In Australia the breed standard for a Shih Tzu is actually
mouth - Wide , slightly undershot or level . Lips level .
legs - short and muscular with ample bone , as straight as possible
temperament - friendly and independent
I can certainly see that some cross breeds would not be the prettiest thing , but that pup looks delightful:) You see along with my 3 pure bred dogs , I also own a Maltese x Shih Tzu who is a true delight , with zero faults and very beautiful . Sarah P.S She is the BEST of both breeds

The breeder who sold me Uno also has shih tzus and years back they decided to breed shorkies. She is very careful when choosing which dogs to breed, and they sure are cute...If you know your breeder well enough and trust him/her, then I would say go for it. Ask about the parents...

i would not pay for a mix breed there are way to many unwanteds out there

Agree....Although in my case I can't have a big dog, or a dog that sheds...After much looking at the shelters and the humane society where I volunteer, they rarely get small breeds that are non-shedding :( So...I bought my yorkie...Hopefully someday I can rescue one...:thumbup:

That little pup is so adorable and cute. It's true that breed characteristic goes a long way toward determining what an animal (and a human being for that matter) will be like but the living environment of the animal plus genetic heritage are also crucial. I think that owners' characters and personalites play an important role in their pets' behaviour as well as the individual characteristics of the pup's parents, so I wouldn't be excessively worried about how that little one is going to turn out. Sometimes we make a big deal of the features characteristic to a particular dog breed and more often than not, it's something closer to home that decides what the pup will be like. Again, I think that lil one is a real doll.:aimeeyork

I just found this post...did you get the shorkie??? Very cute pictures!!

Dawn

I won't profess to have a clue about the clinical side to combining these two breeds. BUT I do have a Yorkie and a Shi Tzu. I've often wondered what a cross breed would be like. Yorkies are HIGH energy dogs and Shi Tzus are LOW energy dogs, which is why it's hard for my two to always get along. I always wondered if the two would meet somewhere in the middle. Both breeds have wonderful temperments, but a Shi Tzu is more laid back. I'm thinking it could be like a wonderful Yorkie on a bit of a muscle relaxant (lol).

I'd be very intrigued as long as there were no health issues.

My opinion is that no reputable breeder intentionally breeds mixed breed dogs. There is just no purpose to it. When breeding purebred dogs, you are breeding to a written standard. When breeding mixes, there is no standard to breed to - you are just sticking a male and female together and letting them create puppies and who knows what the puppies will turn out to be like. These "designer dog" breeders are not trying to create a new breed - they are just breeding two dogs together - creating a new breed takes years and years of work, knowledge of genetics, and a lot of planning when breeding - you have to know what qualities you are looking for and breed toward that (basically breeding to a standard).

That being said, I have seen two full grown yorkie/shih tzu mixes recently. The first was probably about 9lbs. she was a reddish-golden color with a silky coat - very fine hair texture. She had floppy ears but they were pointy like a yorkies and not round like most floppy ears are so they looked a little funny. She had a longer muzzle more like a yorkie but you could see the shih tzu look to her face. The second one was a smaller dog - probaby 5-6lbs. She had a short muzzle (not as short as a shih tzu - the "baby doll" face like some yorkies have). She didn't really have a "shih tzu" look to her face. Her hair was more cottony in texture and she was also a reddish-gold color. I can't remember right now what her ears were like but this one was a cuter dog than the first one. With a mixed breed - you just can't be sure how they will turn out to look.

I've heard people say that she has a short muzzle and "smushy face" like a shih tzu , which to me makes her have the "baby doll" face like some yorkies have. However, her color is like a yorkie unlike most yorkie x shih tzu mixes I've seen. She weighs 4.3 lbs. Her ears are floppy and rounded. Her eyes are slanted with beautiful long eyelashes. So every mixed breed is different. Just like different races of people having kids together have diffferent looks so you just can't be sure how they will turn out to look. To me her look is constantly changing.

Pic 1: Two days after I got her
Pic 2: Taken in May
Pic 3: Taken in June

When I first got her I didn't stop to think how she would look when she got older and how much she would weigh because I feel in love with her when I held her. Who can resist those "please pick me & take me home" puppy eyes?! Now that she is older she's the most friendliest dog and has TOO MUCH ENERGY. Her temperment is very much like the yorkie. She shows me more love than my boyfriend and just as much love as any full breed dog. I wouldn't trade her for anything!!! So if you want the puppy get it, you won't have any regrets.

Precious, My Lil Marine (Devil Dawg) is a Shorkie
 

Im working on pics of my Lil Devil Dawg, but Ill tell you, Ive had other dogs, and while I loved them uncoditionally, they were either full blown shedders who loved tearing things up, or lazy as their daddy (LOL) But Precious is a way different story. She is very hyper when she plays "Chew on Daddy" but never has chewed on furniture or clothes etc etc. (only her toys and her Daddy...:eek: ) Now when she gets tired (and oh boy does she get tired!) she is the epitome of lazy! LOL

So Shorkies (thats what my breeder calls em) are awesome dogs. I can wear dark colored clothes and have yet to have her shed on me. And non-shedding is a MAJOR plus for my wife to allow a inside dawg. LOL :thumbup: :aimeeyork

Good Luck (albeit I know this is a old thread) with the puppy. I love mine!

I was thinking a shorkie was a schnauzer/yorkie..both dogs are sweet, so, they will most likely be sweet pups..

I just have to say that something is probably wrong there because i have read that if someone was to breed a shorkie the dad should be the yorkie not a shih tzu

awww how cute, if I hadn't got my babies fixed I think I'd have some really cute yorkie tzu's