The short answer
You can adopt a Shih Tzu in Melbourne, and for a small breed they turn up fairly regularly, though they still place fast. Set alerts across the main Victorian rescues, be application-ready, and be open to a Shih Tzu cross or an older dog. Adoption runs about $350 to $700 for an adult and $500 to $900 for a puppy, all-inclusive, against several thousand dollars from a breeder, and the breed is not restricted in Victoria. The honest part is the care: the long coat needs daily brushing or a regular clip, the prominent eyes need watching, and as a flat-faced breed the Shih Tzu needs sensible heat management. Get that right and you have a gentle, devoted companion.
Why Shih Tzus reach Melbourne rescue
As a popular small companion breed, the Shih Tzu and its crosses reach Melbourne rescue fairly regularly for their size, for a handful of usual reasons.
Grooming underestimated. People choose a Shih Tzu for the sweet face and the full coat, then find the coat needs daily brushing or a regular clip to avoid painful matting. When that does not fit the household, the dog is sometimes surrendered, or kept matted and then surrendered in poor coat condition.
Life changes and older owners. The Shih Tzu is a classic companion for older people, so some come into rescue when an owner dies or moves into care, often as gentle, well-socialised seniors. Moves, new babies and illness account for others.
Backyard breeding. As a popular small breed, Shih Tzus and crosses such as Shih Poos are sometimes produced by backyard or commercial breeders, and rescues occasionally take in ex-breeding dogs or surrendered litters that often blossom into devoted pets.
Where to adopt a Shih Tzu in Melbourne
A wide alert net is the right approach. Set listing alerts on every rescue you would consider, and add small-breed and foster-based networks. For a fuller directory, see our list of Melbourne rescues and shelters.
1. RSPCA Victoria
The state body runs adoption centres at Burwood East and RSPCA Peninsula at Pearcedale. Small dogs including Shih Tzus and Shih Tzu crosses come through via owner surrender, and every adoption includes desexing, vaccination, microchipping, a vet workup and a behavioural assessment. Apply at rspcavic.org.
2. The Lost Dogs' Home
Melbourne's long-established metro shelter, based in North Melbourne with a second facility at Cranbourne. It handles a large intake of stray and surrendered dogs, so Shih Tzus and Shih Tzu crosses turn up regularly for a small breed. Adoption includes desexing, vaccination, microchipping and a vet check. Listings and process at dogshome.com.
3. Lort Smith
Lort Smith runs an Adoption Centre at Campbellfield with a full vet workup behind every dog, useful for a breed with eye and dental needs. A broad mix of small breeds means a Shih Tzu or Shih Tzu cross features from time to time. More at lortsmith.com.
4. Save-A-Dog Scheme
A Melbourne-based no-kill rescue running since 1985, with a mix of shelter and foster placements. Because many dogs live in foster homes, the notes on a Shih Tzu's temperament, coat condition and behaviour with children and other animals tend to be detailed and honest, which matters for matching a gentle companion dog well. More at saveadog.org.au.
5. Second Chance Animal Rescue
A Victorian foster-based rescue that regularly takes small dogs and crosses, including seniors and dogs that need a patient home. Because dogs live in foster, you get a clear picture of the real personality before you commit, and the application usually includes a home check. Listings at secondchanceanimalrescue.com.au.
Beyond these, Animal Aid at Coldstream and the Australian Animal Protection Society at Keysborough both rehome small family dogs including Shih Tzus, and the fastest way to scan many Victorian rescues at once is PetRescue, a national aggregator that lists animals from hundreds of member rescues in one searchable place. Be wary of any group calling itself a Shih Tzu rescue that asks for money before you have confirmed a real address, a current adoptable-dog list and charitable status. Browse the current Shih Tzus and Shih Tzu crosses on the Melbourne Shih Tzu listings.
What a Shih Tzu costs: adopt versus buy
Adoption is far cheaper at the outset. A rescue fee for an adult Shih Tzu through a Melbourne rescue commonly runs about $350 to $700 for an adult, with puppies usually $500 to $900, and that fee already covers desexing, vaccination, microchipping, worm and flea treatment and a vet check.
A purebred Shih Tzu puppy from a breeder in Victoria, by contrast, typically runs into the thousands, with none of that vet work done yet. So adopting is many times cheaper up front, and the dog arrives already vetted and, if you adopt an adult, with a known temperament.
Over time, budget for regular grooming, since the coat needs daily brushing or a clip every few weeks, and for the eye and dental care the breed tends to need. Council registration under the Domestic Animals Act 1994 is a modest yearly cost, reduced for a desexed and microchipped dog, and pet insurance taken out while the dog is young is worth it.
The health reality: eyes, coat and heat
The Shih Tzu is a flat-faced breed, so it can have some breathing sensitivity and, importantly, does not handle heat well: on hot Melbourne days it needs shade, water and a cool space, and should not be exercised in the heat. Its large, prominent eyes are a particular watch point, because they are easily scratched, ulcerated or affected by dry eye, and the breed is also prone to ear infections, to dental crowding and retained teeth because of its small jaw, and sometimes to a luxating kneecap.
The coat is the daily commitment. A full Shih Tzu coat needs brushing every day to prevent painful matting, and many owners keep the dog in a shorter clip to make care easier, which also helps on hot days. A rescue Shih Tzu arrives vet-checked, so ask the rescue what the in-care assessment found, keep up the coat and eye care, and insure the dog while it is young so conditions are not later excluded.
Shih Tzus are not a restricted breed in Victoria
It is worth stating plainly. The Shih Tzu is not a restricted breed under Victoria's Domestic Animals Act 1994. It is legal to own and rehome normally, and simply needs to be microchipped and registered with your local council. Under that Act a dog aged three months or older must be registered, microchipped before that first registration, and re-registered each year. The registration figures and the desexed-dog discount are set by each council, so check Agriculture Victoria and your own council for the amount.
Browse adoptable Shih Tzus in Melbourne
Shih Tzus and their crosses turn up regularly for a small breed, including gentle seniors. Browse live Victorian listings and set an alert so you hear the moment one comes in.
See Available Shih Tzus →If you have been searching “Shih Tzu puppies for sale”
Plenty of people arrive here after searching for a Shih Tzu puppy to buy, and that makes sense: the for-sale listings outnumber the rescue ones, so buying feels like the only route. Reputable registered breeders do exist, and there is nothing wrong with orienting yourself by them. But before you spend anything, it is worth knowing that the online market for a popular small companion breed attracts scams and backyard breeding, and a cheap Shih Tzu puppy or a deposit request for a dog you have not met is a warning sign rather than a bargain. In Victoria, any advertisement to sell or give away a dog must display the animal's microchip number and a Pet Exchange Register source number, so check that number on the Pet Exchange Register before you pay, and cross-check anything that feels off against Scamwatch.
Adoption is the better first move for most people. It costs a fraction of a breeder price, gives a vet-checked dog a home, and an older rescue Shih Tzu asks far less guesswork about health and temperament than a puppy does. Because the breed comes into rescue fairly often for its size, a suitable dog may come up sooner than you expect. Set alerts, stay open to an older dog, and be ready to apply.
Adult or puppy, and is a Shih Tzu right for you?
For almost every adopter an adult is the better choice, and Shih Tzu puppies are rare in rescue anyway. An adult has a known temperament, any eye or dental issues already assessed, often some training in place, and a lower adoption fee. Older and senior Shih Tzus wait longest and often make the most placid, affectionate companions, and they suit a quieter home very well.
Be honest about the breed. A Shih Tzu is gentle, affectionate and good with families, and its modest exercise needs suit an apartment or a quieter home, but it needs daily coat care or a regular clip, its eyes need watching, and it needs sensible heat management as a flat-faced dog. Get that right and a rescue Shih Tzu is a lovely, devoted companion. If the daily grooming does not fit your life, it is kinder to choose a lower-maintenance dog than to adopt and surrender later.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I adopt a Shih Tzu near me in Melbourne?
Start with the live listings on this page, which pull Shih Tzus and Shih Tzu crosses from shelters and foster-based rescues across Victoria, then widen out. RSPCA Victoria, the Lost Dogs' Home, Lort Smith, Save-A-Dog Scheme and Second Chance Animal Rescue all rehome small dogs including the occasional Shih Tzu, and PetRescue aggregates many smaller Victorian rescues in one place. Shih Tzus and their crosses turn up fairly regularly for a small breed, so set listing alerts, have your application ready to send the same day, and stay open to an older dog and to collecting from regional Victoria.
Why do Shih Tzus end up in rescue?
Usually the grooming, or an ordinary life change. The Shih Tzu is a gentle companion dog, but its long double coat needs daily brushing or a regular clip, and an owner who underestimated that sometimes surrenders it. Because they are a popular small breed, they also come into rescue through moves, new babies, illness, and the death of an older owner, since Shih Tzus are a common companion for seniors. Backyard-bred litters and crosses such as Shih Poos appear too. None of it is the dog's fault, and a well-matched rescue Shih Tzu is an affectionate, easygoing companion.
How much does it cost to adopt a Shih Tzu in Melbourne versus buying one?
Adoption is far cheaper at the outset. A rescue fee for an adult Shih Tzu through a Melbourne rescue commonly runs about $350 to $700 for an adult, with puppies usually $500 to $900, and that fee already covers desexing, vaccination, microchipping, worm and flea treatment and a vet check. A purebred Shih Tzu puppy from a breeder, by contrast, typically runs into the thousands, with none of that vet work done yet. So adopting is many times cheaper up front, and an adult arrives already vetted and with a known temperament.
Are Shih Tzus restricted in Victoria?
No. The Shih Tzu is not a restricted breed under Victoria's Domestic Animals Act 1994. It is legal to own and rehome normally and simply needs to be microchipped and registered with your local council from three months of age, with the registration renewed each year and a reduced fee for a desexed dog. A rescue Shih Tzu arrives already desexed and microchipped.
What health problems should I know about with a Shih Tzu?
A few are worth understanding. As a flat-faced breed the Shih Tzu can have some breathing sensitivity and does not handle heat well, so it needs care on hot Melbourne days. Its large, prominent eyes are easily scratched, ulcerated or affected by dry eye and need watching, it is prone to ear infections and to dental crowding because of its small jaw, and some have a luxating kneecap. A rescue Shih Tzu arrives vet-checked, so ask the rescue what the in-care assessment found, and take out pet insurance while the dog is young so conditions are not later excluded.
Are Shih Tzus good with children and other pets, and good in an apartment?
Generally yes to all three. The Shih Tzu is a friendly, affectionate companion breed that is typically good with children and other animals and suits apartment life well, because its exercise needs are modest. The things to manage are the daily grooming, the care its eyes need around boisterous play, and the heat. A foster carer who has lived with the individual dog can tell you exactly how it is with kids, cats and other dogs.
Should I adopt an adult Shih Tzu or a puppy?
For most adopters an adult is the better choice, and Shih Tzu puppies are rare in rescue anyway. An adult has a known temperament, any eye or dental issues already assessed, often some training in place, and a lower adoption fee. Older and senior Shih Tzus wait longest and often make the most placid, affectionate companions, and they suit a quieter home very well.
Are there free Shih Tzus in Melbourne, or ones under $500?
Be careful with free or very cheap Shih Tzus. A legitimate rescue charges an adoption fee, commonly $350 to $700 for an adult and $500 to $900 for a puppy, so the lower end lands under the $500 people search for, because that fee part-covers the desexing, vaccination, microchipping and vet check the dog has already had, which a free dog from a classified ad has not. A Shih Tzu advertised free to a good home, or well under a rescue fee, is one of the classic scam and backyard-breeding setups, so treat a bargain as a warning sign and check any seller against the Victorian rules below before paying anything.
I keep seeing Shih Tzu puppies for sale. Is adopting really an option?
It is, though you may need patience, because the for-sale listings are easier to find than rescue ones, which makes buying feel like the only route. It is not the only route, and it is not always the safest. The online market for a popular small companion breed attracts scams and backyard breeding, and a cheap Shih Tzu puppy or a deposit request for a dog you have not met is a warning sign rather than a bargain. In Victoria, any advertisement to sell or give away a dog must display the microchip number and a Pet Exchange Register source number, so check that number on the Pet Exchange Register before paying anything. Adoption costs a fraction of a breeder price, gives a vet-checked dog a home, and an older rescue Shih Tzu asks far less guesswork about health and temperament than a puppy. Set alerts, be application-ready, and be patient.
Keep reading
Adoptable Shih Tzus in Melbourne
Live listings with foster carer notes on temperament and health needs.
Best Dog Rescues in Melbourne
The verified shelters and foster rescues to set alerts with across Victoria.
Registering a Dog in Melbourne
Council registration, microchipping and the Victorian rules for a new dog.
Melbourne Adoption Resources
Guides on adopting, costs, council rules and settling a rescue dog in Melbourne.