In our home we have 4 Shih Tzu pets giving us first hand experience grooming, bathing and caring for our pets. We know exactly how much the Shih Tzu sheds. It is not very much.
Some other sites include unrelated information and general information not all related to shedding. We are here to provide short clear answers to your question and will try to stay relevant for does a Shih Tzu shed.
Here are the points we will cover:
- How Much Does a Shih Tzu Shed
- Does the Shih Tzu Have Hair or Fur
- Are Shih Tzus Hypoallergenic
- Is Shih Tzu Good for People With Allergies
- Does Grooming Affect Shedding – Should my Shih Tzu Cut be Short or Long
Keep reading to learn more.
How Much Does a Shih Tzu Shed
First of all know that Shih Tzus do shed. But they are one of few breeds that shed very little.
The hair length may affect how much shedding occurs to a small extent. You can expect little to very little shedding from a Shih Tzu regardless of hair cut style.
As a Shih Tzu matures from a puppy to an adult, it might shed more. When the puppy is 9 to 12 months, they will lose their fine thinner hair and sometimes shed more than usual. After 2 or 3 weeks, this will settle down when their adult coat is in and shedding will settle down.
While raising our Shih Tzus, we never noticed any increased shedding at any time. As the puppies mature you may or may not notice this with your pets.
Does the Shih Tzu Have Hair or Fur
Most dogs have fur, but not the Shih Tzu. It has both.
Like you and I, the Shih Tzu top coat is hair and that is why it can grow long and flowing. The undercoat is soft and fuzzy fur. Hair grows slower than fur, and takes longer to cycle. The cycle means to grow, die then fall out of the follicle. With a longer cycle the hair falls out less often so there is less shedding.
The fur will also shed, but the outer hair generally holds this in. Longer hair locks it in even more so it does not spread around the house.
Our Shih Tzus love to cuddle and we love to hug them too. In doing so, we get very little if any hair on our clothing from contact with our pups.
Are Shih Tzus Hypoallergenic
Most people consider Shih Tzu to be hypoallergenic but this is not true.
They do shed very little, so that people are less allergic to them.
People believe Shih Tzus are hypoallergenic because they are not allergic to them.
Is Shih Tzu Good for People With Allergies
Yes, the Shih Tzu is a good choice for persons with allergies. Brushing and washing help remove loose hair and fur so it does not get spread around the home.
Short haircuts give the impression of much less shedding. That is because the hair is shorter and less visible. Very short cuts could allow dander to be present. But scheduled bathing can also keep this in check. Grooming is very easy with shorter hair cuts.
Longer hair will hold dander and fur within, yet long hair requires extra care on your part. Your Shih Tzu could get tangles and knots which are uncomfortable for your pet. Frequent brushing would prevent this problem.
We have family who cannot not be around most dogs due to allergies. When we visit there were no allergies so we considered that our Shih Tzu’s were allergy friendly.
Final answer, yes, the Shih Tzu is one of the better choices if you have allergies. Even more so if it is well groomed.
Does Grooming Affect Shedding – Should my Shih Tzu Cut be Short or Long
This depends on your preference and how much time you wish to devote to grooming your Shih Tzu.
Short hair is the easiest to look after. Perform regular baths and and some brushing to keep this hair style maintained.
Longer hair requires frequent brushing, and fastening the hair to keep it out of their eyes.
We have 4 Shih Tzus, so our obvious choice is shorter cuts for easier grooming. Bathing is quick and easy as long as our dog allows it. Generally we don’t even need to brush at all, except for the longer hair we keep on their ears and tails.
If we only had one dog we would consider a longer hair style. But only if the dog was comfortable and not prone to overheating.
Closing Thoughts
No dog is completely non-shedding or hypoallergenic. But the Shih Tzu is one of the best small dogs that don’t shed [here’s what the AKC says] for an almost shed free experience.
A dog that sheds little will reduce allergies in others. Your clothing remains hair and dander free so it is safer to visit others.
Check out our related article on Grooming your Shih Tzu (coming soon)