I think Theo is brindle but I'm not sure.

by Danielle
(Nederland Texas USA )

Theo is a rescue I adopted I'm just curious what color he would be classified as. His nose is dark brown with a chocolate spot in the center and he looks brindle to me.

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Hi, Janice Here from Miracle Shih Tzu
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It is never easy trying to pin down the exact color of a Shih Tzu Dog when you are viewing photographs.

His hair indeed looks like a brindle but if he has a brown, or chocolate colored nose, he would be classified as a liver.

Livers can be any color, from a very light, almost white colored coat, cream, tan, orange, red, brown, and even the dark color that your dog appears to be.

For whatever reason, according to the American Kennel Club (AKC) any time a Shih Tzu has a brown nose, they are classified as liver regardless of what color their coat appears to be.

This is also true of the blue color. Blues can have hair colors of various shades, but if their noses are blue, then they are classified as blue.

The actual hair color can be named on only those Shih Tzu dogs that have a black nose. (Most Shih Tzu dogs do have a black nose as it requires recessive genes in the mix to create brown nosed dogs.)

That just means that black noses are dominant and brown noses are recessive if you remember your high school biology class.

So, if your dog were AKC registered, it would be listed as Liver.

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Jan 20, 2017
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starstarstarstarstar 		Dark Noses with Liver Spots
by: Janice

Shih Tzu colors are generally classified by the color of the hair. However, in the case of Blue and Liver Shih Tzu, the color is determined by the color of the nose, eye rims, paw pads and around the mouth.

There are many different shades of liver and as long as the nose is not solid black, but brown the dog would be called liver.

Livers can be as dark as a dark chocolate brown to a lighter brown to even a pinkish brown, but they are all classified as liver.

I suppose that a dark brown nose with a lighter spot in the center is possible, but I just have never seen it.

To know for sure, use natural lighting or take the dog outside in the daylight. If the nose is black, even if there is a lighter coloring, then the dog is not liver.

Many puppies are born with pinkish noses that eventually turn to the true pigment whether it is black, liver or blue. Some of these pups, however, will end up with noses that are not completely black. Could this be what is happening with your dog?

It is really hard to know for sure without seeing the dog or a picture of the dog.
Jan 15, 2017
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starstarstarstarstar 		Nose
by: Danielle

Is it possible for liver colored to have such a dark nose with a lighter liver spot in the center?

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I hold an undergraduate degree in Psychology with a minor in biology, Early Childhood Education, and Nursing, and a Master's in Mental Health Counseling.

I'm a lifelong learner, a dog lover, and passionate about the welfare of animals. Though Shih Tzu is my favorite breed, I've also lived with Poodles, Maltese, Yorkshire Terriers, Beagles, English Bulldogs, Carin Terriers, and a Cocker Spaniel. Little critters that shared my space included guinea pigs, rabbits, chinchillas, hamsters, mice, tropical fish, and birds. (Oh, and one crayfish and hermit crab that my daughter brought home from school)

When not writing, reading, and researching dog-related topics, I love spending time with my 6 Shih Tzu dogs, husband, and family, as well as knitting and crocheting. She is also the voice behind Small Dog Place and Smart-Knit-Crocheting. Please visit my other two sites or send me a note.