The Shih Poo dog’s sweet and easy-going personality has earned it the nickname “teddy bear dog.” However, this moniker is not a correct representation of the looks of this designer breed. The Shih Poo is the most recent hybrid canine developed. This crossbreed has only been around since the late ’90s. Even though the Shih Poo is a late addition, its positive characteristics make it immensely popular among admirers.
Not much is known about the exact beginnings of the Shih Poo. However, the dog’s admirers continually study the parent breeds’ history, which helps them learn as much as possible about this hybrid. This process is approved because no designer dog is guaranteed to possess a specific color, personality, or size.
Shih Poo dogs are a combination of two purebreds, which are the Shih Tzu and the Poodle. However, most breeders tend to use one of two Poodle variations, which consists of the Toy Poodle or the Miniature Poodle. This process results in the eventual adult size of the Shih Poo puppies, though there isn’t a big difference. The Poodle and the Shih Tzu both possess outstanding characteristics that make them desirable as parents of a new, individual breed.
This breed saw its popularity increase sharply around 2005. The Shih Poo is a must-have pet for dog lovers that cannot own one due to allergies. They are primarily bred to be hypoallergenic. However, a trend that pet experts find concerning is that many breeders continue to match small dogs with much smaller mates to achieve a toy or teacup variation of the breed. Unfortunately, this breeding process results in fragile dogs along with a litany of health issues.
People that want to own Shih Poo puppies need to understand that this new crossbreed is considered a first-generation offspring or “F1”. Most dog experts agree that there will one day be enough Shih Poo dogs to begin breeding Shih Poo to Shih Poo, which is known as “F2” breeding. Therefore, at this point, it is possible for the hybrid that we know today can someday become recognized as its very own breed, which will lead to a more traditional idea of the character traits of a Shih Poo.
The Poodle Plus The Shih Tzu Equals The Shih Poo Dog
The Shih Tzu, which was also known as the lion dog, has an exciting history. It is a great idea to learn more about Shih Tzu’s history before finding a Shih Poo breeder.
The other parent breed of this hybrid is the Poodle. However, it depends on the breeder; generally, the Toy or Minature Poodle variations are primarily used to create the hybrid Shih Poo puppies. According to breed historians, these dogs’ history goes back to Europe and Asia before that. The Poodle that we see and know today originated in Germany. Most people cannot believe the Poodle was developed to be a swamp dog. Experts can confirm this part of the Poodle’s history; however, their origins are disputed by historians.
Some historians believe that the Poodle is related to an Asian dog that landed in Portugal and Spain by the Moors around the Eight century. In contrast, others believe those same Asian dogs were brought to Germany by a group of tribal people called the Goths. No matter where they came from, they were used as working dogs because of their coat that had the propensity to repel water and their high level of intelligence that did not go unnoticed.
At one time, the Standard Poodle was a recurrent highlight of traveling circuses. The dogs were easily trained to perform flawless tricks and maneuvers that amazed crowds. The Poodle was chosen to cross with the Shih Tzu because of its hypoallergenic feature. Experts point out that the Poodle’s coat, which is tightly curled, more resembles that of human hair than animal fur; Poodles hardly shed if at all, and when it does it does so during the time of the year that other dogs shed, which is before and just after winter.
Also, the unquestionable intelligence of the Poodle makes them extremely easy to housetrain. In fact, some owners tend to enter their puppies into dog competitions like agility. Poodles possess a great deal of energy, making it crucial that you allow them to work off all that energy for a more manageable dog. The Poodle is also considered to be a “People” dog. They do not imprint on only one owner like some other breeds; they are incredibly loyal to the entire family.
Keep in mind that the smaller versions of the Poodle result from breeding smaller dogs with the Standard Poodle to achieve a small dog. The way it works is – the runt, which is the most miniature puppy in the liter, is mated with another runt.
When you combine a Poodle with a Shih Tzu, the puppies will usually possess both parents’ long hair, though it generally adopts the Poodle’s low-shedding features. The temperament of the Shih Poo is typically positive as well; this is an affectionate and intelligent dog.
