| A Shih Tzu Of A Different Color |
| Many people often have questions about a Shih Tzus coloring. I would like to take a couple of moments to go through some of the colors they come in. It is normal for a Shih Tzu to be born one color and registered as that color and then change to another color. Their coats may lighten, darken, or fade as they mature. There are also times when the climate or seasons may have an affect on their coloring. For example, a gold Shih Tzu may turn gray or a solid black may become silver. The Shih Tzu comes in a range of colors that include various shades of the color. There may be other identifying markers such as the amount of a certain color, mixtures of colors, black face masks, and black tips or markings to name a few. |
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| This is Tassy Lyn as a puppy and then as she matured she turned a light beige and white. AKC would still call her a gold and white. |
| BLACK AND WHITE One of the most common colors. The nose color is black. Some black Shih-Tzu will turn grey, silver, or brown as they mature. |
| As a puppy, Dora was born a light gold and white and as an adult she stayed the same color of gold and white. |
| GOLD AND WHITE One of the most common colors. The nose color is black. There are many shades of gold. The gold may be a mixture of golds, browns and blacks. |
| BRINDLE AND WHITE A common color. The nose is black. There are many shades of brindle. The brindle coloring may be a mixture of browns, grays, and blacks. Some times as adults the brindle turns darker gray. |
| PARTY COLOR A common color. The nose is black. The dogs main color is white with small areas of gold, black, or brindle. |
| LIVER AND WHITE A rare color, sometimes hard to find. The nose color must be liver, chocolate, or brown in coloring. The liver gene does not allow any black genes to come through. So you will never see a liver and white with black markings or a black nose. |
| BLUE AND WHITE A very rare color, harder to find. The nose color must be blue or purplish gray in coloring. |
| Sing Sing was black and white when she was little, then as she matured, she turned gray and white. |
| SOLID GOLD A unique color. The nose is black. There are many shades of gold. They may also have a black mask or black markings. |
| SOLID BLACK A unique color. Nose color is black. May turn various shades of gray, silver, or get a brown tint to their coat. |
| SOLID LIVER A rare color, sometimes hard to find. The nose color must be liver, chocolate, or brown in coloring. The liver gene does not allow any black genes to come through. So you will never see a liver with black markings or a black nose. |
| SOLID BLUE A very rare color, harder to find. The nose color must be blue, or purplish gray in coloring. |
| TAYCA WAS BORN BLACK THEN TURNED A SHADE OF SILVER THEN A SHADE OF BROWN |
| OLIVE WAS BORN BLACK THEN TURNED GRAY |
| LIGHTER LIVER COLOR |
| DARKER LIVER COLOR |
| MAVIA WAS BORN A DARKER LIVER COLOR, NOW SHE IS LIGHT LIVER WITH DARKER EARS AND TAIL |
| The classic markings of a gold and white, black and white, brindle and white, liver and white, and blue and white Shih Tzu are, a dark colored "bandit look" over the eyes, a white top knot on the forehead, a white area around the neck, four white paws, and some type of white tip on the tail (it may be a small or large marking). You may also visit www.americanshihtzuclub.org to get a full discription of Shih Tzu colors. |
| It gets a little confusing when it comes to the livers and the blues. Their color is based on the pigmentation of their nose and not on the color of their coat. They may also have the liver or blue pigmentation on the rims of their eyes, foot pads, skin and lips. The livers and blues are the rarest because one or both parents have to have a dominant gene for the color or two recessive genes to make it dominant. A liver or blue can have a variety of coat colors, but must have a liver or blue nose. For example you could have a solid black with a blue nose and it would be called a blue, or you could have a light gold and white with a liver nose and it would be called a liver and white or on the other hand, you may have a solid black with blue or liver tones to it, but it would be called a black because it had a black nose. A good rule to use when determining the color is: The Shih Tzu has a black nose- the dog is whatever color the coat or fur is. The Shih Tzu has a blue nose- the dog is blue or blue and white. The Shih Tzu has a liver nose- the dog is liver or liver and white. |
| This information is based on my opinion and experience as a Shih Tzu breeder. This page was created June 2011. |
| This is our stud male Blue. When his coat is longer it has more creams and blue tints. When his coat is cut short it looks more silver. |
| If you would like more information about our Shih Tzus, please click on the link below to send us an email. Contact Us |
| Lori Hopper Home: 910.763.7122 or Cell: 910.431.2639 |
| SOLID BRINDLE A unique color. The nose is black. There are many shades of brindle. The brindle coloring may be a mixture of browns, grays, and blacks. Some times as adults the brindle turns darker gray. |
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| BLUE CREAM |
| BLUE |
| THE PICTURES TO THE LEFT ARE STANDARD BLUE AND WHITE PUPS. THE PICTURE TO THE RIGHT IS A BLUE CREAM AND WHITE PUP |