Are you interested in bringing home a new puppy, but don’t have enough space in your home for a larger breed or one that sheds a lot? If so, the Shih Tzu might be the best dog for you.
Best known for their soft and fluffy coats, short faces, and affectionate natures, these small Tibetan dogs remain one of the most popular breeds in the United States, especially for homes with children, allergies, or people who live in apartments.
Finding reputable breeders offering Shih Tzu puppies for sale in Texas can be challenging, especially for future dog owners who want to avoid puppy mills and don’t have time to search everywhere.
So, we compiled this list of the best Shih Tzu breeders in Texas to help you streamline your search for a healthy and friendly puppy.
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Things to Consider When Choosing a Shih Tzu Breeder
You’ll need to consider several factors before purchasing a Shih Tzu puppy from a breeder in Texas to ensure that the puppy you receive is healthy and friendly.
Ask them if they perform health evaluations before breeding puppies to ensure that their parents are in top condition and don’t pass down these health issues to their puppies. A seasoned breeder should have extensive knowledge and experience with the breed to give new owners essential information about their dietary, exercise, and grooming needs.
The best Shih Tzu breeders in Texas will evaluate each application they receive to ensure that they place their puppies in a compatible home that matches the pup’s needs and the owner’s lifestyle. In addition, some might conduct phone interviews with eligible applicants if they want to ask them additional questions regarding their new puppy.
Other factors you should look for when choosing a breeder include:
- High puppy prices (indicates that the puppies are purebred and healthy)
- Positive customer reviews and testimonials
- Memberships to breed-specific organizations
- Limited litter production
- Breedable dogs with extensive pedigrees
- Puppy waitlist and contract prioritization
- Virtual or in-person meetings to see the puppies and their mother
- Return policies if you’re unable to care for a puppy
- Transparent communication
Who Are the Best Shih Tzu Breeders in Texas?
Need a head start looking for the best Shih Tzu breeders in Texas? Check out our top picks for reputable and ethical breeders and see if their services are the right fit for you and your family.
Lotus Shih Tzu
The first breeder we recommend if you’re looking for Shih Tzu Puppies for sale in Texas is Lotus Shih Tzu, located in Denison. Breeder Annette Lewis raises her Shih Tzu puppies in her home to prepare them for life with their new families. In addition, she prioritizes socializing her puppies from an early age.
All breedable Shih Tzu dams and sires get tested for several health issues before producing litters. The puppies stay with their littermates and mother until they’re 12 weeks old.
She keeps her dogs and weaned puppies on a strict diet of Muenster Milling Ancient Grains Dog. This dog food formula doesn’t contain wheat, soy, or corn.
After 12 weeks, all puppies go to their new homes vaccinated, dewormed, and microchipped. They also have American Kennel Club registration and one-year health guarantees for life-threatening heart, liver, and kidney diseases.
Sunnybelle Shih Tzus
Another one of the best Shih Tzu breeders you should consider reaching out to if you want a new puppy is Sunnybelle Shih Tzus. Molly Bodenhamer and her family have operated the business since 2012. You can find this breeder in Tyler, Texas, about an hour and a half southwest of Dallas.
Molly specializes in breeding AKC standard Shih Tzus with beautiful, chocolate-colored coats, but prioritizes each dog’s health to ensure they live long, healthy lives as lovable companions. In addition, she prioritizes DNA testing for all her dogs to ensure they don’t pass down hereditary health issues, such as heart disease or liver disease.
Applicants can send a $200 non-refundable deposit to get placed on this breeder’s waitlist after setting up a phone interview. The puppies go to their new homes when they’re ten to 11 weeks old with up-to-date puppy shots, deworming, AKC registration, a two-year genetic health guarantee, and initial potty training.
Majesty’s Shih Tzus
If you live near Houston, one of the best places to find Shih Tzu puppies for sale in Texas is Majesty’s Shih Tzus. Taynara Morales is a small hobby breeder offering AKC-registered Shih Tzu puppies with champion pedigrees and colorful coats.
She prioritizes testing her dogs for health and temperament issues before producing limited litters. All her puppies socialize with people and begin potty training early.
If you’re interested in one of her Shih Tzu puppies, you can submit a $400 non-refundable deposit to get on her waiting list for future litters. She also offers $200 discounts for repeat puppy buyers.
Ten-week-old Shih Tzus go to their new owners with up-to-date vaccinations and deworming, 30 days of free Trupanion pet health insurance, a sample of puppy food, limited AKC registration, a scented toy, and a five-year health genetic health guarantee.
Divine Pups
You can find Divine Pups in Southern Houston. We consider Ara Hughey one of the best Shih Tzu breeders in Texas because she prioritizes each puppy’s temperament and health while raising them in her home.
During the first few days of the puppies’ lives, Ara begins socializing her puppies with people and other dogs and incorporates Early Neurological Stimulation to improve their stress responses. She also performs temperament tests once the puppies are seven weeks old, and accustoms them to nail clipping and using a pee pad.
Applicants can submit a $250 non-refundable deposit to get on Ara’s waitlist. Ten-week-old puppies require a spay or neuter contract before they go home and must have their surgery by the time they’re ten months old.
The pups also go home with a two-year health guarantee, temperament evaluation results, and age-appropriate vaccinations, including bordetella, a contagious upper respiratory problem.
Broken Halo Ranch Shih Tzus
If you live in Central Texas, one of the best breeders you should consider reaching out to is Broken Halo Ranch Shih Tzus. This small hobby breeder, helmed by Elizabeth Richards, offers healthy AKC-standard Shih Tzu puppies for anyone looking for the perfect companion dog. She also breeds Shih-Poos. The pups have plenty of farmland to play on and explore.
Elizabeth’s Shih Tzus undergo thorough health and temperament testing to determine which parents are compatible enough to produce the best litters. The pups are socialized from birth and quickly become accustomed to human contact and common household noises.
Although Elizabeth doesn’t allow visitors to keep the puppies from contracting outside diseases, she can send applicants videos or schedule a FaceTime session to see them and their parents. If you’re interested in one of her puppies, you can send her a $500 deposit after applying.
Karyon Shih Tzu
Pat Fletcher, the owner of Karyon Shih Tzu, has been breeding show-quality Shih Tzu puppies for people near the Dallas-Fort Worth area since 1972. Many of her puppies come from AKC champion bloodlines, but she prioritizes their health and disposition for anybody looking for a pet or show dog.
Pat is also a member of the Trinity Valley Shih Tzu Club and American Shih Tzu Club. All AKC-registered Shih Tzu puppies sold as pets get placed on a strict spay or neuter contract to ensure their new owners won’t use them for irresponsible breeding.
The puppies go home to their eligible new owners with health guarantees for congenital, life-threatening health problems and up-to-date vaccination and deworming records.
Devine Design Shih Tzu
You can find Divine Design Shih Tzu in Burleson, Texas, about an hour from the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Breeder Twila Florence treats each of the puppies she breeds as if they were family members.
Twila’s breedable Shih Tzus have AKC registration and health clearances to ensure high-quality litters. However, her puppies have limited AKC registration since they only offer their Shih Tzus as pets and get placed on spay or neuter contracts.
The prices for the puppies vary based on their coat color, estimated size, and gender, among other factors. You can place a puppy on hold by sending the breeder a $400 non-refundable deposit roughly two weeks after the puppies arrive.
New owners can take their puppies home after eight weeks. Like most reputable breeders, Twila’s puppies get vaccinated and dewormed and come with one-year genetic health guarantees.
Conclusion
Finding the best Shih Tzu breeders in Texas can take lots of time out of your busy schedule, so we hope this list can help you narrow down a few options if you think you’re ready to bring a new puppy home.
A Shih Tzu is a ten to 16-year commitment, so you’ll need to dedicate extra time to them if you think they’re the right breed for your lifestyle. Feel free to reach out to any of these breeders if you have any questions about their breeding practices or how to care for this friendly, affectionate breed.
