The 6lb question
Imperial Shih Tzu for Sale
Imperial is the word some breeders use for a Shih Tzu that finishes under about 6lb. Mine finish about 8lb. This page is what the word means, what I actually have, and why I say so up front.
Imperial is not a variety of Shih Tzu. It is a size, about 6lb and under as an adult, and my dogs are not it. Mine finish about 8lb: under the show standard, but a couple of pounds over what “imperial” usually means. If a small, healthy purebred Shih Tzu is what you want, we have 6 here now. If it must be under 6lb, ours will be a little bigger than that.
Where the word comes from
The Shih Tzu breed standard says 9 to 16lb. Dogs under that have always existed, because every litter has a range, and at some point “imperial” became the flattering word for a dog that finished under the standard. There is a story attached about the dogs kept in the Chinese imperial court being the smallest ones, and whether or not that is true, no kennel club recognises an imperial Shih Tzu as anything separate from a Shih Tzu.
So when you see the word on a page, read it as “under-sized” and then ask what the parents weigh. That is the only number that tells you anything.
Under the standard, but not imperial
My adults are about 8lb. In show terms that makes them under-sized, and I am comfortable with that, because I breed companions rather than show dogs and a small Shih Tzu is what most of the people who write to me are looking for.
What it does not make them is imperial. A pound or two is a real difference at this size: it is the difference between a dog with a normal frame and one bred to the very bottom of what the breed can be. I would rather sell you about 8lb honestly than 6lb hopefully.
All the size words in one table, including where mine sit.
The label and the dog
If you strip the word away, what people searching for an imperial Shih Tzu usually want is a dog that stays small, is easy to carry, fits an apartment, and looks like a Shih Tzu rather than a scaled-down version of one. An 8lb adult is all of those things. It sits on a lap, it goes under an airline seat, and it is unmistakably the breed.
What the label adds is a promise about the last two pounds, and it is a promise I do not think anyone can honestly make from a puppy. So I do not.
The puppies I do have
Three of the 6 here now, all of which will finish about 8lb. Ask about any of them and I will tell you what the parents weigh.
All 6 puppies, in full · Each one described · How buying works
Imperial Shih Tzu for sale near me
We are in Sedona, Arizona. We meet Arizona families at an agreed public place, and for everyone else we arrange ground transport or a flight nanny to your door. How that works from your state.
The other word people use for the same idea is teacup, and that page gives the same honest answer from a different angle. What is available is what I can actually put in your arms.
Ask us about a puppy
Tell us what you are hoping for and we will help you find the right one.