The Shih Tzu Chihuahua Mix dog, a cross breed that also goes by the names of Chi-Shi, Shichi and Chi-Tzu, is a designer dog breed that comes to life as a result of cross breeding one Shih Tzu parent with one Chihuahua parent.
Out of all the alternative names mentioned above that the Shih Tzu Chihuahua Mix dog goes by, it’s most commonly referred to as a ShiChi (also spelled Shi Chi).
Shih Tzu Chihuahua Mix Recognition
Even though the Shih Tzu Chihuahua Mix dog isn’t officially recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC), it is recognized as a designer dog breed by the following institutions.
- American Canine Hybrid Club (ACHC)
- Dog Registry of America (DRA)
- Designer Dogs Kennel Club (DDKC)
- Designer Breed Registry (DBR)
- International Designer Canine Registry (IDCR)
Chihuahua Shih Tzu Mix Appearance
If you’re planning on adding a Shih Tzu Chihuahua Mix to your household/family, then besides the fact that you should expect constant “awwwwws” from everyone wherever you go with this tiny little beauty, the following are some of the most common physical appearance traits that Shih Tzu Chihuahua Mix dogs are known for.
Size, Height & Weight
Shih Tzu Chihuahua Mix dogs are very small sized dogs, which is no surprise given the fact that they come from two of the smallest dog breeds out there, the Shih Tzu and the Chihuahua.
On average, Shih Tzu Chihuahua Mix dogs will grow up to stand at 7 to 10 inches tall (17.7 to 25.4 cm) and will tend to weigh anywhere between 4 to 16 pounds (1.8 to 7.2 kgs).
Hair
Most of the times, the Shih Tzu Chihuahua Mix will have hair that looks like a complete mess since it almost always takes its hair style from its Shih Tzu parent.
Rarely do Shih Tzu Chihuahua Mix dogs ever take their hair style/type from their Chihuahua parents.
Coat Color
Some of the most common coat colors that the Shih Tzu Chihuahua Mix dog comes in are white, brindle, light yellow (blondish color), black, mix of black & white, tan, brown
Shichi Dog Temperament
Even though you can never tell what the exact temperament of a cross breed will precisely be like because this greatly depends on which of the two parents the dog actually takes more of its character and temperament from, there are certain personality traits that most Shichis share, most note-worthy of which we’ll be expanding on in this section.
Outgoing Or Shy?
While many purebred/crossbred dogs out there are notorious for how outgoing they can be with people and other pets/animals that they’ve just met for the first time, you can expect the Shih Tzu Chihuahua Mix dog to be a fairly shy one that takes its time warming up to others.
Once a Shih Tzu Chihuahua Mix dog warms up to you and takes a liking to you, expect to be showered with love and affection from a dog that has one of the most beautiful personalities you’ve ever seen.
As far as getting along with other pets at home or other household members, you don’t have anything to worry about as the Shih Tzu Chihuahua Mix is known to cause very little conflicts wherever it is.
Energy Levels
Make no mistake about it whatsoever – Shichi dogs may look small and tiny and make you go all “awwwww”, but this designer dog breed is full of sky-high energy levels that they get from their Chihuahua parents more than their Shih Tzu parents.
Remember, Chihuahuas are tiny dogs but one of the most energetic purebreds out there, and the same is true for the Shichi crossbreed.
However, the good news is that the Shichi dog often tends to tire itself out by the end of the day by itself without you needing to set aside and dedicate much time solely to give them the physical activity they need.
While other, larger dog breeds may need up to 2 hours of dedicated time just for exercise that you set aside from your day or delegate someone else to take care of, the Shih Tzu Chihuahua Mix dog will most likely get all the physical activity it needs to get for the day just by moving around the house all day long, playing with their toys and just being the active dogs that they are by themselves.
If, for any reason, you happen to have a lazy Shih Tzu Chihuahua mix that doesn’t like to be active around the house by itself, or they aren’t able to move around the house during the day because of very limited space indoors, then all you need to do is take them out for a 15 to 20 minute walk and they’ll call it quits for the day.
Not A Good Watchdog
Because of many different factors that come into play, most important of which to note are their shy personalities and the fact that they almost never bark, Shichi dogs usually make terrible guard dogs for homes.
When looking for a guard dog for your home, you should ideally be searching for a dog that has adequate physical power to them, aren’t shy at all and bark when they have to in order to alert you if anything is wrong, all of which the Shichi is pretty weak at.
Shih Tzu / Chihuahua Cross Living Conditions
Single, Couple Or Family
Regardless of whether you’re a single person living along at home and thinking about getting a Shichi to add to your life, you’re a couple living under one roof or you want to add a Shichi to your household and family where young kids also reside, this crossbreed will prove to be an excellent addition for all cases alike.
A dog as small as the Shichi would greatly appreciate having a similar play buddy in your young kids that are also as small in size, and would also love the attention, care and affection someone older can offer them, so there’s something in this dog for everyone out there.
Whatever the case is with you, however, you just have to remember that the Shichi is a loving and affectionate dog that likes to be around the company of people and doesn’t like to be left alone by itself for long periods of time.
Indoors VS Outdoors
Because the Chihuahua Shih Tzu Mix dog is so tiny in size, they can perfectly live indoors if you have an apartment, and they won’t be uncomfortable indoors like a large sized dog would.
However, if you’re looking to a Chihuahua Shih Tzu Mix dog to your household and plan to have them hang out outside the house somewhere such as your backyard for any period of time, you should make sure that they’re only given free-roaming access within a fenced area.
And, not any fenced area would do just fine, the fence should be a fairly long one to prevent even the highest of jumping dogs out there.
Chihuahua Shih Tzu Mix dogs have legs that are fairly longer than average, a unique feature to them that makes it much easier for them to jump over fences if they put their minds to it and if the fence wasn’t tall enough to prevent dogs that are able to jump up real high such as the Shichi dog.
Shih Tzu Chihuahua Mix Health
Just like the majority of cross breeds (also referred to as designer dog breeds) out there, there are certain health risks that the Shichi dog is more at risk of suffering from during their lives than other dogs.
The most common health problems that the Shichi dog tends to experience in their lives have been mentioned in the following list below.
- Breathing problems
- Hip dysplasia
- Sudden drop in blood sugar levels
- Eye problems
- Weak immunity system
Keep in mind, though, that it’s not a necessity that your Shichi will pass through any or all of these health and physical problems in their lives, it depends on many different factors as well as pure chance.
On average, the Shih Tzu Chihuahua mix dog is expected to live a lifespan that lasts anywhere between 11 to 16 years if given the proper care it needs throughout it’s life.
Shih Tzu Chihuahua Mix Grooming
The Shih Tzu Chihuahua mix dog almost always gets its coat from its Shih Tzu parent, which means that it’s a long coat that’s going to need a fairly strict schedule of brushing, combing and bathing.
If you want to decrease the frequency of grooming practices required from you on a daily basis because of how long this dog’s coat is, then it’s probably a good idea that you take them to a professional dog groomer to have their coats trimmed every now and then and kept short.
This way, you’ll only need to brush and comb your Shichi’s coat only around 2 to 3 times a week instead of having to do so 1 time, and sometimes even 2 times, every day.
mY Shichi is now a year old in March he is a good watch dog and barks when he hears or sees anyone out front of my house. His only bad habit is that he likes to bite my fingers and I have Arthritis ouch. He is very protective of me, very funny, and playful. Only thing with him if I let him outside lose in the yard I can not get him to come in the house, he dose not listen to me. Other then that he is very loving and everything you say about him is true.
i have a 5lb female and a 7lb male, they are great watch dogs . the female is mine and the male is my grandson, so they bring the male over every day and my husband watches and trained both pups together from age 7wks. the house training went well . they listen very well. when let out side, we let them play a little and bring them in. and listen to comands good. and both are very loving w/everything. the little female rules the roast at my house , i have to big pitbulls and female is the boss. the male hairy goes home w/grandkids at night , so i gress he’s one of the grandsons, and they r both adorible evern as adults. and everything you say about them is true.
I have a ShiChi he marches when he walks is that normal? He marches when he walks is that normal? He is one year old