Was told he was a Shih tzu

by Sonia Nieves
(Puerto Rico)

Our 11 month boy, Odie was given to my husband as a gift for our daughter. Well, the person said he was a Shih Tzu, but I'm not quite sure. His muzzle is short but not as flat. He doesn't have much hair on his face. His tail, even though he curls it up on his back it's not so fluffy. So I'm not sure if he's a Prapso or Shih Tzu mix. Either way we love him very much. Oh he like to play fetch and he does gets the ball.

Hi, Janice here from Miracle Shih Tzu,

Thank you for sharing your dog's picture and story with us. Without doing DNA testing, it is really impossible to know for sure whether he is a pure bred Shih Tzu or not.

Prapso puppies are Shih Tzu but have characteristics that make them look a little different such as you mentioned (less hair around the face, shorter coats, less fluffy tails.) If your dog is Prapso, he is likely a partial Prapso because he still has the hair around his face, just not in the quantity that a normal Shih Tzu might have.

As far as him being a mix, there is that possibility.

His head and ear carriage look very much Shih Tzu. He is liver colored which is a standard color for the Shih Tzu breed.

It is his head shape and snout that do not conform to the standard. They appear more pointed and the face thinner than what you would see even in a Prapso puppy.

But, it is really hard to identify breeds with just a couple of photos.

When shelters or rescue organizations try to guess the breeds of dogs they take in, they look at the entire body, weight, and even personality to get a good estimate of the breed.

While your puppy may in fact be a purebred Shih Tzu that does not conform to standards, there is the possibility that he is also a mix.

If mixed with a shorter haired dog such as dachshund, chihuahua, or beagle, that might explain the shorter hair. Comparing the personality of your dog to that of other small breed dogs might help narrow the options.

There is no genetic tests for Prapso, as they are always full Shih Tzu puppies normally with registration paperwork such as with the American Kennel Club to prove their ancestry.

I'm not sure this was all that helpful. But does it really matter what breed of dog a person has as long as the dog is right for them?

There are so many breeds available with even more options for mixes that one might say that we are living at a period of history where there has never been so many options for selecting a dog.

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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.