Shih Tzu Colors

There are many Shih Tzu Coat Colors as well as pigmentation variations. When you are looking for your new puppy this is one of the questions I get asked the most. What color is this puppy considered?

Per the AKC website   ““All Shih Tzu Coat Colors are permissible,”

Here you can find information on all the different color variations of the Shih Tzu breed.

Certain colors and markings are rare and/or more in demand.
Girls are always more popular.

(listed in order of desirability)

A.  Coat Markings
1) Tan “Dobie” markings (extremely rare)
2) Solid color with no markings
3) Multi-color with symmetrical markings
4) Multi-color with asymmetrical markings

B.  Color of Points (eyes, nose, lips, paw pads)
1) Blue (rare)
2) Lavender (very rare)
3) Liver (eyes might be green; rare)
4) Black
5) One blue eye
6) Pink on nose, lips, or eye rims

C.  Color of Coat (solids preferred to multi-colors)
1) Blue ( very rare)
2) Lavender (very rare)
3) Dark Chocolate (very rare)
4) Lighter Chocolate (or Liver; rare)
5) White (solid only; very rare)
6) Cream
7) Brindle
8) Red
9) Black
10) Silver
11) Gold

When you’re looking into the breed that is right for you it’s important to be educated on breed overall temperament, health and of course the physical traits.
Here at Divine Pups we take pride in producing some of the rarest and highly sought-after puppies.

The Exotic and Rares**( the color of the dog is determined by what color the nose is)

1. Liver- ( an Exotic Color) If the shih tzu has a liver (brown/chocolate) nose, eye rims, lips, pads, it is a Liver Shih Tzu, it doesn’t matter what color the coat is on these dogs its still a liver. anything except black. It cannot have a strand of black anywhere to be a liver.

2. Blue- ( Extremely Rare Color) Most people have never seen these, (only a few breeders produce these). Sometimes blue can be tricky and hard to determine, Some noses are obvious and are light purpleish blue or light grey, but some are a real dark gunmetal grey and you may think it’s black. Most blue shih tzu’s have grey eye rims, grey lips and foot pads. Some I have seen have a blue tint to their skin in some spots. A blue shih tzu can have any color coat. Just because the coat on a dog looks blue does NOT make it a blue shih tzu. Go by the Nose. You can tell the colors better in bright light outdoors. Compare a blue nose to a black nose to see the difference.

3. ISABELLA or LAVENDER- (Extremely RARE COLOR) The same dilution gene that causes a black dog to become blue also causes a liver dog to become isabella (aka lilac, lavender) which is a pale greyish/blueish brown. Dilution (blue) and liver are both recessive and relatively rare, so Isabella is rarely seen. It is genetically impossible for a blue dog to have any black in its coat, or for an isabella to have liver.

4. DOBIE MARKED- (Extremely Rare and Highly Prized Markings) The TAN “Dobie” markings ON A BLACK PIGMENT, BLACK HAIRED PUPPY will appear in a very specific pattern in very specific locations on the body – a spot over each eye, on the jowls, on the lower legs, and under the tail. The same markings can appear on a liver or a blue. That would make a liver dobie or a blue dobie. These puppies are likely to be the highest priced.