Shih Tzu Puppies: Adopt or Buy?

Should you adopt or buy a Shih Tzu?

For most households, adopt. Shih Tzus and Shih Tzu crosses reach Australian rescues, mostly as adults, and an adult lets you see the two things that matter most in this breed before you commit: how it breathes and how it copes with grooming. The fee includes desexing, microchipping and vaccinations.

Buying from a breeder is a reasonable choice if you want a puppy or a pedigree. The honest condition is that you choose the breeder for the dogs' breathing and temperament, not for the flattest face or the cheapest price. There are three routes:

• A rescue, shelter or council pound. A published fee, vet work done, usually an adult. The trap is impatience: purebred puppies are rare in rescue.
• A registered breeder. A pedigree puppy registered with the Dogs Australia body in your state, raised with its mother. The trap is a breeder who will not talk about breathing or heat.
• An online ad. The highest risk: pet scams and puppy farms both advertise popular small breeds.

What is a Shih Tzu like, according to the breed standard?

Source: Dogs Australia Shih Tzu breed standard (last updated 22 February 2017), read 9 November 2026. The right-hand column is general guidance.

The coat is the daily commitment most buyers underestimate. A short pet clip is an option that cuts the daily brushing; our Shih Tzu grooming guide covers the routine.

Is the Shih Tzu a flat-faced breed, and does it matter?

Yes, and it matters. The animal welfare charity UFAW says brachycephaly (a short-skulled head shape) is part of the Shih Tzu breed standard, and that the airway obstruction syndrome occurs in all dog breeds with brachycephaly. The RSPCA Knowledgebase describes the result, brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS), as lifelong and often progressive, with noisy breathing, exercise intolerance, gagging, regurgitation and overheating among the signs. Surgery can help but is not a cure, and anaesthesia carries extra risk in these dogs.

How common is it in Shih Tzus? The best recent evidence is a University of Cambridge study published in February 2026, which assessed nearly 900 dogs across 14 short-skulled breeds. It placed the Shih Tzu in a moderate-risk group, the five breeds in which half to three-quarters of the dogs studied were affected. That is lower than the two high-risk breeds in the study, the Pekingese and Japanese Chin, but it is not nothing. The study found being overweight was a significant risk factor for the Shih Tzu, and that in the Shih Tzu shorter tails were linked to higher risk.

• Heat. The RSPCA says many brachycephalic dogs have an increased risk of heat-related illness, which can be life-threatening, and may be unable to exercise normally in warm, humid weather. Walk early or late, and never leave the dog in a car.
• Weight. Keep a Shih Tzu lean. The Cambridge findings make this the one risk factor every owner controls.
• Vet care. The RSPCA advises owners of flat-faced breeds to plan for specialised vet care and to think about access to an emergency vet.

Our Shih Tzu health guide covers breathing, eyes, teeth and skin in more detail. This is general information, not veterinary advice; your vet can assess an individual dog.

How do you judge a Shih Tzu breeder?

By the parents, not the paperwork alone. The Cambridge researchers said being aware of risk factors is useful for both breeders and prospective owners, and those risk factors are things you can see on a visit. Dogs Australia says responsible breeders should show you all the dogs on their premises, and suggests asking whether your vet can check the puppy before you buy.

1. Watch the mother breathe. At rest she should breathe quietly with her mouth closed. Ask to see her move about; a dog that tires fast or breathes noisily after gentle play is a warning.
2. Look at the nostrils. Open nostrils are better than pinched slits. Ask about the father too.
3. Ask about heat, weight and sleep. Does either parent snore, overheat or need cooling in summer? Has either had airway surgery? A good breeder answers plainly.
4. Check registration. A pedigree puppy is registered through the Dogs Australia body in your state; ask for the papers and the breeder's member number and confirm it with that body yourself.
5. Check your state's number. NSW, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and the ACT each have their own breeder or source number rules. Our puppies for sale guide sets out each scheme.
6. Get the vet records. Vaccinations, microchip number and a vet check for the puppy you are buying.

If a breeder sells the flattest face as a feature, walk away. The Dogs Australia standard itself asks for a muzzle about an inch long, not a face with no muzzle at all.

What does a Shih Tzu cost?

We looked for a Shih Tzu breed club or Dogs Australia page that publishes a puppy price and did not find one, so we do not quote a breeder range. Any figure on a listing site is that seller's asking price. Here is what rescues publish:

Fees as published by each rescue on the date shown. A reference, not a quote: fees change and some dogs are priced individually. Adoption fees normally include desexing, microchipping and vaccinations.

Over a Shih Tzu's life, grooming is a bigger cost than the purchase price for many owners. Run the numbers, including a clip every few weeks and pet insurance, through the dog cost calculator.

What do Shih Tzus in rescue look like?

Mostly adults, and many of them crosses. Across the rescues we aggregate, Shih Tzus appear a handful at a time, often as crosses with a Maltese or a Poodle (sometimes listed as a Shih Poo), and purebred puppies are rare. If you are happy with a calm adult or a senior, rescue is a strong route for this breed; our guide to adopting a senior dog covers what to expect.

An adopted adult answers the questions a puppy cannot: you can hear how it breathes, see how it tolerates brushing, and the rescue or foster carer can tell you how it copes with heat, children and other pets. Book a baseline vet check in the first week, and ask the vet to look at the airway, eyes and teeth. Widen your search with the Maltese page and the small-dog listings for your city below.

What do Shih Tzu scams look like?

Scamwatch describes the pattern across all pet scams: fake websites, social media profiles and marketplace listings for popular breeds that do not exist, and a price so cheap it is likely a scam. A Dogs Victoria fact sheet adds that scam ads may display microchip, source or membership numbers copied from real breeders, and that scammers often ask for extra money for shipping or transport.

• No visit, no video. The puppy is always somewhere else.
• Extra fees after the deposit. Transport, a crate, insurance or a vet certificate, each one urgent.
• Copied photos and text. Reverse image search the photos and search a sentence of the ad.
• A number that does not match. Check any breeder, source or microchip number on the official register yourself.
• Pressure to pay by bank transfer or gift cards.

If you have already paid, contact your bank straight away and report it to Scamwatch.

Is a Shih Tzu right for you?

• Good fit: a home that wants a small, affectionate companion, can groom daily or pay for regular clips, and will keep the dog cool and lean.
• Think twice: a household that wants a running or hiking partner, or a hot home with no air conditioning.
• Consider instead: a senior Shih Tzu from rescue if you want a calm lap dog without the puppy stage.

Not sure a Shih Tzu is the one? Try the what dog breed am I quiz, read our guide to apartment dogs in Australia, or take the adoption readiness check.

Find a Shih Tzu near you

Each page shows Shih Tzus listed right now by rescues in that city, and each listing links to the rescue where you apply directly.

• Shih Tzus for adoption in Sydney
• Shih Tzus for adoption in Melbourne
• Shih Tzus for adoption in Brisbane
• Shih Tzus for adoption in Perth
• Shih Tzus for adoption in Adelaide

Small dogs of every breed, listed by city: Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide.

Local Shih Tzu adoption guides: Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Perth, Adelaide.