The Shih-poo is a small domestic dog

Dog

The domestic dog is a domesticated form of the gray wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties. The dog may have been the first animal to be domesticated, and has been the most widely kept working, hunting, and companion animal in...

. It is a cross

Crossbreed

A crossbreed or crossbred usually refers to an animal with purebred parents of two different breeds, varieties, or populations. Crossbreeding refers to the process of breeding such an animal, often with the intention to create offspring that share the traits of both parent lineages, or producing...

 between a Poodle

Poodle

The Poodle is a breed of dog. The poodle breed is found officially in toy, miniature, and standard sizes, with many coat colors. Originally bred as a type of water dog, the poodle is highly intelligent and skillful in many dog sports, including agility, obedience, tracking, and even herding...

 and a Shih Tzu

Shih Tzu

The Shih Tzu is a breed of dog weighing with long silky hair. The breed originated in China and is among the earliest breeds. Shih Tzu were officially recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1969...

. The name Shih-poo is a portmanteau of the two breed names.

Associations such as the AKC

American Kennel Club

The American Kennel Club is a registry of purebred dog pedigrees in the United States. Beyond maintaining its pedigree registry, this kennel club also promotes and sanctions events for purebred dogs, including the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, an annual event which predates the official...

, the UKC

United Kennel Club

The United Kennel Club is the second oldest all-breed registry of purebred dog pedigrees in the United States and the second largest in the world. According to the website, the club records 250,000 registrations annually. The UKC is not part of the International Canine Organisation, Fédération...

, and the CKC

Canadian Kennel Club

The Canadian Kennel Club is the primary registry body for purebred dog pedigrees in Canada. Beyond maintaining the pedigree registry, the C.K.C...

, do not recognize the Shih-poo, or any other designer cross, as a breed.

Appearance

The Shih-poo is one of many named Poodle crossbreeds, bred in an attempt to combine the characteristics of the Poodle, such as its high intelligence and low-shed coat, with the desirable traits of another breed (in this case, the Shih Tzu). However, it is equally likely that undesirable traits from the parents will be produced as well, so puppies must be carefully selected. Some Shih-poo may have a longer, more Poodle-like muzzle than their Shih-Tzu parent, alleviating many breathing problems that Shih-Tzu can experience.

See also

• Poodle hybrid
  Poodle hybrid
  Poodle hybrid describes a cross between a purebred poodle and a dog of another purebred dog breed. They may be described as a crossbred, mixed breed dog or designer dog...
  
  
• Dog hybrid (crossbred dogs, not dogs bred with foxes or other species)