Shiranian Dog Breed

The Shiranian is a member of the Toy group of dog breeds. As a Pomeranian-Shih Tzu mix, a Shiranian is generally outgoing and sociable, so this breed is normally used as an affectionate little companion dog for small families or seniors.

Breed Facts:

• Long, flowing coat
• Friendly, intelligent, and sometimes stubborn
• Active and energetic
• Moderately easy to train
• Are generally "indoor" dogs
• Require lots of grooming
• Very healthy overall

Breed Pros:

• Extremely affectionate and personable
• Low barking tendency
• Great with kids and other pets
• Relatively long lifespan (13-15 years)
• Suffers few health problems

Breed Cons:

• Possessive of a stubborn streak
• Will require daily brushing and coat maintenance
• Low watchdog ability
• Extremely small size makes the very delicate and fragile

The Shiranian is a designer hybrid that has grown in popularity in recent years because of its tiny size and affectionate, playful temperament. With long, flowing double coats, these loving little dogs are irresistible family pets.

This breed is typically very intelligent, and its eagerness to please its owners means it usually responds well to training. A Shiranian may be a bit stubborn, however, so owners may need to show some patience when teaching their Shiranians commands.

These happy guys will love to curl up in their owners' laps. They also have a particular affinity for squeaky play toys, and will chew on them for hours to amuse themselves with the squeaking noises. They will also fetch the toys when humans throw them across the room, and will do so until the human's arm is exhausted.

Though a Shiranian is extremely active, and is a complete busybody much of the time, its tiny body doesn't have much of an energy reserve, so it will typically tire rather easily.

Most breeders offer Shiranians that are either F1 (the offspring of a purebred Shih Tzu and a purebred Pomeranian) or F2 (the offspring of two Shiranian parents).

A majority of Shiranians have long, straight coats, though a few may have coats that are only medium in length, and some may have loosely curled fur.

And while all dogs of this breed are small, the tiniest are called Teacup Shiranians, and generally weigh only 4-6 pounds.

Shiranians are typically cheerful, intelligent, active, extremely affectionate, and at times stubborn. These dogs form intensely close bonds with their owners, and will often suffer separation anxiety if left along for any measure of time. Shiranian behavior is extremely social, and owners will need to devote plenty of time and attention to their dogs to keep them happy. Shiranians absolutely love to play, but due to their short energy capacities will only do so for relatively short periods.

But these dogs love everybody--including even intruders, so they make terrible watchdogs. They socialize very well with children and other pets, particularly if raised with them. And while they're normally eager to please their human families, and thus will be easily trained, they may not respond well to activities they don't enjoy. Owners will need to be patient while teaching their Shiranians more difficult commands.

Few known health concerns are associated with this mixed breed. While it's possible a Shiranian might inherit health issues from its parent breeds (hypoglycemia and eye issues from the Pomeranian, or allergies from the Shih-Tu), these inherited health defects aren't common.