Decision guide
Male or female Shih Tzu: does it actually matter?
The honest answer to the boy-or-girl question: what the folklore gets wrong, the real differences (marking, heat cycles, Singapore sterilisation and licence costs), and why we tell buyers to pick the puppy, not the sex.
Nelson and Kim, Curious Tails · AVS licence AS24J00046
Should you get a male or female Shih Tzu?
Either. In this breed, sex is a weak predictor of personality: the individual puppy and whether the dog is sterilised shape behaviour far more. The real differences are practical: males may urine-mark, unspayed females cycle into heat about twice a year, and in Singapore a spay costs more than a neuter. Pick the puppy whose temperament fits your home, not the sex.
Pick the puppy, not the sex
What the folklore says, and how much to trust it
Every breed forum repeats the same two lines: males are clingy and affectionate, females are confident and a little aloof. Comparisons like Dogster's male vs female guide summarise the consensus, and owners on r/shihtzu tell both versions with equal conviction.
Here is the honest problem with the folklore: almost every anecdote mixes up sex with sterilisation status, age, and plain individual character. The stubborn charm, the barkiness, the lapdog devotion are breed traits; you will meet them in both sexes. Our full guide to Shih Tzu temperament covers what the breed is actually like before sex enters the picture.
The physical differences are marginal
A Shih Tzu weighs roughly 4 to 7 kg whichever sex you choose, with males averaging slightly larger. In a breed this small, "slightly larger" means a few hundred grams, not a different dog.
Coat, colours, grooming load, and HDB approval are identical. Nothing about the size gap should decide your choice.
4–7 kg
Both sexes, roughly
≈ Same
Coat and grooming
Item 48
HDB-approved, either sex
$3,888+
Same price, all-in
What is a male Shih Tzu like to live with?
A male Shih Tzu is commonly reported by owners as the more openly affectionate of the two: playful, people-focused, quick to bond with the whole household, and easily distracted in training. That is community-reported experience from owner forums, not a guarantee printed on the puppy.
The one practical item to plan for is urine marking. An intact male may lift his leg indoors once hormones arrive, which matters in a flat with pee pads near the sofa. Neutering typically reduces marking and roaming urges, and the earlier the habit is interrupted, the easier it fades.
What is a female Shih Tzu like to live with?
A female Shih Tzu is commonly described as confident and a touch more independent: affectionate on her own schedule, and every bit as attached to her family. Again, that is the pattern owners report, with plenty of cuddly exceptions.
The practical item here is the heat cycle. Heat-cycle guides put the first season anywhere from 4 to 8 months old, sometimes as late as 12, then roughly twice a year unless she is spayed. In a flat that means two to three weeks of spotting, washable diapers, and skipping the dog run, twice annually.
What is pyometra, and should it change your decision?
Pyometra is a womb infection that can affect unspayed females, and the risk climbs with each heat cycle as Cornell's veterinary college explains. It is serious when it happens, and spaying effectively removes the risk.
This is not a reason to avoid females. It is a reason to have the sterilisation conversation with your vet early rather than never, the same way you would plan a male's neuter. Both sexes come home from us vet-checked, vaccinated, and microchipped; the sterilisation decision comes later, at your vet's advice.
Not a fear page
Pyometra is preventable and the plan is one conversation with your vet. We mention it once because a buyer choosing a female deserves to know the word before, not after.
The Singapore cost math nobody shows you
The puppy itself costs the same either way: our Shih Tzus are $3,888 to $4,888 all-in, male or female, and licensing paperwork is completed at purchase. The sex-linked money shows up later, at the vet.
Singapore sterilisation cost guides put the procedure at roughly $200 to $800 here, with spays (females) at the top of the band because the surgery is more involved. The AVS licence then rewards whichever choice you make: sterilised dogs licence at $13.50 a year or a $35 one-time lifetime fee, while an unsterilised dog above 5 months costs $81 every year. First-time owners also complete the AVS pet ownership course before licensing.
| Item | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Puppy price (ours, all-in) | $3,888–$4,888 | $3,888–$4,888 |
| Sterilisation (SG clinics, typical band) | Lower end of ~$200–$800 | Upper end of ~$200–$800 |
| AVS licence, under 5 months | $13.50/year | $13.50/year |
| AVS licence, sterilised | $13.50/year or $35 lifetime | $13.50/year or $35 lifetime |
| AVS licence, unsterilised above 5 months | $81/year | $81/year |
| Extra recurring item | None specific | Heat management if unspayed (diapers, laundry) |
Does sex change training and toilet habits?
Barely. Toilet training a Shih Tzu is slow in both sexes because the breed is clever and a little stubborn; patience is part of the price, and the free first training lesson we include with every puppy exists for exactly this reason.
The two sex-flavoured wrinkles: males can confuse marking with toileting, so pad placement and early neutering timing matter; females need the same repetition everyone hopes to skip. Neither sex is the shortcut the internet promises.
Stubborn charm comes in both sexes. So does the toilet-training timeline.
Planning a second dog later? Think about pairing now
If a second dog is on your someday list, conventional wisdom holds that opposite-sex pairs usually settle in most easily, while same-sex pairs work fine with sensible introductions. It is one small vote for flexibility rather than a rule.
The bigger constraint in Singapore is legal, not behavioural: HDB flats are limited to one approved dog, so the two-dog plan belongs to condo and landed households. We have written honestly about whether one Shih Tzu or two suits your home before you pencil in a sibling.
Which sex suits your household? An honest matrix
No matrix beats meeting the actual puppy, but here is how we would lean if you forced us, household by household.
| Your situation | Our lean | Why |
|---|---|---|
| First-time owner in an HDB flat | Either; temperament first | Sex differences are smaller than puppy-to-puppy differences |
| Family with young children | Either; the calmest pup in the litter | Sturdiness and patience are individual traits, not sex traits |
| Elderly owner wanting a lap companion | Slight lean male | Owners commonly report males as the more constant cuddlers |
| Planning a second dog later (non-HDB) | Slight lean toward opposite-sex pairing | Opposite-sex pairs typically settle easiest |
| Tight budget for year-one vet costs | Slight lean male | Neuter sits at the lower end of the SG sterilisation band |
| Cannot decide | Pick the puppy, not the sex | The right temperament outlasts every gender theory |
What we actually see in the shop
After 30+ Shih Tzus placed with Singapore families, our honest observation is this: buyers who arrive fixated on one sex quite often go home with the other, because a particular puppy chose them at the playpen. We count that as the system working.
Our process never changes by sex. We qualify grooming-readiness before we talk price, the all-in band stays $3,888 to $4,888, and availability of males versus females simply varies litter to litter. If sex matters to you, tell us early and we will be straight about what is here now; you can also meet the Shih Tzu puppies we have available now and see whose personality wins.
We'd rather talk you out of the wrong breed than sell you the wrong dog. The same honesty applies to sex: pick the puppy.
What both sexes share is what actually decides it
Every commitment that should drive this decision is identical in both sexes: the daily brush, the professional groom every 4 to 6 weeks at about $75 to $120 a session, the flat-face heat care in Singapore's climate, and the 10-to-16-year companionship you are signing up for.
If those numbers sound right for your home, the male-or-female question becomes what it should be: a small preference, settled by whichever puppy makes your family laugh first. Start with everything else about the breed for Singapore homes if you are still weighing the bigger picture.
Daily
Brushing, both sexes
4–6 wks
Groom cadence
$75–120
Per groom session
10–16 y
Typical lifespan
Keep deciding
Frequently asked questions
Are male or female Shih Tzus more affectionate?
Owners commonly report males as the more openly affectionate sex and females as slightly more independent, but the pattern is weak. Individual temperament and whether the dog is sterilised predict cuddliness far better than sex does.
Do male Shih Tzus mark inside an HDB flat?
Intact males can urine-mark indoors once hormones arrive. Neutering typically reduces it, and early toilet training with consistent pad placement prevents most of the habit. It is manageable, but it is the one male-specific item to plan for.
How often does a female Shih Tzu go into heat?
Roughly twice a year if unspayed, with the first heat usually between 4 and 8 months old, sometimes up to 12. Each season lasts two to three weeks and needs diapers, laundry, and a break from dog runs.
Does a male or female Shih Tzu cost more in Singapore?
The puppy price is the same: ours are $3,888 to $4,888 all-in, either sex. The later gap is sterilisation, roughly $200 to $800 at Singapore clinics, with spays at the top of the band because the surgery is more involved.
Is a female Shih Tzu easier to toilet train?
Not reliably. Both sexes toilet train slowly because the breed is clever and stubborn. Males add the marking wrinkle, females need the same repetition. Routine and early training decide the timeline, not sex.
Should I sterilise my Shih Tzu, and what does it cost?
Discuss timing with your vet; many owners sterilise from around 6 to 7 months. Singapore clinics typically charge about $200 to $800. Sterilised dogs also licence cheaper with AVS: $13.50 a year or $35 lifetime, versus $81 a year unsterilised above 5 months.
Which is better for a first-time owner, a male or female Shih Tzu?
Either, honestly. A first-timer should choose the puppy with the steadiest temperament at the meet, budget for grooming, and plan the sterilisation conversation. Sex is the least important variable in that list.
Meet your Shih Tzu
Come say hello at Balestier
2 Balestier Road #01-701, Singapore 320002 · Weekdays 12pm–6pm · Weekends 10am–6pm. Or message us first: tell us about your home and routine, and we'll tell you honestly if a Shih Tzu fits.
Still deciding?
Read the price guide first: every dollar explained, no surprises at the shop.
See the price guide