The short answer
You can adopt a Shih Poo in Adelaide, though because it is a cross rather than a registered breed it is often listed as a Shih Tzu cross or Poodle cross, so set broad alerts across the main South Australian rescues and be application-ready, as small dogs go quickly. A rescue adoption fee already covers desexing, vaccination, microchipping and a vet check, against several thousand dollars from a breeder, and the cross is not restricted in South Australia. The honest part is the grooming and company: the wavy coat needs regular clipping, often marketed as low-shed, and this is a people-focused dog that does not like being left alone all day. The Shih Tzu side can be slightly flat-faced, so give shade and cool-of-the-day exercise on hot Adelaide days. Plan for all of that and a rescue Shih Poo is a lovely, easy-going companion.
Why Shih Poos reach Adelaide rescue
Shih Poos and the Shih Tzu or Poodle crosses they are listed as reach South Australian rescue steadily, usually for one of a few reasons, and almost never because of anything wrong with the dog.
Grooming was underestimated. The low-shedding wavy coat needs regular clipping every few months, and an owner who did not plan for that ongoing cost and effort sometimes surrenders the dog once it mats.
Company and separation anxiety. The Shih Poo is very people-focused and does not cope well with being left alone all day, and a dog that becomes anxious or noisy when left is sometimes given up rather than helped.
The designer-cross boom. Small crosses like the Shih Poo are heavily bred, often by backyard and commercial breeders, so more are produced than homes can keep, and rescues take in the overflow along with dogs surrendered on a change of circumstances.
Where to adopt a Shih Poo in Adelaide
Because a Shih Poo is a cross and often listed under its parent breeds, a wide alert net is essential. Set listing alerts on every rescue you would consider, and search for Shih Tzu and Poodle crosses too. For a fuller directory, see our guide to the best dog rescues in Adelaide.
1. RSPCA South Australia
The state body runs its main shelter and adoption centre at Lonsdale, with animals also in foster care across Adelaide. Small companion dogs and crosses come through via owner surrender, and every adoption includes desexing, vaccination, microchipping, a vet workup and a behavioural assessment. Apply at rspcasa.org.au.
2. Animal Welfare League SA
South Australia's largest animal welfare organisation, based at Wingfield with a strong foster network. It handles a large intake of surrendered and stray dogs, so a Shih Poo or Shih Tzu cross turns up from time to time, and small dogs tend to be snapped up quickly, so an alert helps. Adoption includes desexing, vaccination, microchipping and a vet check. Listings at awl.org.au.
3. Paws and Claws Adoptions
A foster-based South Australian rescue that rehomes a broad mix of dogs and crosses, including small companion dogs. Because dogs live in foster, the notes on a Shih Poo's temperament, coat and how it copes alone tend to be detailed and honest, which is exactly what you want with a people-focused cross. The application usually includes a home check. More at pawsandclawsadoptions.com.au.
Beyond these, the fastest way to scan many South Australian rescues at once is PetRescue, a national aggregator that lists animals from hundreds of member rescues in one searchable place. Browse the current Shih Poos and Shih Tzu or Poodle crosses on the Adelaide Shih Poo listings.
What a Shih Poo costs: adopt versus buy
Adoption is far cheaper at the outset. A rescue adoption fee already covers desexing, vaccination, microchipping, worm and flea treatment and a vet check, so the dog arrives ready to bring home and, if you adopt an adult, with a known size and coat.
A Shih Poo puppy from a breeder, by contrast, runs into the thousands with none of that vet work done yet. So adopting is many times cheaper up front. Separately from the adoption fee, in South Australia you register and microchip the dog through Dogs and Cats Online, the state-wide database, and your local council sets the registration fee, which is reduced for a desexed dog, so there is no single Adelaide-wide figure.
The ongoing cost worth planning for is grooming: the wavy coat needs clipping every few months, plus routine dental and preventative care. Pet insurance taken out while the dog is young is worth having.
Living with a Shih Poo, and the health picture
The Shih Poo is affectionate, cheerful and people-focused, happy with moderate exercise and well suited to apartment and first-time owners. The two things it asks for are grooming, because the coat needs regular clipping to avoid matting, and company, because it is very attached to its people and can become anxious if left alone all day. Reward-based training and early socialisation bring out a confident, friendly little dog.
On health a Shih Poo can inherit issues from either parent breed, including the flat-faced breathing and eye problems of the Shih Tzu side, along with luxating patellas, dental disease and some eye conditions. A rescue Shih Poo arrives vet-checked, so ask the rescue what the in-care assessment found, keep up with dental and eye care, and if it takes after the flatter-faced Shih Tzu side give it shade, water and cool-of-the-day exercise on hot Adelaide days, and insure the dog while it is young.
Shih Poos and South Australian dog law
The Shih Poo is not a restricted or prescribed breed in South Australia and is legal to own and rehome normally. Under the Dog and Cat Management Act 1995, a dog must be microchipped and, for dogs born after mid 2018, desexed by six months of age unless a vet grants an exemption, and registered through Dogs and Cats Online with your local council each year, with the fee reduced for a desexed dog. A rescue Shih Poo arrives already desexed and microchipped, so you simply transfer it into your name on Dogs and Cats Online.
Browse adoptable Shih Poos in Adelaide
Small dogs go quickly, so set an alert, and an adult lets you see the size and coat before you commit. Browse live South Australian listings now.
See Available Shih Poos →If you have been searching “Shih Poo puppies for sale”
Plenty of people arrive here after searching for a Shih Poo puppy to buy, and for this cross adoption has a real advantage: an adult rescue Shih Poo lets you see the size, coat and temperament you are taking on, where a puppy is more of a gamble. The for-sale listings are everywhere, because small designer crosses are heavily bred, which means a lot of backyard breeding and the occasional scam, so a cheap Shih Poo puppy or a deposit request for a dog you have not met is a warning sign rather than a bargain. In South Australia a dog must be microchipped and registered through Dogs and Cats Online, so ask any seller for the microchip number and confirm it before you pay, and cross-check anything that feels off against Scamwatch.
Adoption costs a fraction of a breeder price and gives a vet-checked dog a home. Register your interest with small-breed rescues, search under Shih Tzu and Poodle crosses, set alerts, and be patient; the right dog does come up.
Adult or puppy, and is a Shih Poo right for you?
For most adopters an adult is the better choice, because an adult shows you the real size, coat and temperament, where a puppy from a cross is more of an unknown. An adult also often has some house-training and a grooming routine in place and a lower adoption fee. A carefully matched, foster-assessed adult Shih Poo is a straightforward way into the breed.
Be honest about whether this cross fits your life. A Shih Poo is a lovely, easy-going companion for an owner who can keep up with the grooming and can give the dog company for much of the day. If you can offer both, a rescue Shih Poo is a wonderful little dog. If the household is out long hours or cannot manage the coat, a different breed may suit you both better than adopting and surrendering later.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I adopt a Shih Poo near me in Adelaide?
Start with the live listings on this page, which pull Shih Poos and Shih Tzu or Poodle crosses from shelters and foster-based rescues across South Australia, then widen out. RSPCA South Australia, the Animal Welfare League SA and Paws and Claws Adoptions all rehome small companion dogs and crosses, and PetRescue aggregates many smaller South Australian rescues in one place. Because the Shih Poo is a cross rather than a registered breed, it is often listed as a Shih Tzu cross or a Poodle cross, so set broad listing alerts and have your application ready, as small dogs are snapped up quickly.
Why do Shih Poos end up in Adelaide rescue?
Usually because of the grooming and companionship demands, or a change in the owner's circumstances, not because of anything wrong with the dog. A Shih Poo is a Shih Tzu and Poodle cross, affectionate and cheerful but very attached to its people and prone to separation anxiety, with a low-shedding wavy coat that needs regular grooming. When an owner did not plan for the grooming cost, cannot give the dog company, or faces a move or illness, the dog is surrendered. The designer-cross boom also means more are bred than homes can keep, and rescues take in the overflow.
How much does it cost to adopt a Shih Poo in Adelaide versus buying one?
Adoption is far cheaper at the outset. A rescue adoption fee already covers desexing, vaccination, microchipping, worm and flea treatment and a vet check, so the dog arrives ready to bring home and, if you adopt an adult, with a known size and coat. A Shih Poo puppy from a breeder, by contrast, runs into the thousands with none of that vet work done yet. Separately from the adoption fee, in South Australia you register and microchip the dog through Dogs and Cats Online and your local council sets the registration fee, which is reduced for a desexed dog, so there is no single Adelaide-wide figure. The ongoing cost worth planning for is grooming: the wavy coat needs clipping every few months, so budget for that whichever way you get one.
Are Shih Poos a restricted breed in South Australia?
No. The Shih Poo is not a restricted or prescribed breed in South Australia and is legal to own and rehome normally. Under the Dog and Cat Management Act 1995 it simply needs to be microchipped and registered through Dogs and Cats Online with your local council, and dogs born after mid 2018 must be desexed by six months of age unless a vet grants an exemption. A rescue Shih Poo arrives already desexed and microchipped.
Is a Shih Poo a good first dog?
Yes, for the right household. A Shih Poo is small, affectionate and generally easy-going, which suits first-time and apartment owners, and it does not need huge amounts of exercise. The two things to plan for are grooming, because the coat needs regular clipping, and company, because the breed is very people-focused and does not cope well with being left alone all day. If you can offer regular grooming and company, a Shih Poo is a lovely, low-demand first dog.
Are Shih Poos good with children and other pets?
Generally yes, with sensible introductions. A well-socialised Shih Poo is typically affectionate and gentle, usually good with considerate children and other pets, though its small size means supervision around toddlers and rough handling. Because each Shih Poo is an individual cross, temperament varies, so a foster carer who has lived with the dog can tell you exactly how it is with children, other dogs and cats, which is the most reliable guide.
Should I adopt an adult Shih Poo or a puppy?
For most adopters an adult is the better choice, because an adult shows you its real size, coat and temperament, where a puppy from a cross is more of an unknown. An adult also often has some house-training and a grooming routine in place and a lower adoption fee. A vet-checked, foster-assessed adult Shih Poo, matched carefully to your household, is a straightforward way into the breed.
I keep seeing Shih Poo puppies for sale. Is adopting really an option?
It is, and for this cross adoption has a real advantage, because an adult rescue Shih Poo lets you see the size, coat and temperament you are taking on, where a puppy is more of a gamble. The for-sale listings are everywhere, because small designer crosses are heavily bred, which means a lot of backyard breeding and the occasional scam, so a cheap Shih Poo puppy or a deposit request for a dog you have not met is a warning sign rather than a bargain. In South Australia a dog must be microchipped and registered through Dogs and Cats Online, so ask any seller for the microchip number and confirm the dog is registered before you pay anything. Adoption costs a fraction of a breeder price and gives a vet-checked dog a home, so register your interest, set alerts, and be patient.
Keep reading
Adoptable Shih Poos in Adelaide
Live listings with foster carer notes on size, coat and temperament.
Best Dog Rescues in Adelaide
The verified shelters and foster rescues to set alerts with across South Australia.
Dog Adoption in Adelaide
Browse adoptable dogs and every breed guide for Adelaide.
Adelaide Adoption Resources
Guides on adopting, costs, council rules and settling a rescue dog in Adelaide.