Female or Male Shih Tzu: This is an important decision. Females in some breeds are gentler, but this isn’t a rule. Male Shih Tzus are just as gentle as females. Both males and females have some drawbacks. Female dogs get messy when they’re in heat (though today, there are dog diapers you can use). If you have a house with a yard, it might be easier, but if you live in an apartment, it could be more complicated. In small breeds, females generally go into heat before their first year and repeat it 2 to 4 times a year. One option is spaying; talk to a vet about it.
Another habit of males that can be inconvenient is lifting their leg to pee. In our Shih Tzu’s case, since he lives indoors and hardly meets other dogs, he never learned to lift his leg. But if your dog does lift his leg, you can use a cone sold in pet shops. With neutering, Shih Tzus can gain weight, so it’s important to follow up with the vet who can recommend appropriate food. Our Shih Tzu didn’t gain weight after neutering, and his behavior problem was solved.
Advantages of a Male Shih Tzu:
- Their temperament is more constant due to the absence of hormonal changes.
- Males don’t go into heat or get pregnant, saving you a lot of trouble with possible litters.
- They are more aggressive, which is advantageous for guard dogs.
Disadvantages of Having a Male Shih Tzu:
- Males have a territorial marking instinct, so they may insist on peeing in the wrong places around the house. He may even learn to do it in the right place, but occasionally the marking instinct will prevail.
- Another disadvantage (which can be seen with different eyes) is the male’s goofy behavior, sometimes with inconvenient play, like biting, rolling, running. He is more mischievous and playful.
- If not neutered, when he smells a female in heat, he may risk running away and not finding his way back home. Other scents can also encourage hunting instinct and escape.
Advantages of a Female Shih Tzu:
- Females are more affectionate and gentle, despite the unpredictability caused by hormones.
- Their play is less rough than males, especially as they grow up.
- Females don’t have a territorial marking instinct, so they learn faster and obey orders to do their business in the right place.
- If spayed, females stay home peacefully, with no need to go outside to find a male.
Disadvantages of Having a Female Shih Tzu:
- Females’ heat is almost always noisy and restless. They feel cramps and may meow or bark a lot because of it. They can twist, rub against the floor, and even people’s legs. Heat can also make a big mess of blood around the house.
- When they’re in heat, there’s a great chance they’ll escape to find a male to mate with.
- If the female mates, she will have a litter. You will have to keep them at home until they’re weaned and then find a responsible place for them, needing to find people willing to adopt, etc.
In our case, we chose a male Shih Tzu, and he caused us a serious inconvenience… he would cling to visitors’ legs (a very embarrassing situation). The vet suggested we consider neutering. After some research, we opted for neutering for two reasons:
- First, we didn’t intend to breed him.
- Second, neutering reduces the risk of cancer.