Comparison: Shih Tzu and Tibetan Spaniel

Shih Tzu and Tibetan Spaniel are marked as similar in our database. The table compares only the data we have on the breeds.

	Shih Tzu	Tibetan Spaniel
FCI group	9. Companion and Toy Dogs	9. Companion and Toy Dogs
Country of origin	China	China
Category	Small	Small
Height at withers	20–28 cm	25–26 cm
Weight	4–7.5 kg	4.1–6.8 kg
Life span	12–16 years	–
Recognition features	Long, flowing silky coat Flat face with a beard and a ´chrysanthemum´ head Tail carried over the back, short legs	Small dog, slightly longer than tall, with a high-set, richly plumed tail carried curled over the back Silky, moderate-length coat lying rather flat, with a mane in dogs All colours except merle
Coat	Long dense coat with an undercoat.	Topcoat silky, smooth on face and front of legs, moderate length on body, lying rather flat; undercoat fine and dense. Ears and backs of forelegs feathered, tail and buttocks with longer hair. Bitches tend to carry less coat and mane than dogs. All colours and mixtures permissible, except merle, which is unacceptable.
Purpose	A Chinese companion dog bred at the imperial court in Beijing; the ´lion dog´.	A companion dog; small, active and alert.

Breed page: Shih Tzu · Breed page: Tibetan Spaniel

Learn to recognise this breed and many more

In the Dogtice quiz you practise breeds on photos and see the differences between look-alike breeds.

Try the demo quizComing soon to Google Play

The information is indicative. Texts are based on available sources and may contain inaccuracies; for binding details (e.g. for breeding or shows) use the official breed standard.