Decision guide
Should you get one Shih Tzu or two?
The HDB one-dog rule settles it for most Singapore homes. For everyone else, here is the double grooming ledger, the littermate question, and when one is the honest right answer.
Nelson and Kim, Curious Tails · AVS licence AS24J00046
Should you get one Shih Tzu or two?
If you live in an HDB flat, the decision is already made for you: HDB allows only one approved-breed dog per flat, so two Shih Tzus are only possible in private housing. And even where two are legal, one Shih Tzu, done well, is the honest right answer for most first-time Singapore owners.
Honest maths before the second lead
In an HDB flat, the law has already decided
The HDB one-dog rule is the first fork in this decision, before temperament, before cost, before cuteness. Under the Housing and Development (Animals) Rules 2024, an HDB flat may keep exactly one dog from the approved small-breed list, and the Shih Tzu sits on that list, item 48. Keeping a second dog in a flat risks a fine of up to $4,000, per HDB's guidelines on keeping pets.
Private housing is a different conversation. A condo or landed home may keep up to three dogs, which is where the "one or two" question becomes a real choice rather than a rule. We cover the full rule set, licence steps and fine print in our guide to whether the Shih Tzu is HDB approved.
One nuance worth knowing: a cross of two approved breeds also counts as approved. So a Shih-Poo or Malshi is fine in a flat, but it still counts as your one dog.
The rule, in numbers
- 1 approved dog per HDB flat, no exceptions for size
- Shih Tzu: item 48 on the approved small-breed list
- Fine of up to $4,000 for a non-compliant dog
- Private housing: up to 3 dogs allowed
- Every dog needs its own AVS licence, microchip and vaccinations
Why people want two (the pull is real)
Two Shih Tzus curled up together is a genuinely lovely picture, and the appeal is not silly. Shih Tzus are one of the more dog-friendly small breeds, and owners who keep pairs consistently describe a built-in playmate, easier energy burn, and company for each other while the humans are at work. Communities like owners who keep Shih Tzu pairs report exactly this.
We take that seriously. But notice who is doing the reporting: people who already committed to two. The buyers we talk to in the shop are usually earlier in the story, trying to decide the number before the first dog is even home. That decision deserves colder maths.
Does a single Shih Tzu get lonely?
A single Shih Tzu is not a deprived Shih Tzu. This breed was developed as a human companion first; it bonds hard to its people and is famously content on a lap in a flat. Loneliness in a Shih Tzu is nearly always about routine and hours, not headcount.
Be honest about your hours, though. If nobody is home ten hours a day, a second dog does not solve that; you would simply have two bored dogs instead of one. Vets are consistent on this point: a companion dog can ease boredom, but it is not a treatment for true separation anxiety. Routine, training and enrichment come first.
Loneliness is about routine, not headcount. Fix the hours before you add a dog.
The honest cost of two: the double ledger
Two Shih Tzus cost roughly double, and with this breed "double" is a bigger number than most people budget, because the coat is the expensive part. Every figure below is per year unless stated, using the Singapore rates we quote buyers, and the same numbers behind what a Shih Tzu costs in Singapore.
| Line item | One dog | Two dogs |
|---|---|---|
| Purchase, all-in | $3,888–$4,888 | $7,776–$9,776 |
| Professional grooming ($75–$120 every 4–6 weeks) | $900–$1,400 / yr | $1,800–$2,800 / yr |
| AVS licence (sterilised) | $13.50 / yr, or $35 lifetime | $27 / yr, or $70 lifetime |
| Food, worming, annual booster | roughly $1,000–$1,500 / yr | roughly $2,000–$3,000 / yr |
| Boarding or sitter when you travel | one fee | double, and harder to place |
| Daily brushing | 10–15 minutes | 20–30 minutes, every day, for life |
Grooming two coats is the deal-breaker nobody prices
Grooming is the signature Shih Tzu commitment, and it does not halve per dog when you double up. Shih Tzu hair grows continuously and mats fast in Singapore humidity, so each dog needs its own daily brush and its own salon booking every four to six weeks. Before you decide on two, read the real Shih Tzu grooming bill and price it twice.
In the shop we qualify every buyer on grooming-readiness before we talk price. With a pair, that gate applies twice over: two coats, two top-knots, two sets of tear stains, and a standing salon bill of $1,800 to $2,800 a year.
The two-coat reality check
If the grooming budget for one dog already feels tight, that is your answer: one Shih Tzu, groomed properly, beats two slowly matting. This is the question we ask before money changes hands.
Together from day one, or stagger the ages?
Skip the littermates. Two puppies at once sounds efficient and is usually chaos: double toilet training, double teething, and a real risk the pair bonds to each other more than to you, which makes both harder to train. In a Singapore-sized home there is nowhere to separate them for the one-on-one work each puppy needs.
The pattern that works is a stagger of roughly 12 to 18 months. Train the first dog properly, settle the routine, then let a calm, socialised adult help show the newcomer the ropes. Your first dog becomes an asset instead of a co-conspirator.
12–18 mo
Ideal age stagger
2 × daily
Brushing sessions for a pair
1 dog
HDB legal maximum
Up to 3
Private housing maximum
Adding a second Shih Tzu later: the existing-owner path
Already own one and live in private housing? Three checks before you add. First, your current dog should be well socialised and settled; a possessive or anxious dog needs that fixed before a housemate arrives, not by one. Second, pairing matters: opposite-sex pairings usually settle easiest, and two females are the combination owners most often report friction with. If you are still weighing that, our male or female Shih Tzu guide covers the real differences.
Third, plan the introduction: first meeting on neutral ground, feed them apart in the early weeks, and watch for resource guarding over toys and laps. Expect a few weeks of adjustment before they read as a bonded pair, and keep the first vet check and vaccination records of the newcomer separate and current.
The decision matrix: housing, hours, budget
Here is the same conversation we have over the counter, condensed. Find your row and you have our honest recommendation.
| Your situation | Our honest answer |
|---|---|
| HDB flat, any budget, any schedule | One. The law decides; a second risks a $4,000 fine. |
| Condo or landed, first-time owner | One first. Add a second after 12–18 months if the routine holds. |
| Private housing, experienced, budget for $2,000+ / yr grooming | Two is genuinely workable, staggered in age. |
| Anyone away 10+ hours daily | Fix the routine before adding any dog; two bored dogs is not a plan. |
When one Shih Tzu is the honest right answer
For most first-time Singapore owners, one is the right number, and not as a consolation prize. A single Shih Tzu gets the full budget, the full lap, the undivided training time, and a coat that actually gets its daily brush. One dog done well beats two done thin, every time.
We would rather talk you out of the wrong number of dogs than sell you the second one. If your household, housing and grooming budget genuinely support a pair, wonderful; we will say so. If not, we will say that too, before any money changes hands.
One dog done well beats two done thin.
Keep exploring
Frequently asked questions
Can I keep two Shih Tzus in an HDB flat?
No. HDB allows one dog from the approved small-breed list per flat, and keeping a second risks a fine of up to $4,000. Two Shih Tzus are only possible in private housing, where up to three dogs are allowed.
Do Shih Tzus do better in pairs?
Many enjoy canine company, but the breed was developed to companion humans first. A single Shih Tzu with a good routine, daily interaction and training is not deprived.
Should I get two Shih Tzu puppies at the same time?
We advise against littermates for most homes. Two puppies mean double toilet training and a risk they bond to each other over you. A 12 to 18 month stagger works far better.
How much do two Shih Tzus cost per year in Singapore?
Grooming alone runs about $1,800 to $2,800 a year for two, plus roughly double the food, vet and licence costs. Purchase is $3,888 to $4,888 all-in per puppy from us.
Should the second dog be male or female?
Opposite-sex pairings usually settle easiest. Two females are the combination owners most often report friction with, so choose deliberately, not by coincidence.
Will my Shih Tzu be lonely while I work full-time?
Loneliness is about routine and hours, not headcount. A second dog is not a cure for separation anxiety; enrichment, training and a settled schedule are what work.
Can the second dog be a different breed?
Yes. Shih Tzus generally get along with other calm small breeds, and a cross of two approved breeds is itself HDB approved. In a flat the point is moot though: one dog total.
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