Are you thinking of a purely white canine? Do you seek any pet that can adapt to your living standards, remove boredom from your life, and show unlimited love and affection to you? If yes, then a White Shih Tzu can be your best buddy.
Originating from Tibet, a White Shih Tzu is a little crowned Asian doggie that holds a charming persona, attractive face, and cordial attitude that will make you fall in love with it. These pooches also have the nickname “Chrysanthemum Dogs” due to the excessive hairs on their face and their ever-growing coat and are kept by the royal families of China in the past.
If you’re interested in getting a little canine, then White Shih Tzu will be a great choice for you. As it holds endearing looks and adapts to your living standards, the most loving characteristic is that it has an axial attitude. These characteristics make people fall in love with it. So, here we gathered all the information that can act as a guide about these little unfettered canines.
Is There A Pure White Shih Tzu?
Shih Tzus can come in white color, but it is often rare for them to be completely white. This is because the piebald gene responsible for the white color is recessive to all other solid-color genes.
Coat Color
What defines a White Shih Tzu is its lush coat that is of a single color – white. It has a long and flowing double coat with a silky texture. Whereas other Shih Tzus may come in different colors, and sometimes even multiple colors, the coat on a White Shih Tzu is a solid white.
How Rare Is An All White Shih Tzu?
This means that in order to breed a complete White Shih Tzu, both parents must have this gene. Having said that, the Shih Tzu offspring having a purely white coat is still subject to chance. Therefore, breeders often face difficulties in breeding an all-white Shih Tzu, translating to a lower supply.
How Big Do White Shih Tzus Get?
Like all other Shih Tzus, the White Shih Tzu is a small-sized dog. It usually grows to a height of about 8 to 11 inches from paw to shoulder.
White Shih Tzu also weighs between 9 to 16 lbs when fully matured. It will reach its adult size by the time they are 10 months old.
How Many Years Can A White Shih Tzu Live?
A White Shih Tzu can live up to 13 years on average.
These canines have a longer lifespan as compared to other purebred dogs. The factors that can affect the life of White Shih Tzus are their genes and the lifetime care they receive from their owners.
Do White Shih Tzus Go Deaf?
Hearing loss is one of the most common problems for White Shih Tzus in two ways.
Firstly, their hearing ability tends to fade as they grow older. It is an indicator that your canine pooch is aging, and now, it needs more care and affection.
Secondly, White Shih Tzus have a higher risk of being born deaf, either on one ear or both, due to their white coat color. AKC highlighted this as cochleosaccular deafness.
Other common health issues that your beloved pooch may suffer from are:
Eye Problems
Retinal dysplasia is one of the many eye problems White Shih Tzus may suffer from in which the retinal tissues of the eye get affected, and it leads to slight impairment or complete blindness.
In addition, there are other eye problems which include epiphora, corneal ulcers, eye infections, entropion, and eye irritations.
Luxating Patella
Luxating patella is a condition in which the kneecap of a canine is dislocated. It occurs in one or both of the hind legs, which ultimately causes the development of arthritis and orthopedic conditions.
Dental Problems
White Shih Tzus are encountered many dental problems due to their very small mouth. The most common is malocclusion, crowding of the teeth, and unhealthy roots and gums.
Otitis Externa
As White Shih Tzus have floppy ears with hair-filled ear canals, bacteria tend to thrive well in these moist environments fairly quickly. Due to this, they are mostly exposed to ear infections if their ears do not get cleaned at all.
How To Take Care Of White Shih Tzu Dogs?
To take good care of your White Shih Tzu and to make your pooch a beloved family member, you can start by caring for its health.
Diet
As White Shih Tzus are very sensitive to allergies and get exposed to stomach problems very easily, it is better that you must buy a brand of dog food that is specific for this breed.
Pet Plate offers a high-protein, grain-free beef recipe that makes it the best in its industry. Our chefs perfectly fabricated the meals for your pets. Pet Plate’s recipe is so notorious or delicious that even the pickiest pets will fall in love with these meals.
Multivitamins are needed to be given to your pooch if you are feeding them with homemade food. Moreover, multivitamins maintain the level of nutrients in the body or overcome the deficiency of any vitamin deficiency.
Exercise
Despite being small, a White Shih Tzu thrives best in larger spaces, with plenty of room to exercise and play. Your best buddy also loves to play, so make sure that you buy toys to keep it occupied and take it to the park for a 30-minute walk every day. This daily routine will not only keep its body in shape and improve its mental health.
Dental Water Additives
For cleaning White Shih Tzu’s teeth and maintaining its oral health, dental water additives can be an effective option for you. The additives usually contain an active and tasteless ingredient, so you simply add one tablespoon of additives for every 32 oz of water your pooch drinks.
Can White Shih Tzu Be Left Alone All Day? Temperaments Of White Shih Tzu Dogs
White Shih Tzus are very friendly, intelligent, and outgoing with everyone, yet look naive at the same time. They seek human intimacy, so do ensure not to leave them alone for the whole day.
Do White Shih Tzus Have Separation Anxiety?
By leaving your pooch alone for long hours, especially at home, your White Shih Tzu can likely develop separation anxiety. As they feel happy, comfortable, and relaxed by interacting with people, taking away this form of interaction will lead to anxiety issues in White Shih Tzus.
Do White Shih Tzus Bark A Lot?
White Shih Tzus are the canines that don’t fall under the category of those who bark a lot. These fidos are more susceptible to screeching than barking. If you notice that your pooch is barking a lot, have a look at the following reasons:
- They are getting bored.
- They are feeling lonely.
- They are feeling territorial.
- Being overly aggressive.
Do White Shih Tzus Shed A Lot? Grooming Tips For White Shih Tzu Dogs
The biggest myth is that White Shih Tzus don’t shed at all. In fact, these canines shed less than other breeds and often shed only when they are being washed or brushed. These canines shed a lot when they are changing their coats.
In addition, White Shih Tzus are mostly considered a hypoallergenic breed. So, if you are a person who suffers a lot from allergies, then Shih Tzu can be best for you. White Shih Tzus are less vulnerable to allergies because of their low shedding trait.
No, the White Shih Tzu canines don’t change color, but other Shih Tzu canines do.
Why Is My White Shih Tzu Brown?
There are a number of causes behind the color change. Firstly, it is because a White Shih Tzu doesn’t have a final genetic color when it is young. Its final color comes at about the one-year mark. That’s why your furry friend changes its color to brown.
Secondly, White Shih Tzu is also prone to tear staining, causing discoloration in areas around the eyes. The discoloration gets worse and becomes brown if the eyes of your Shih Tzu are not tended to or cleaned regularly.
Thirdly, if the coat of the White Shih Tzu is not tended to in order to remove dander and shedding hair, it can trap more dirt, leading to the growth of bacteria. In worse cases, discoloration of the coat may happen.
We recommend the FURminator Undercoat Tool which is specially designed for this purpose. This tool will enable you to pull out the loose undercoat hairs without vandalizing the topcoat or piercing the skin. Its handle ensures a great grip and makes it user-friendly.
How Do You Keep A White Shih Tzu Clean?
You can clean your White Shih Tzu by bathing them, using pet wipes, freshening sprays, and dry shampoos with regular brushing.
For White Shih Tzus with sensitive skin conditions such as dryness or itching, the Seamus Cherry Blossom Whitening Dog Shampoo is best for improving your canine’s skin and whitening its coat when used regularly. As this product uses a professionally designed soap-free formula, it is highly recommended by veterinarians.
Here are other grooming tips for your beloved pooch:
- Wipe off the face and eyes daily.
- Brush the coat of your pooch after every 2 to 3 days.
- Give a bath to your canine after every 3 weeks.
- Cut nails after 6 weeks.
- Trim the coat to make your pooch look dashing.
Related Questions
How Much Is A White Shih Tzu? The average price of a White Shih Tzu ranges from $750 to $3,000 depending on various factors such as location, supply, and demand. Alternatively, you can look at adopting one from the shelters, and the adoption fees are generally much lower compared to a regular purchase.
How Can I Make My Shih Tzu White? There are several ways to do this. One common way to make your Shih Tzu’s fur white is to start by formulating a spraying agent using medicinal 1% peroxide boric powder, baby powder, and milk of magnesia, and apply this agent on the non-white areas of the fur. Spray this once every day for the next couple of days till the affected fur areas whiten up.
What Is The Rarest Color Of Shih Tzu? Black is the rarest color that a Shih Tzu can be in. Black Shih Tzus with white markings is considered to be common among other Black Shih Tzus, whereas Shih Tzus in an all-black coat are considered to be extremely rare due to the breeding difficulty.
