If you’re looking for a sweet and furry companion that packs a punch, look no further than the Bulldog Shih Tzu Mix! Despite the fearsome appearance of its Bulldog parent, the Bull Shih usually has the adorable face and shaggy coat of a Shih Tzu, paired with the stout body of a bulldog. It’s like the best of both worlds without any pesky drawbacks!
As far as colors go, Bull-Tzus come in plain white, tan, or black, as well as a range of other hues with delightful markings. It’s like having your very own living work of art, except this art is also super cuddly.
The Bulldog Shih Tzu mix is known for its calm nature, which is surprising when considering the Bulldog’s reputation. But, hey, maybe it’s just proof that opposites attract! Whatever the reason, you’ll find that these hybrid dogs are a joy to be around and make great companions.
On this page, we’ve got all the information you need about the Bull Shih, including its history, temperament, exercise needs, and feeding requirements. We promise we won’t leave you “bull-ied” by all the details, and you’ll come away feeling like an expert on this lovable and unique breed.
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Bulldog Shih Tzu Mix History
As you may already know, when you breed two purebred breeds together, you get a mixed breed or designer breed. Because of this, it can be incredibly difficult to pinpoint when someone started breeding these two breeds together. Since we do not know much about this mixed dog breed, we will look at the history of the parent breeds.
Shih Tzu History
If you do not know, the Shih Tzu dates back to Tibet in a breeding stock where two breeds were bred together to make the famous Shih Tzu. It then made its way throughout China and became a royal breed.
This breed was used to aid the emperor of China during the Ming Dynasty. However, it wasn’t until the 1930s that the breed started to get known outside of China and was allowed in the American Kennel Club in the late 1960s.
Bulldog History
You may not know this, but the Bulldog dog breed dates back to the late 13th century. The name suggests the type of job this dog used to have: baiting bulls in England.
When the sport of bullbaiting ended in the early 1800s, the enthusiasts who still loved and believed in the breed refined its look of the breed to make it more family-friendly.
They were eventually accepted into the American Kennel Club in the 1880s. You can still find Bulldogs today, which have become symbols for many things.
Shih Tzu Bulldog Appearance
With any mixed breed, you can get a wide variety of appearances depending on the traits your puppy gets from which parent. Your dog will most likely have a flat face which is standard for both breeds. However, this breed can be very muscular due to the Bulldog parent’s traits.
When these two breeds are combined, you will still get a rather small dog weighing only 20 to 30 pounds. You may also notice that your dog is round and has legs very similar in size to the body.
Bullshih Coat
As you maybe already know, the Shih Tzu and the Bulldog have very different coats. The Shih Tzu features a very long, silky coat, while the Bulldog has a flat, very short coat. Unfortunately, you don’t know what kind of coat your dog will have because it can vary from puppy to puppy.
Your dog will likely shed quite a bit, so be ready for that, especially if the dog takes on more traits of the Bulldog parent. If your mix takes on more traits from the Shih Tzu parent, it won’t shed as much. There are a variety of different color variations that your new Bulldog Shih Tzu mix might take on.
What Colors Do They Come In?
Here are a few of the color choices that your dog may come in:
- Fawn
- Brindle
- White
- Red Hues
- Brown
Bulldog Shih Tzu Temperament
Do not be fooled by this dog’s small appearance; they are energetic and like to play. They are loving and loyal dogs and like to be with humans who match their energy, which is why the Bulldog Shih Tzu is the perfect companion for a child.
If this dog breed is not trained properly on how to act around people or children, it has been known to nip or playbite at times, which must be corrected. Bulldogs are aggressive but can learn to be loving and friendlier with proper training.
This dog is an ideal family pet and will suit families with small children. It also suits older people as it does not require much maintenance. A loyal breed will always want to be by your side. However, the Bullshih can have separation anxiety tendencies which is something to keep in mind.
Shih Tzu Bulldog Size
The Bulldog Shih Tzu mix is considered a toy dog and does not grow to be big, weighing 9-16 lbs with an average height of about 9-13 inches.
Bulldog Shih Tzu Health Problems
There are no known health conditions of the Bulldog Shih Tzu mix; however, both the Bulldog and the Shih Tzu are short-nosed dogs and are prone to breathing difficulties, which could also be passed on to the mixed breed.
Brachycephalic Syndrome – I talked about this above as both of these parent breeds do struggle with the difficulty of breathing sometimes. This is the narrowing of the breathing passageways. Most likely, your dog will inherit this condition.
Eye Issues – Sometimes, this breed has protruding eyes, which can cause vision issues or even eye disease in long-term health cases.
Obesity – Another issue this breed faces is obesity. This breed could eat and eat if you allow them, so it is very important to feed your dog the recommended daily food limit.
Dental Issues – The Shih Tzu can develop dental issues. You must incorporate cleaning your dog’s teeth into your grooming routine. You can always have your dog’s vet check your dog’s teeth to ensure no dental disease is happening.
Allergies – Allergies can be very common with a variety of dog breeds. The Bulldog can have sensitive skin, leading to certain product allergies. Always check your dog’s skin when using new shampoos, and watch out for food allergy symptoms.
Whenever you doubt your dog’s health, I suggest an appointment with your dog’s veterinarian. You can ask any of the concerning questions you may have.
Life Expectancy of a Bulldog Shih Tzu Mix
The Shi Tzu breed has a longer life span than the Bulldog breed. When they are combined together, your dog will have a good range life span between 10 to 18 years. Just remember to keep your dog healthy to help prolong your dog’s life span. Of course, you can always ask your veterinarian for guidance if needed.
Living Conditions
This is an ideal dog for an apartment as it is small and clean. It has a lot of energy but must be taken outdoors daily, so it doesn’t get boring.
This dog does not do very well with extreme heat, and if owners live in a hot country, keeping the dog in a place where the temperature is favorable is recommended.
This mix also shouldn’t go on very strenuous exercises, which can lead to breathing complications. This goes hand in hand with the weather as well. You don’t want to make your dog exercise for long periods in extreme heat or cold.
Bulldog Shih Tzu Exercise
Even though this is a small dog, it does need to be exercised daily. It enjoys running, and because it learns quickly, you could exercise it by playing a game of fetch.
These dogs are prone to putting on weight easily as the Bulldog is known to eat non-stop. That is why you need to get your dog outside for at least thirty minutes to get moving.
As mentioned above, watch out for extreme heat or cold when exercising. This can exert your dog and cause breathing issues. There are a lot of great playtimes and exercises your Bulldog Shih Tzu mix can do without getting too tired.
Shih Tzu Bulldog Mix Feeding
Since the Shih Tzu Bulldog mix tends to have flat faces, it can be difficult for your dog to pick up its food when eating. However, triangle-shaped dog food is much easier for your dog to pick up.
This mixed dog breed is also prone to obesity, so you must ensure you are only feeding your dog the required amount and not overfeeding your dog.
The best way to know how much your dog needs to eat is based on its weight. For example, the Shih Tzu Bulldog mix is estimated to need one cup of high-quality dog food broken up into smaller meals throughout the day.
It is also very important to feed your dog a great balance of protein, carbs, fats, fruits, and vegetables. Many owners make their own homemade dog food, and many more holistic dog food brands out there strive to make extremely healthy foods for dogs.
Shih Tzu Bulldog Mix Grooming
This medium-haired dog is easy to maintain and must be brushed thrice weekly to keep its coat shiny and tangy-free. It is also recommended to feed this dog a hard-boiled egg once every two weeks as it is said to help keep their coat healthy.
If your dog takes on more traits of the Shih Tzu parent, you will need some sort of dog detangler to help get out mats, knots, and tangles easier. If the Bulldog Shih Tzu mix takes on the Shih Tzu parent’s coat, it will be much longer than the Bulldog parents. It will need to be brushed more often if it is longer.
Dental issues can be problematic with the Bullshih, so brushing your dog’s teeth during grooming is very important. They make special dog toothpaste that can be used to clean your dog’s teeth.
As always, check out for signs of skin irritation when bathing your dog. The Bulldog dog breed is known for having sensitive skin. Only use dog safety-approved shampoos and watch out for skin irritation. Periodically check over the ear to ensure they are infection free and clip the nails when needed.
Bulldog Shih Tzu Training
When you are training any dog breed, you need to start when your dog is a puppy. Start with simple things such as potty training, socialization, and being friendly with people and other animals.
Remember, when you are training your dog, you reward your dog with treats and positive praise. Training may take some time, so be patient with your dog. Your dog may be quite stubborn if it has more traits from the Shih Tzu parent.
Training may take some time, but it is important to continue. Try not to get discouraged and have patience when training. You can always take your Bullshih to a professional trainer if it becomes overwhelming.
Shih Tzu Bulldog Mix Puppies
When you are first looking for a Shih Tzu Bulldog Mix puppy, it can be challenging to find a reputable and responsible breeder that breeds these two together.
Stay away from puppy mills that sell puppies that may not have the best health as you would get from a breeder. Since this mixed dog breed is known as a designer dog breed and quite rare to acquire, you will most likely pay a lot for a puppy.
This dog breed can range in price from $3,000 to $5,000. Remember, if you cannot afford that route, you can always go the adoption route and get an older dog for a much lower price.
Shih Tzu Bulldog Mix Litter Size
When a breeder produces this type of puppy, it requires a lot of work, which is why the price tag is so high. In addition, this dog breed has to be artificially inseminated because these two dog breeds would not have puppies naturally.
Usually, the puppies must be delivered by a cesarean section, which again reflects the price. Breeders will typically yield between 2 to 9 puppies.
Key Takeaways
In this section, you will find the important details that you should know about the Shih Tzu Bulldog breed.
- The Bulldog Shih Tzu mix combines two popular dog breeds, the Bulldog and the Shih Tzu.
- This mixed dog breed will combine traits from both parent breeds. As a result, each Bullshih can look different from the others based on which traits each dog takes.
- The coat can be short and smooth like the Bulldog or long and silky like the Shih Tzu. You can get a combination of both breeds, and ensure you know you must do some basic grooming.
- You will find that this is a very loving and playing mixed breed. It will stay by your side and I won’t want to be without you.
- The size of the parent breeds will impact how big your Shih Tzu Bulldog mix will be.
- There are some minor health conditions to beware of that your mix could inherit from its parent dog breeds.
- Twenty to thirty minutes of exercise will be all this dog needs daily as it can have a breathing condition that can make exercise difficult.
- Feeding your Shih Tzu Bulldog mix based on size is the best way to prevent overfeeding and obesity.
- Ensure you do all the basic grooming you would do for any dog breed. If the coat is longer, it must be brushed more often to prevent tangles and knots.
- Always purchase a puppy from a reputable breeder and avoid puppy mills and pet stores.
FAQ
The Bulldog Shih Tzu mix has a nickname often referred to as the Bullshih or the Bully-Tzu. Some people also refer to it as the Shih Tzu Bulldog mix, which is acceptable when discussing this mixed breed dog.
Yes, but most likely, this is not done naturally, and the mix has to be created through artificial insemination. This is known as a designer dog breed that was created with a purpose.
The size of a bulldog Shih Tzu mix can vary, but they usually stand between 9 to 13 inches tall and weigh between 9 to 16 pounds.
A bulldog Shih Tzu mix is known to be friendly, playful, and affectionate. They are loyal and make great companions.
Bulldog Shih Tzu mixes can be stubborn and require consistent and patient training. Positive reinforcement training methods are recommended.
Bulldog Shih Tzu mixes require regular grooming to maintain their coat’s health and prevent matting. They also need their facial wrinkles cleaned regularly to prevent infections.
Common health issues for bulldog Shih Tzu mixes include allergies, hip dysplasia, respiratory issues, and eye problems.
The lifespan of a bulldog Shih Tzu mix is typically between 10 to 18 years.
Yes, bulldog Shih Tzu mixes are known to be good with children and other pets. However, like any dog, they should be socialized early to ensure they behave appropriately around others.
Close relatives of the Bulldog Shih Tzu Mix
Here we have a few breeds that make up this designer breed and are also similar if you want to consider a few breeds:
I would like to train my dog to go to the bathroom inside us an alumni pan and cat litter. Have you heard about this training? If so, what type of cat litter would you recommend?
It’s a “Bullshit” !
this is bull shih!
Why be so mean? Call it a Shihbull
I lost my beloved English Bulldog-Shih Tzu mix last month. He was the best dog. I would like to look at getting another of this mixed breed. Do you know any reputable breeders?
We had to say goodbye to our english bulldog shih tzu mix a year ago. I really would like to know of a reputable breeder too. McGruff was the best dog ever.