New Shi poo owner

Hello,

I am glad to have found this board. We just adopted/rescued a darling little dog this week. Yesterday our vet told us she was a shihtzu mix, possible with a poodle. Today she is at the groomer. When I told the groomer I did not know what she was, she immediatly looked at her and said she was a shi-poo!! The groomer said that shi-poo was a very popular breed right now and she sees a lot of them.

She is a beautiful white with a little carmel color on her back and touches on her ears. She has a little underbite which sometimes makes her look mad, but she is just a sweetie that wants to cuddle and play. They have guessed she is about 6 years old. She is so loving, plays fetch with a racquetball and wonderfully housebroken. It sounds like her previous owners fell upon some tough times and moved to an apartment that would not let them keep her. What a terrible loss.

After looking at some of your pictures of your shitzu/poos I am sure that is what she is. I saw one that could be a sibling, they look so much alike.

I am enjoying this site very much and look forward to learning more about your pets. I plan to post her picture when I pick her up from the groomers today. Becky

 

Would love to see pictures of your new pride-and-joy! Can you share some?

There are lots and lots of shihpoo owners on this board... so you should feel right at home! I was going to tell you about the "tradition" of a shihpoo to change colors... but since your dog is well into his adult stage, I'm sure he's already changed My dog was very black and white, and turned into a gray/charcoal color.... a lot of the white and brown will "fade" into an all carmel coat....

Anyhow, enjoy the board... and let's see your new baby

 

I didnt realize Shihpoos change colour. Thats makes me a little worried. My 3 1/2 month old Shih poo is a gorgeous mixture of carmel, white and black. Please dont tell me she is going to change colour!

 

Well, I'm not an expert or anything, just judging from my experience.... So maybe it won't happen with yours. I know several people who that has happened to. There is a person on this board who has two... one brown and one black. They both changed color.... the black shihpoo had spots of white on her forehead, chin, etc... and now I think only has on her chest. Another person (gosh, haven't seen her in foreverrrr)... has a white shihpoo named Tigger. Tigger was white and had patches of brown... tooo cute! Now Tigger is completely white! LOL.......The before/after pictures are amazing...

 

Wow. Well I love my Emma to death, whether she changes colour or not. I just hope she doesnt. She is 3 1/2 months old now. Do you happen to know when the colour changing usually takes place? At what age roughly?

Thanks so much!

 

Gosh.. I have no idea... if I remember right, I'm thinking it was within the first year.... And, of course, you'll love your baby regardless ...

 

Another Shihpoo owner! Woohoo! Congrats on your baby, he sounds wonderful.

I have two female Shihpoos.. sisters from the same litter. My girls are 1 1/2 yrs. old.

One is black with a white chest, paws and under her chin. When we first picked her out at 2.5 weeks old, she also had a white stripe up her forehead... by the time we picked her up at almost 9 weeks old, the stripe was gone. She now has some white on her back now too! It looks soooo cute!!

My other girl was dark brown when we picked her out at 2.5 weeks old. She has lightened up and is now a medium coffee color I would say. Her ears are still dark dark brown and have red as well. She also still has red & black in her face and her back. Her tail has lightened up but still has black/brown in it.

I had heard that Shihpoos change color also and although I think deep down many of us would like for them not to change color, you'd be surprised at how much you fall in love with their new markings! It's so unique!

 

I have a shihpoo who is now 4 months old. She weighs just over 6 lbs at the moment. Does any one have and idea about how big she will get. I am not sure if the mother was a shitz tzu or a poodle. I bought her at a pet store (big mistake) but at least I saved her, she was being treated very badly. I just hope she wasnt from a puppy mill. I am hearing now that people are trying to get their license taken away from them. Anyways. All i know is the poodle was a miniture poodle but not a toy. Some people tell me 12 lbs some tell me 20 lb. I spoke to a man who has a 22 lb Shitz Tzu who supposedly is not over weight and then i spoke to a couple that have a 12 lb Shitz Tzu who is slightly over weight according to their vet. Something doesnt see right there.

Her colour at the roots of her hair is starting to change. Right now she is coffee colour with black and white. I hope she keeps some of the carmel colour. I guess its hard to say. The vet couldnt tell me, just that shihpoos almost always change colours and her roots are changing. Apparently at 1 year they should stop changing.

 

Sunshinne, I'd love to see pics of your shihpoo I bet she is just adorable!! Of course I'm partial... but I think shihpoo puppies are just the cutest

Okay... funny thing about weight...
my little fella weighed 3.5 at 10 weeks when we got him... and was about 11 lbs at 1 year.. When we got him, we were told he'd be 8-12 lbs. I, too, got him at a petstoren and don't know about his parents. (No lecture on the petstore please -- lesson learned, but thank God, he's been a healthy happy boy!. Well, now he weighs 15 - 16 lbs (goes up/down) at 2.5 years of age. He is definitely not overweight (at one pt I worried about him being too skinny). He is just a big boy... When we got him we were told he'd be 8-12 lbs!!! I guess it goes to show ya, that ya never know!!

 

Thanks for the info! I dont mind Emma being big. My concern is that she loves to be held in my arms. We take her everywhere we can to solicalize her. I just hold her in my arms the whole time and she loves it. Does your shihpoo at that size and age still love to be held? I mean 16lb can be hard to hold but i would still do it. I am just curious if they grow out of the holding stage. My shihpoo Emma is still young (4 months). I have a feeling she is going to be big, she is already 6 pounds. She gained 3 lb (she was 3 lb when we got her) in 1 1/2 month. The vet just said she had a really big growth spurt because she was happy and in a new home, blah blah blah lol and that she should slow down now. I guess its hard to say how big she will be.

She constantly tries to play with my two cats but they dont want to play so they always just jump up where she cants get them and she just ends of barking and barking at them. I dont know how to get her to stop. I am hoping she will grow out of it but unless i can let her know that is bad i doubt she will. So far nothing has worked. I thought about getting another puppy to keep her company and maybe then she will leave the cats alone but that could backfire too. I could have two puppies barking at the cats. And then there is the work. One puppy is enough. Plus i am in an apartment. two dogs and two cats is probably too much.

I dont know how to get pics onto here or i would love to send you some.

 

The color change you might experience could be one of two things. First of all many of them change when they get their adult coat, usually by the time they're a year old.

The other color change isn't really a color change, but is the result of grooming. If the hairs are banded, lighter at the base and dark on the tips, when you get the dog clipped all the darker ends are cut off, leaving a lighter colored coat. If you have the dog clipped regularly it will always appear light. If you let the coat grow out, you'll start to see the darker color come back, but then if it's clipped, it'll be light again.

Dark coats will also fade from exposure to sun light, chlorine in the water used to bathe them, some shampoos, and from regular clipping.

 

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH my dog is definitely one that lovessss to be held! He also loves to sit on my lap whenever I sit on the floor... He is definitely a lap dog, that loves to snuggle and get attention. He's two years old and it hasn't subsided! LOL... As far as his weight, he's also not too big to be held either. I agree, it would be easier if he was smaller, but it's not that bad at all.

As far as the color changes (again)... I've seen shihpoos that have literally LOST their "spots"... lol....

 

Ooops... forgot to mention, if you want to PM me, we can exchange emails and you can send me pics of your dog. If you want, I can even help you with posting them online so you can show others

 

Help a prospective shihpoo owner

My wife and I are looking into buying a shihpoo. We visited the local pet store tonight and were wondering if $600 is reasonable? We have no idea! Please help us!!!

 

In my opinion, it depends on what YOU THINK is reasonable. We paid $400 for ours two years ago, but I've seen the prices rise a lot since then...and recently saw an advertisement for $700 - 800. Just remember, a shihpoo is a MIXED BREED. They are not full bred, papered, etc.... and sometimes the prices for full bred dogs are in that same range. But, to 'sort of' answer your question... that seems to be the going rate.... and believe me, if he/she is healthy (be careful!!!) you will loooooooooove this mix!

Also, and I will certainly not lecture you... but please please please ... reconsider purchasing from a petstore. I'm sure you've heard all the horror stories about puppy mills, etc.... That's all I'm going to say.... because we lucked out and got ours from a petstore also (Before I knew better)... luckily he is healthy and happy!

 

Thanks for the info...I'd heard about pet stores being "iffy." I haven't bought a dog before, how do I go about finding a trustful breeder in my area (Lincoln, Nebraska)?

 

That is an awesome deal. I paid $1200 for my shihpoo. Very over priced I know but she was being treated so badly i had to save her.

 

I am so dire need of advice. My shihpoo is constantly barking at my two cats. Everytime they even move a muscle she is there barking at them, or if they jump somewhere high she barks even more. I doesnt bother me so much. I tell her no and move her away from the cats but my spouse is getting quite angry at my dog because she barks. I don't want him yelling at her (we have never hit her but he does yell even when i tell him not to). I dont know how to stop her from barking at the cats. A friend suggested a collar that sends a static shock to her every time she barks but i could never do that to the dog. My spouse and i both love her to death but we just dont know how to get her to stop the barking.

Does anyone have any suggestions or anyone else with a similar problem?

 

Never, ever, buy a puppy or kitten from a pet store. Never buy one from a backyard breeder, a puppy broker, or a puppy mill. Never pay more than $150 for a mixed breed dog of any kind. A price of $600 for a mixed breed dog is outrageous.

One of my dogs is a purebred, double registered dachshund. I can call his breeder at any time and comment something like "Olsen runs with his head thrown back, nose to the wind" and she'll tell me "Oh yes. He inherited that trait from his mother" or "The vet said Olsen has a freckle on his retina" and she'll answer, "His great grandfather had the same thing. The ophthomologist at MSU said they don't know what causes it, it may or may not be genetic, but it's nothing to worry about."

Olsen's parents and grandparents are all champions, specialty winners, and have had group placings at many of the major dog shows. His litter brother is the UKC #1 show dog, all breeds, for 2004. He'll also be shown at Westminster next year. His litter sister is also a finished champion, and she's qualified to compete in the Eukanuba Tournament of Champions. Olsen is not a show dog because his nose is 1/4 inch too short. But he's a registered therapy dog, and is starting his career as an obedience competitor soon.

His breeder guarantees his health, his temperment, and will take him back should I be unable to keep or care for him. She does all the health and genetic testing available prior to breeding a litter. She has over 20 years experience in breeding champion dachshunds that are healthy and of sound temperment. She knows his genetic ancestory, forwards and backwards, and if a problem arises, she's there to consult with. And she charged me $400, and that included the price of his neutering surgery.

You won't find too many "breeders" of mixed breed dogs that have breeding stock of that quality, that sort of knowledge, and are willing to take that much responsibility for the animals they produce. So why should you be paying such a premium price?

Check out puppies in shelters or rescue groups. They need homes too, and you won't be lining the pockets of people who are only in it for the money.