Shipoo Puppies
A Quick Introduction to Shipoo Puppies
Shih-poo or Shipoo puppies are a mixture of the Shih-Tzu and the Poodle. They are hybrid dogs which are bred to combine features of two different breeds. Dogs such as Shipoo puppies are sometimes called designer dogs because they are intentionally mixed breeds where breeders decide to bring together elements of two interesting breeds.
It is hard to predict the temperament or physical characteristic of Shipoo puppies because it is hard to estimate the exact degree of representation of each of the parent breeds. Breeders do not always use a 50 percent representation of the Shih-Tzu and the Poodle as the parents used in the breeding may not be pure breeds themselves. So, depending on the exact mix used in a given puppy, Shipoo puppies can be 75 percent Shih-Tzu and 25 percent Poodle or 60 percent Poodle and 40 percent Shih-Tzu. So, if you are picking a Shipoo puppy, you should be willing to deal with those elements of surprise that may come up as your dog grows older. However, you can may a fair estimate of some of the characteristics of your puppy by assessing the features of the Shih-Tzu and the Poodle breeds.
Shih-Tzu is a breed that is a little longer than it is tall. It is a small faced toy breed with a long-haired coat. You will very often see the hair above the face of a Shih-Tzu pulled back in a pony-tail. This breed is known for its muscle tone and strength although the dog is small in stature. Shih-Tzu dogs are considered friendly and easy-going and are good apartment pets. They get along with humans and other animals. They can be stubborn and it is critical that their owner establish an early leadership role. Sometimes, humans overindulge small dogs and this leads to conflicting roles where the Shih-Tzu later finds it hard to understand that it is supposed to listen to the owner. If you find a Shih-Tzu barking a lot it is often because it is trying to communicate what it would like done. So, early in the relationship the lines need to be drawn and by being consistent you can have a very well behaved Shih-Tzu. The other known issue with this breed is the difficulty in getting it house trained. The small bladder of this breed may mean a prolong period of crate training.
Poodles are small dogs with distinctive long ears and long hair. They are popular show dogs that can be groomed in interesting ways. The long muzzle and the shape of the proportionate shape of the legs and the body make it a popular pet for those who are looking for an elegant pet. While Poodles are friendly and good-tempered, they can be fierce barkers unless broken out of that habit early on in their training. The good news with this breed is that these dogs are very intelligent and capable of responding well to training. They do not need too much exercise and if there playfulness is indulged, that usually gives them an adequate work-out also.
With the information about the Poodle and Shih-Tzu, here is what we can expect from Shipoo puppies. They are likely to be small and will have a long-haired coat. Shipoo puppies will need grooming as both the parent breeds can look quite matted without frequent trims. The Shipoo is likely to be strong although it will probably not need long walks or a very vigorous work-out. It is likely to be a good apartment dog. It will probably be friendly although its socialization will depend much on early training. It is likely to be intelligent but will need to be taught early on that the owner is the leader of the pack. By being consistent and firm, owners should be able to communicate expectations to Shipoo puppies.
There is no reason to expect any particular health issue with these hybrid dogs. While they will probably have some of the show dog qualities of the Shih-Tzu and Poodle, they are not likely to be accepted in shows because they are not pure breeds. Shipoo puppies will be a good fit for those looking for a small and intelligent toy breed.