All Shih Tzus pictured  where produced by Sonshine Shih Tzus; offspring of Anne's Puppies.

        Colors questions are one of the most confusing questions to answer. I will try to giving you my; 35 years of experience. Still it will be hard for many individuals to understand coloring. Over the past 5 years, I have read and learned as much about coloring as possible. I still have a lot to learn.  These pages shows how Sonshine Shih Tzu  believes in determining the color of a Shih Tzu.

      All colorings and marking are acceptable in  Shih Tzus.

         Pigment (color of the nose) plays the most important part of what a Shih Tzu's color is and what it  will become as he or she matures.

     means white is the dominate color on the dog; and may including some sort  of at least one other color.

       White -A Shih Tzu that is born white; will stay white. It is very rare to see an all white Shih Tzu. Most usually have some other coloring somewhere on them even of it's just an ear or a spot on the rear..

     Black and White

    # 1 st- common color

    Nose is Black.

     These colors represent the Yin (Black) and Yang (White).  These two energies work together to cause everything to happen. Thus keeping the world at balance.

# 2  nd- common color

 Nose is Black.

        Mostly- White is a Parti-colored.   

        Dark Gold- a puppy can start out with black tips. At birth the puppy looks Black and white, after a few days new color seems to emerge. Golden gets more and more noticeable.

         Light gold - the puppy is born looking golden already.

        Nose must have liver pigment

            Parti-colored-dogs main color is White.

        Royal Markings-White blaze, crown, beard, feet and white tip on tail are all classic marking and are considered desirable giving it's owner good luck.

   Silver is a grayish color. True silver starts at birth. However, it's rare to see it at birth. Parents that carry the blue gene, can also have a silver offspring. Silver at birth can stay the same or change to a liver sheen.

    Shih Tzus born with any color may turn as they age to  silver.         

 Tri- color -the dog is white with two other colors-usually brindle.

          Brindle- is a mixture of three colors usually gold, liver and black. Some of the time Brindle will turn to dark silver as it matures.

 Saddle is liver and black, along with ears and mask. May have Brindle in any or all of the royal markings.  

the dog usually has a small patch of blue that will lighten so the dog looks like a cream. The nose will still look egg plant colored.

Mask- dark color around eyes- usually black, not always. 

Crown- is white on top of head surrounded by any color.

 Blaze- is a white strip that connects the crown to another section of white on the face or the beard.

 Beard- bottom lip usually is white, but can be any color.

 Shawl  -is marking in white that usually are around the neck; may drape down the front paws.

 Saddle -is coloring over the back of the dog, behind the two front paws.

White blaze, crown, beard, feet and white tip on tail are all classic marking and are desirable providing it's owner with good luck all year long. You can see many of these traits on the Parti Shih Tzus, especially.

                           Test your knowledge of Shih Tzu

                                                                                                                   "We take what god gives us". He knows best and produces such beautiful babies for us all to enjoy.