will require frequent and adequate grooming to keep the hairs free. We advise that you brush your canine buddy every day to reduce uncontrolled shedding and prevent matting which can be painful and disrupt blood flow in extreme cases.
Use appropriate tools to brush and untangle the dogโs hairs, with the Furminator Undercoat Tool, a proven solution when brushing or removing loose hairs. Trim the long hair every three months to ease the weight and the facial hair to improve visibility. Engaging a professional groomer three times a year will help the coat stay healthy and bright.
Do not bathe your Shinese frequently. One full bath every three months will suffice without drying out or damaging the coat. We recommend using the Mighty Petz 2-In-1 Oatmeal Dog Shampoo And Conditioner for its natural relief and ability to soothe itchy, dry, and sensitive skin.
Related Questions
How much are Shinese dogs? While breeder location and pedigree status ultimately influence the final price, a Shih Tzu Pekingese Mix puppy should typically cost you about $600 to $1,000. Make sure to receive detailed vet test results for your pup, and only buy from reputable breeders accredited by recognized Shinese or designer dog clubs.
Are Shih Tzu related to Pekingese? A Shih Tzu neither is a Pekingese nor has any relation to the Pekingese, but both two toy breeds have some similarities. They both have similar temperaments, including loyalty, stubbornness, and affectionate nature. However, Shih Tzus are more active, need more exercise, and respond better to training than the Pekes.
Do Shinese Dogs Like To Swim? Given that both of its parent breeds are not natural swimmers, the Shinese dogs do not like to swim but they can swim safely under supervision with proper training. Shih Tzu doggies donโt enjoy being in the water and are even poorer at swimming as their fur becomes heavy when wet. Conversely, the Pekes love to swim, despite not being naturally strong swimmers.
