Top Shih Poo Haircuts & DIY Shih Poo Grooming Tips

The amazing Shih Poo can flaunt an array of adorable looks. Whether your pup is due for a seasonal change or you’re simply out of fresh ideas, we’ve got you covered. In this guide, we discover the cutest, most popular Shih Poo haircuts that will hopefully inspire your pup’s next grooming session. Let’s get into it!

Table of Contents

• Shih Poo Haircuts & Grooming Tips: Introduction
• Shih Poo Grooming 101: Understanding The Shih Poo’s Coat
• Top 5 Shihpoo Haircuts: Popular Shih Poo Grooming Styles For Your Pooch
• Shihpoo Grooming Tutorials
• How Often Do Shih Poos Need To Be Groomed?
• How To Groom A Shih Poo From Home
• Shih Poo Haircuts & Grooming Tips: Frequently Asked Questions
• Shih Poo Haircuts: Final Thoughts

Shih Poo Haircuts & Grooming Tips: Introduction

The Shih Poo is a hybrid cross between the Shih Tzu and Toy or Miniature Poodle. As a hybrid breed, the Shih Poo inherits the best traits from both of its parents. One of their main appeals is, of course, the low-shedding Poodle coat, making these pups excellent pets for people with allergies. 

Thanks to their mixed heritage, Shih Poos may lean on either side of their lineage. Some Shih Poos come with the super curly Poodle-inspired coat, whereas others take after the Shih Tzu parent with their long and silky hair. Or, some pups inherit a beautiful wavy combination coat. 

Keeping the Shih Poo coat healthy and looking beautiful requires a fair bit of work. Namely, routine haircuts, regular brushing, nail trims, and so forth. In addition to that, longer hair and advanced haircuts may be harder to maintain. So, when you’re deciding on your Shih Poo’s next haircut, you’ll want to consider your dog’s lifestyle, climate, and how much time you’re willing to spend on your Dood’s daily maintenance. 

Shih Poo Grooming 101: Understanding The Shih Poo’s Coat

As the Shih Poo is a crossbreed combining two different purebred dogs, it won’t be as easy trying to predict the outcome. Whether your pooch has a curly, wavy, or straight coat, all of them are equally as gorgeous and fluffy. However, they do have quite different requirements in terms of Shih Poo grooming. So, before we jump into the details, let’s quickly take a closer look at the three Shih Poo coat types. 

Curly Coat

The curly coat is obviously inspired by the Shih Poo’s Poodle heritage. Although curly coats are found in all generations, they’re more likely to happen in backcross generations like F1b, F1bb, and so on.  

Curly coats are thought to be the most hypoallergenic of them all, since they’re usually single-coated. On the other hand, curly coats are also the hardest to manage, as the curls easily trap in dirt, debris, and dead hair. 

Since curly coats are the most prone to matting, the best way you can prevent this is by regularly brushing out any knots and tangles from your Shih Poo’s fur. You may also want to consider your dog’s hair length, since longer hair may be more time-consuming to manage. 

Straight Coat

On the opposite side we have the straight coat – a nod to their Shih Tzu heritage. Straight coat Shih Poos usually have long, silky smooth hair. Of course, you can also opt for a shorter Shih Poo grooming cut if you’re not that keen on lots of daily grooming. 

What’s important to note is that straight coat Shih Poos may come with an undercoat, just like their Shih Tzu parents. This means that they are likely to shed a small amount of hair, so people with severe allergies should instead opt for curly Shih Poos. 

Still, regardless of your Shih Poo’s coat type, their Poodle genes kick in no matter what, and even straight-coated Shih Poos shed much less than their purebred Shih Tzu parents. 

Wavy Combination Coat

Then there’s also a mix of the curly Poodle and straight Shih Tzu. Wavy coat Shih Poos are neither curly or straight, they aren’t usually heavy shedders, but they may sometimes come with an undercoat. 

The wavy coat is considered to be the easiest to manage out of the three coat types, as it’s not as prone to matting as the curly coat, and they also tend to shed less than straight coat Shih Poos. 

Top 5 Shihpoo Haircuts: Popular Shih Poo Grooming Styles For Your Pooch

Now that we’ve covered the basics, it’s time we take a look at some of the cutest pictures of Shih Poo haircuts. Use these as an inspiration for your pup’s next hair appointment!

Shih Poo Modern Cut

One of the most popular Shih Poo haircuts is the Shih Poo modern cut. A nod to their Poodle heritage, as it’s a common haircut in show Poodles. The modern cut is also known as the Scandinavian cut or European Cut. 

The Shih Poo modern cut accentuates your dog’s natural features and follows the shape of the body. It’s typically very fluffy all over, but the head and tail are kept longer for that extra volume. 

Shaggy Shih Poo

Shaggy Shih Poo grooming style is perfect for pups that sport that relaxed, wavy, and long hair. It’s also relatively low maintenance and easy to achieve at home. With this Shih Poo grooming cut, the longer the hair the better! Of course, you’ll also have to be willing to dedicate time for daily brushing to keep this hairdo looking good. 

Shihpoo Lion Cut

The lion cut is definitely one of the more daring Shihpoo haircuts. It will take a big personality to pull this one off! Luckily, the Shih Poo has got what it takes. As you can probably guess, the lion cut will give your Dood a true lion-like look.

With the lion cut, the hair is clipped short on the body, while keeping it longer on the neck, chest, head, and paws. You can also leave poms on the tip of the tail and paws. It’s relatively easy to manage, as the hair on the body is kept quite short. However, don’t forget to routinely brush out any tangles and dirt from the mane.

Shihpoo Puppy Cut

The Shih Poo puppy cut is one of the more traditional and widely known haircuts. The puppy cut is a popular choice in Shih Tzus, Poodles, and Doodle mixes. And we can certainly understand why. It’s easy to cut, easy to maintain, and keeps your dog feeling cool and comfy in warm weather. Not to mention, the puppy cut really does make a dog look like a puppy. 

With the puppy cut, the Shih Poo’s hair is usually kept short on the body, and longer on the face and ears. Everyone has their own interpretation of this cut so you can opt for varying lengths of hair on the head and body.

Long Puppy Cut

Variations of the puppy cut are, indeed, highly popular amongst Doodles and Shih Tzus. We absolutely love the long puppy cut, since it makes the Shih Poo’s coat all bouncy and fluffy when they walk.

Shih Poo Teddy Bear Cut

The teddy bear cut has got to be one of our absolute favorite Shih Poo haircuts. It’s slightly more advanced and it requires a steady hand to achieve that signature teddy bear look. However, it’s sure worth the effort. 

With the teddy bear cut, the hair on the face is rounded and fluffed up. You opt for either shorter or longer hair. But, to really emphasize the rounded face and ears, keep the face slightly longer than the rest of the body. 

Shih Poo Practical Topknot

Inspired by the Shih Tzu parent, this Shih Poo haircut really is practical. Shih Poos look amazing with longer facial hair. However, it can also become quite a hassle if it obstructs your dog’s vision or keeps getting in its eyes and mouth. The practical topknot is an easy fix to that.

For the practical topknot, simply comb through your pup’s hair and gently pull it back into a pony. You can use either a clip or a bow to secure the topknot. As an added bonus, your Dood now has a cute hair accessory. 

Shaved Shih Poo

Shaved Shih Poo grooming cut is the perfect choice during very hot summer months or if you live in a very warm climate. This means that the hair is trimmed as short as possible, leaving your pup feeling cool and comfy throughout the season. 

Shihpoo Grooming Tutorials

If you’re ready to take the next step and learn how to groom your Shih Poo from the comfort of your own home, you’ll find our easy-to-follow video grooming online course extremely helpful. It has over 75 minutes of video grooming demonstrations, where we show you basic haircutting techniques, walk through brushing, bathing, and drying, and much more. 

How Often Do Shih Poos Need To Be Groomed?

As we mentioned earlier, maintaining the health and beauty of the Shih Poo coat requires time and effort. Obviously, staying on top of your Shih Poo’s grooming routine can be tricky when there are so many things to consider. How often do Shih Poos need to be groomed? How often should a Shih Poo be bathed? What about the nails? 

To make things easier for you, here’s a sample Shih Poo grooming schedule that you might find helpful:

• Brushing: Aim to brush your Shih Poo daily, or at least 3 to 4 times a week. 
• Nail Trimming: Every week or every other week.  
• Hair & Ear Hair Trimming: Every 4 to 8 weeks. 
• Ear Cleaning: Always dry your dog’s ears after they’ve been in the water. In addition to that, use a dog ear cleaner for weekly cleaning. 
• Bathing: Before every haircut so usually every 4 to 8 weeks. You’ll also want to consider your dog’s lifestyle, skin conditions, and hair length. Some pups need to be bathed every week, others need to be washed less often. 

How To Groom A Shih Poo From Home

At first, grooming a Shih Poo may seem frightening. But once you’ve had a little practice, you’ll soon find this an enjoyable bonding experience with your pup. Of course, make sure you know what you’re doing, since we don’t want any accidents happening around scissors or nail clippers. Here are some of our top tips on Shih Poo grooming. 

Brushing

By now it should be no surprise that brushing should be a daily activity in almost any Shih Poo’s grooming routine. By regularly brushing out any knots and tangles you’ll prevent matting, and also promote good skin and coat health. In fact, brushing helps distribute your dog’s natural skin oils throughout the lengths of the hair, making it soft and nourished. 

In addition to that, brushing also helps keep your Shih Poo clean for longer, as you’ll be brushing out any dirt and debris that’s stuck in the coat. 

A few tips when brushing your Dood – start from the bottom of the feet and move your way up the legs, then belly, neck, and finally back. You can use this as a guideline:

Bathing

For obvious reasons, your Shih Poo will also need bathing every once in a while. Many Doodle owners bathe their pups before getting a haircut. However, depending on your Shih Poo’s skin health, coat type, shedding levels, and activity levels, you may have to bathe them more or less frequently. 

Although some pups may benefit from weekly bathing, you want to make sure that you don’t wash them too often, as this can lead to skin problems, dryness, and excessive shedding. Moreover, always make sure your Shih Poo is thoroughly dried after you bathe them, and don’t forget the ears, paws, and armpits. 

Shih Poo Grooming Styles

Grooming and regular haircuts are essential for any Shih Poo, regardless if you prefer longer or shorter hair on your pup. If you’ve decided to explore the fascinating world of at home grooming, then we recommend you learn all the basics from our How To Groom A Doodle At Home online course with self-study materials and tutorial videos with demonstrations. 

Nail Clipping

Did you know that overgrown nails can lead to injury, discomfort and pain when walking, ingrown nails, infections, and even joint problems? Make sure you keep your Shih Poo’s nails trimmed at all times to prevent any of those problems. Our guide on How To Trim Dog Nails has a step-by-step guide, tons of FAQs, and product recommendations for that. 

Ear Hygiene

As we mentioned earlier, Shih Poos are prone to ear infections. That’s because their floppy ears restrict airflow and trap in moisture, making the inner parts of the ear the perfect breeding ground for bacteria. Make sure your Shih Poo’s ears are dry after swimming or bathing, and use a dog ear cleaner weekly to further prevent ear infections. 

Shih Poo Haircuts & Grooming Tips: Frequently Asked Questions

Shih Poo Haircuts: Final Thoughts

When looking at all of those cute pictures of Shih Poo haircuts, it’s not easy trying to choose the right one for your dog. The great thing about the Shih Poo is that even if you’re not entirely happy with your dog’s haircut, you’ll only have to wait a few weeks to try something completely different the next time. But regardless of the Shih Poo haircut you choose, we’re sure that your pup will look completely adorable no matter what.