Shih Tzu Colors
Gold and Gold and White Shih Tzu
Gold Shih Tzus available now, and everything about the color.
The gold Shih Tzu is a warm, sunny dog, with a honey or deep gold coat, often with a white blaze and chest. Gold and white is among the best known looks in the breed.
Below you will find how gold ranges from pale to rich, why gold puppies change so much as they grow, what a black mask is, and why a gold Shih Tzu is not a golden retriever cross. Care and temperament are covered too.
Gold Shih Tzus Available Now
What Does a Gold Shih Tzu Look Like?
Gold covers a wide range, from pale champagne and honey to a deep, rich amber. Many gold dogs also have white on the face, chest, legs and tail tip, which is how the gold and white Shih Tzu gets its name. Others are gold all over.
The pigment on a gold dog is normally black, so the nose, lips and eye rims are dark and the face looks sharp against the warm coat.
Families use many names for the range: honey, apricot, red gold, buff and cream. There is no standard chart for these shades, and a warm coat photographs differently in sun, shade and indoor light, so photos in natural daylight are the best way to compare.
Why Does a Gold Shih Tzu Puppy Change So Much?
Gold can shift as a puppy grows. A puppy that is dark at 8 weeks may lighten to a clearer gold over the first year, and others move the other way, so the shade at 8 weeks is only a starting point.
This is normal, and it is why a photo of a gold puppy tells you about today, not necessarily about the adult. Our Shih Tzu colors page explains how this works across the breed.
What Is a Black Mask on a Gold Shih Tzu?
Some gold dogs have a darker shading on the muzzle, known as a mask. It can look like a smudge of black or dark gold over the nose and around the eyes. Not every gold dog has one.
A mask is a marking, and the AKC standard says all colors and markings are permissible and to be considered equally. It does not make a dog more or less correct.
Is a Golden Shih Tzu the Same as a Golden Retriever Mix?
No. A gold Shih Tzu is a purebred Shih Tzu with a gold coat. A golden retriever mix would be a cross between two breeds, which is not what a Shih Tzu is. At Royal Silk Shih Tzus every puppy is a purebred Shih Tzu, with no crosses or mixes of any kind.
A purebred gold Shih Tzu stays small, and the adults here are about 8 pounds fully grown. The size guide explains the 9 to 16 pound breed standard.
The names sound similar, and some families like the idea of a larger dog with a gold coat. A gold Shih Tzu is a small companion dog with a long, flowing coat, and its size, shape and needs are those of the Shih Tzu breed. Read the guide to the breed for what that means.
How Do You Care for a Gold Coat?
Care is the same as for every Shih Tzu: daily brushing to the skin, regular baths and a tidy face. A light gold or cream coat can show staining around the mouth and eyes, so wipe those areas gently each day.
A short trim keeps the dog comfortable and the coat easy to look after, and the haircuts page shows short styles that suit gold dogs well.
Gold dogs with a lot of white need the same face care as white dogs, since staining shows on pale hair around the eyes. A soft damp cloth once a day is enough for most dogs.
Does Gold Mean Anything for Health or Personality?
No reliable evidence links gold to personality or to a health difference. A gold Shih Tzu is as affectionate and as stubborn as any other. The temperament guide has the details.
One well-established practical point: dark pigment on the nose protects it in the sun. Pink skin burns more readily, and pink on the nose or eye rims is a fault under the standard.
Choosing a Gold Shih Tzu Puppy
Look at the whole dog: the face, the eyes, the body and the behavior. If gold is your first choice, remember the color may shift, so think about the shades you would be glad to live with later. If you like pale coats, compare them too.
Every puppy here goes home from eight weeks old, with health documents and a one-year guarantee in writing. See the available puppies page for who is here now.
What Does Gold and White Mean for Markings?
Gold and white dogs often carry white as a blaze up the forehead, a white muzzle, a white chest and white feet, with a white tip on the tail. The amount of white varies, and two gold and white dogs can look quite different from each other.
Some gold dogs have more white than gold, and the page for white Shih Tzus covers that end of the range. Others have only a little white, and they sit closer to a solid gold dog.
Gold Shih Tzu Questions
01Is gold a real Shih Tzu color?
Yes. The AKC standard allows all colors and markings, and gold, with or without white, is one of the best known.
02Do gold Shih Tzu puppies change color?
They can. Dark gold puppies may lighten in the first year, and others shift the other way, so a photo at 8 weeks is only a starting point.
03What is the difference between gold and white and gold?
Gold and white has white on the face, chest, legs or tail, and gold alone has gold coat all over. Both are described on the same page.
04Are golden Shih Tzus a cross with a golden retriever?
No. A gold Shih Tzu is a purebred Shih Tzu with a gold coat. Golden retriever Shih Tzu mixes are a separate cross, and every puppy here is purebred.
05Where can I see the puppies?
The available puppies page shows who is here now.
When You Are Ready
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