With their gorgeous locks quite similar to a human’s hair, a Shih Tzu’s coat is fun to style! Plus, their hair can get really long, so it’s easy to play with it and create different styles for your pooch. If your pup’s style is stuck in a rut, here are Shih Tzu hairstyles inspiration to help!
The classic Puppy Cut never gets old. It’s low-maintenance, great for the warmer months, and gives your pooch a youthful vibe. Or your pooch can go for the practical top knot that looks chic and easy to pull off at the same time. The Lion Cut is another fabulous style to flaunt your Shih’s crowning glory while keeping it simple.
There are more Shih Tzu hairstyles to choose from, and we’ve got it all here for you. Check out these trendy and timeless styles and cuts for an awesome pup makeover soon!
21. The Puppy Cut
Last but not least, we’ve got the timeless favorite style, the Puppy Cut. Among the other Shih Tzu hairstyles, this cut is one of the easiest to maintain. And it’s also hassle-free to style, too!
You may opt for a super short cut at about 1 inch all around. Or, you can keep it a little longer at 2 inches, with the facial hair just a tad longer than the rest. Even with the shorter cut, however, be sure to trim and brush your pooch’s coat regularly to keep it mat-free.
20. Practical Top Knot
Long-haired fur parents know just how easy and quick it is to get hair out of their eyes with a good old hair tie. The practical top knot applies the same principle by simply pulling the hair off your eyes and keeping it in a nice ponytail.
To create this chic look, you would need to keep your pup’s hair relatively long. Hold the ponytail up with barrettes or ribbons, and that’s it. You may also want to keep the body shorter than the face and head to really highlight the top knot.
19. Short Coat, Full Top
Now, here’s one unique Shih Tzu hairstyle that will make your pooch stand out. As the name implies, the coat is cut short – about an inch short – while the rest of the body stays long.
But not to confuse it with the Lion Cut, this hairstyle has some layers on the forehead and longer lengths on the ears and sides of the face.
18. Squared Face
One of the most popular Shih Tzu hairstyles, the squared face brings out the cutie in your pooch. The goal is to achieve a clean look by trimming the beard and squaring the sides for a flawless result.
Just remember that as with all angled cuts, there is more upkeep to be expected. You may also want to go for a rounded version if you prefer longer intervals for touch-ups. Otherwise, more frequent trips to the pet salon may be necessary to retain this look.
17. The Full Shave
A low-maintenance style, the full shave keeps things easy and stress-free. Say goodbye to tangles, mats, and knots forever! Or at least, as long as your pooch keeps this hairstyle.
With this cut, everything is more visible – the eyes and ears, in particular. It’s a wash-and-wear kind of a hairstyle that makes bathing, drying, and grooming super quick and easy.
16. Medium Length
When you want to give your pup a trim, yet still not ready to bid adieu to its long locks, the medium length cut is a great middle ground for you. It retains the length while getting rid of those nasty tangles and too much volume.
This cut keeps the hair just a tad short to prevent touching the floor while still maintaining some length for more styling options. With volume under control and knots kept at bay, any Shih should be rocking this look.
15. Top Knot Show Cut
For folks who absolutely love the longer hairstyle for their pups, the Top Knot Show Cut is a go-to. But to achieve this look, you need to let your dog’s hair grow to its fullest – like, up to its feet!
The hair is long and flowy while the top is kept in a cute knot to expose your Shih’s adorable face. It’s a style that’s a nightmare for those who hate having to brush their pet’s hair every single day. But if this is something you don’t mind doing, it’s truly worth it.
14. Japanese Cut
The Japanese Cut looks similar to a few other Shih Tzu hairstyles, just like the short coat, full top, and the Summer Cut. But it still has its own unique appeal.
For this cut, the body hair is kept short while the ears and legs maintain a longer length. You can also have the leg hair shaped in different ways, such as tapered, flared, or circular. It’s a fun look but a little tricky to maintain.
13. Long Top And Bottom
Almost the same vibe as the medium length cut, this one is all about keeping the leg and body hair to a reasonable length while the head hair stays longer.
The legs and body maintain a couple of inches in length. As for the head, it’s about four inches, so there’s still some volume to it. You can also keep it longer up to 6 inches, so you can still have fun styling the top.
12. Flared Bottom
This hip and trendy style is another favorite of fur parents wanting to give their pooch a unique look. It creates a triangular shape for the legs, as though your pup is sporting those bell bottom jeans from the 70s!
For the flared bottom cut, the body hair is kept at 3 inches while the legs, tail, and face hair are longer. To complete the look, finish off with a cute topknot or braids or those fancy hair accessories.
11. Summer Cut
When the heat is on, the last thing your pup would want to deal with is a lot of hair on its body. This is why the Summer Cut is perfect for the season and will give your pet a fresher look.
The key here is an ultra-short cut all over – from the neck to the tail and the body, you would want to keep it at 1 inch in length. The face and tail are at about 2 inches but still provide lots of ventilation on the skin during the sweltering heat.
10. ¾ Length
If you’re not a fan of floor-length hair for your pup but you also don’t like to buzz the hair down really short, then the ¾ length cut is a great middle ground. The hair still stays relatively long but only ¾ of its maximum potential.
With this cut, you can still achieve some fluff and body for the hair. But still it’s mainly off the ground because of layers, it’s not as hard to maintain as when it’s grown to its full length.
9. Girly Look
Female Shih Tzus are absolute cuties when they’ve got ponytails and braids with fancy clips and hair ties. Aside from keeping the coat clean, the hair clips add some style!
It’s easy to pull off this look, which you can achieve by braiding your pup’s hair or pulling it up in a simple ponytail. Even with long hair, your doggo should still look neat and chic effortlessly.
8. Short And Layered
A layered cut adds a nice flow and movement to your pup’s hair. If you want to keep it short, you may want to give your pet a few layers to add volume and style.
Graduated layers also help to frame the face and highlight your Shih’s adorable peepers. Plus, it’s easy to maintain this look, too!
7. Semi-Lion Haircut
Unlike the full-on Lion Cut, the semi-lion adds some variation to this classic Shih Tzu hairstyle. The coat is kept short but with the exception of the legs and paws.
The head is long and voluminous like a lion but the paws have a bit of pizazz in them. They are styled to mimic small cones, which adds some fun to this classic look without being high-maintenance.
6. Rounded Clipped Face
For this hairstyle, you can do anything to the body and legs but the face is mostly clipped. All the facial hairs are clipped to about 1 to 2 inches. Then, the chin has a rounded style, which gives the face a perfectly round appearance.
This is a practical cut during the warmer months or to keep your pooch neat and tidy. It should also make it easier to clean the mouth and eye area because there’s not a lot of hair blocking them.
5. The Teddy Bear Cut
As if your pooch is not adorable enough, you can multiply the cuteness with a teddy bear cut. It’s a short hairstyle that’s about 2 to 2.5 inches overall while the face is around 4 inches in length.
This is a great hairstyle that’s easy to maintain. But you may need to trim it regularly to get rid of nasty tangles that make the fur appear quite puffy.
4. Puppy Cut With Long Tail And Ears
Here’s a cool variation of the Puppy Cut but with added length to the ears and tail. This allows you to keep the tail nice and fluffy and the ears lush with longer locks.
As for the length, keep the body and legs to a couple of inches short. The same goes for the face and head. But you can retain the fluff on the ears and tail, perhaps up to 4 inches long.
3. Lion Cut
Another fun Shih Tzu hairstyle is the Lion Cut. It gives your pooch a lion-like appearance by emphasizing the volume on the face (just like a mane) and clipping the body and legs short.
The only challenge with this cut is keeping the body trimmed. A visit to the groomer every 4 to 6 weeks should keep your little lion rocking his style.
2. Modified Westie
Inspired by the classic Westie look, this Shih Tzu hairstyle is all about cheeks and chin. By keeping the cheek hair longer and the chin area short, you can quickly achieve this style.
The whole idea behind the Modified Westie is an angled look. You would want to keep the ear hair long and flowy, same with the top. So there’s still some length with a few layers to keep it classy.
1. Moderate Length Puppy Cut
If you prefer the Puppy Cut, but without snipping away most of the lengths, this hairstyle is perfect. This is a Puppy Cut variation with a longer length overall, so the outcome is a fuller look.
You may want to consider this style if you’re torn between a long style and a puppy cut. Here’s an excellent in-between before going all in and cutting those locks nice and short.
Related Questions
How Short Should A Shih Tzu Be Cut? Shih Tzus can have short hair, just like the Puppy Cut. The hair all over the body of a Shih Tzu is usually and preferably clipped at 1 to 2 inches, thereby reducing the volume and fluff on its coat. This also adds ventilation to the skin during the warmer months.
How Often Should A Shih Tzu Get A Haircut? Since a Shih Tzu’s hair tends to grow fairly quickly, a regular trim every 4 weeks or so is required to prevent mats and knots. Shih Tzus have naturally long locks that can grow up to floor length, which can be hard to maintain and will require daily brushing to prevent tangles.
How Can I Make My Shih Tzu Hair Grow Faster? Diet has a huge impact on how fast your Shih Tzu’s hair can grow. For instance, a diet rich in omega-3, protein, and healthy fats helps to speed up hair growth. You can also ask your veterinarian for coat supplements for hair growth and strength, such as zinc, biotin, and vitamins B6 and A.
