Shih Tzu mixes
The Pomshi: Pomeranian Shih Tzu mix, honestly explained
The Pomeranian Shih Tzu mix, also sold as the Shiranian, from Curious Tails, an AVS licensed shop that places Pomshis alongside our purebreds. From $3,888 all-in, coat lottery and all.
What is a Pomshi?
A Pomshi (also called a Shiranian or Shih Pom) is a cross between a Pomeranian and a Shih Tzu. Adults typically stand 18 to 30 cm, weigh 2 to 7 kg and live 12 to 16 years. Because both parents are on HDB's approved small-breed list, a Pomshi is legal in an HDB flat.
Placed mixes, licence handled, honestly advised
What exactly is a Pomshi (and why the names confuse everyone)
The Pomshi is a designer crossbreed: a first-generation Shih Tzu Pomeranian cross between two purebreds. The same mixed breed dog gets sold under many names, Shiranian, Shih Pom, Pom Tzu, even Pom-A-Tzu, and every one of them describes the identical toy breed mix; a Shiranian puppy and a Pomshi puppy are the same dog. If a listing uses a fancier name to justify a fancier price, that is marketing, not a different cross.
Here is the part the US breed guides gloss over: a Pomshi puppy is a crossbreed puppy, not a breed with a standard. Two puppies from the same litter can land at different sizes, coat types and face shapes. We place Pomshis alongside our purebreds, and the honest starting point is that you are choosing a range, not a specification sheet.
Pomshi, at a glance
- Cross: Pomeranian x Shih Tzu (aka Shiranian)
- Adult size: 2 to 7 kg, 18 to 30 cm
- Lifespan: 12 to 16 years
- HDB status: legal (both parents approved)
- Price with us: $3,888 to $4,888 all-in
Is a Pomshi HDB approved?
A Pomshi is an HDB approved crossbreed: a legal dog for HDB households because both parents are HDB approved small breeds. The Shih Tzu sits at item 48 on HDB's keeping-pets guidelines, and the Pomeranian on the HDB list completes the pair, so their cross qualifies for flat living.
The usual rules still apply: one approved dog per flat, a mandatory AVS licence, and a fine of up to $4,000 for keeping a non-approved dog. We complete the licensing paperwork at purchase, so your Pomshi goes home already on the right side of the rules. For the full breakdown of flat-living requirements, read the full HDB rules for Shih Tzus, which apply to the mix the same way.
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Approved status | Cross of two HDB-approved breeds (Shih Tzu item 48; Pomeranian also listed) |
| Dogs per flat | One dog per flat, of an approved breed |
| Licence | AVS dog licence, mandatory; we handle it at purchase |
| Penalty | Up to $4,000 for a non-approved dog |
What you inherit from each parent
Each parent hands the puppy a different half of the deal. The Pomeranian side brings the spark: a bold foxy spitz with alert watchdog instincts and a Pomeranian double coat. The Shih Tzu side brings the calm: the easygoing, sturdy lion dog we built this whole site around, with a Shih Tzu hair coat and a flatter face. You can see that half of the equation in the Shih Tzus we place in Singapore.
A typical Pomshi lands somewhere between the two: livelier than a purebred Shih Tzu, softer than a purebred Pom. Parent breed temperament is the best forecast you get; the Pomeranian temperament supplies the alertness, the Shih Tzu temperament supplies the patience. But "typical" is doing real work here. No outcome is guaranteed, and littermates genuinely vary.
| Trait | Pomeranian | Shih Tzu | Typical Pomshi |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | Lively, alert | Calm, easygoing | Playful spark, settles indoors |
| Coat | Thick double coat | Long hair coat | Either type; the coat lottery |
| Face | Foxy muzzle | Flat-ish muzzle | Varies; matters in SG heat |
| Size | About 2 to 3.5 kg | About 4 to 7.5 kg | 2 to 7 kg |
| Barking | Alert barker | Occasional | Varies; plan for some alerting |
Pomshi temperament: the lively-easygoing blend
The Pomshi temperament crosses an affectionate lapdog with a lively little companion: a sociable toy dog, people-centred to the core, and a natural family dog for a flat. Owners consistently describe a dog that wants to be in the room with you, on the sofa with you, ideally on you. Those velcro tendencies are charming, but separation anxiety in small dogs is real and needs managing from day one in a household that leaves for work.
The Pom side can add alert barking, and barking and HDB neighbours are a combination you manage, not ignore. Some Pomshis barely bark; some announce every lift door. We tell buyers to plan for the barkier outcome and be pleasantly surprised, not the other way round.
The mix is friendly with children and good with elderly owners, with one honest caveat: a 2 to 4 kg Pomshi on the small end is fragile around toddlers. Supervised handling is non-negotiable at that size.
We'd rather talk you out of the wrong breed than sell you the wrong dog.
The coat lottery: shedding and grooming, honestly
"Does a Pomshi shed?" has two true answers, because coat inheritance decides it. A Pom-type double coat sheds noticeably and blows coat seasonally; a Shih Tzu-type hair coat sheds very little but mats fast. Pomshi shedding is a lottery ticket, not a specification, and US guides that promise "low shedding" are describing one ticket.
Either coat means the same grooming commitment: daily brushing to prevent matting behind the ears, where tangles and mats start first, plus a professional groom every 4 to 6 weeks at about $75 to $120 per groom, which is $900 to $1,400 a year on grooming. A practical puppy cut beats a top knot for most Singapore Pomshis. Colour is its own lottery too: a sable Pomshi, a black and white Pomshi and a gold Pomshi can share one litter, and lighter faces bring tear staining that needs daily wiping. Before you fall for the fluffy teddy bear look, read what grooming really costs each year; the maths applies to the mix in full.
Pomshi grooming is our qualifying question, not a footnote. If the grooming budget makes you wince, we would rather find that out in a WhatsApp chat than after you have brought a puppy home. Ready for the brushing and the groomer on retainer? Message us on WhatsApp and say so; that conversation comes before any price talk.
The grooming-readiness gate
A Pomshi needs daily brushing and a $75 to $120 groom every 4 to 6 weeks, whichever coat it inherits. That grooming budget per year, about $900 to $1,400, is the real cost of the teddy bear face. We qualify every buyer on grooming-readiness before we talk price.
Pomshi size: what full grown looks like
Pomshi full grown size runs 2 to 7 kg and 18 to 30 cm at the shoulder, an adult weight range that makes it a toy sized dog, usually smaller than a Shih Tzu of pure stock. How big does a Pomshi get in your case? Whichever parent's genes dominate decides, and size varies within a litter.
One honest flag: the smaller end of the band is not a selling point to us. We refuse "teacup" and "mini" labels on mixes for the same reason we refuse them on purebreds; a healthy, correctly-sized dog is the product, not a shrinking act.
2–7kg
Adult weight
18–30cm
At the shoulder
12–16yrs
Lifespan
30+
Placed by us
Health: what a cross does and doesn't fix
Pomshi health issues start with a myth: the hybrid vigour myth. Crossbreed health is not guaranteed health, and a Pomshi carries risks inherited from both parents, including patella luxation (both sides), tracheal collapse in toy breeds (use a harness over a collar), prominent eyes prone to dry eye and corneal ulcers, and dental crowding in a small jaw. [VERIFY: attach a veterinary source for the patella and tracheal claims before launch.]
Then there is the flat face lottery, which matters more in Singapore than anywhere the US guides write from. Muzzle length varies puppy to puppy: one that inherits the Pomeranian's longer muzzle breathes easier in our heat, while one that inherits the Shih Tzu's flatter face needs the same care as a purebred: walks in the cooler hours, aircon and rest through midday, and zero exercise heroics.
What we control, we do: every puppy gets a vet health check, core vaccinations on the weeks 6, 8 and 12 schedule with deworming at every visit, and a chip, and your microchipped puppy goes home around week 9. That is risk reduction, honestly framed; there are no health guarantees, only risk reduction, and nobody can promise you a problem-free dog.
Heat-stress signs: act immediately
- Frantic panting, very red gums, thick drool
- Wobbling, collapse, or glazed unresponsive look
- Move to aircon, cool water on paws and belly, then the vet: call ahead
Daily life in a Singapore flat
Day to day, a Pomshi is an easy flat dog: two modest walks in the cooler hours, play indoors, and a long nap wherever you are. It does not need a garden; it needs your company and a cool room.
Pomshi housetraining is the honest slog: potty training a stubborn toy breed takes weeks of consistent crate and playpen routine and positive reinforcement, not days. The realistic housetraining timeline is measured in weeks of near-misses before it clicks. Every puppy we place comes with a free first training lesson from an AVS-certified trainer, and training a Pomshi in a flat is exactly what we suggest spending it on.
Two flat-specific habits pay off early: a harness instead of a collar (small tracheas are fragile), and calm, boring departures to head off separation-anxiety barking before your neighbours ever hear it.
Pomshi, Shih Poo or Malshi: which mix fits you
"Which Shih Tzu mix suits me?" is the question we answer most, and because we place all of these mixes, and the purebred, we have no reason to push you toward one. Our honest breed-fit advice: if you want spark and a foxy look, the Pomshi is your dog. If coat-allergy hopes drive the search, look at our Shih Poo guide, with the caveat that no dog is guaranteed allergy-proof. If you want the softest, quietest lapdog, the Malshi leans that way.
The Pomshi vs Shih Poo and Pomshi vs Malshi calls come down to coat and volume; the Pomshi or purebred Shih Tzu call comes down to variance, because a cross always carries more of it. Compare Shih Tzu mixes side by side on all the Shih Tzu mixes we place before you decide. Choosing the right dog for your household beats choosing the cutest photo, every time.
| You want | Best fit | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Spark, alertness, foxy face | Pomshi | Pomeranian liveliness on a Shih Tzu base |
| Lowest-shed odds | Shih Poo | Poodle coat genes (still no guarantees) |
| Softest, mellowest lapdog | Malshi | Maltese sweetness, minimal edge |
| Predictable size and temperament | Purebred Shih Tzu | No crossbreed variance |
What a Pomshi costs in Singapore, published
The Pomshi price Singapore buyers should expect from a licensed shop is $3,888 to $4,888 all-in, the same published band as our purebred Shih Tzus. [CONFIRM with owner: mix pricing identical to the purebred band.] If you have been reading US guides quoting US$1,000 to US$1,350, ignore them; that is not what a legally imported, vet-checked puppy costs landed in Singapore, and a listing far below the market here should worry you, not tempt you.
An all-in price means all-in: published pricing with no hidden costs of a puppy surfacing later, the same transparent pricing stance we take on purebreds. Deposit and boarding are covered too; we board your puppy for up to 1 month after deposit. Nothing on this list is an upsell.
| Included | Detail |
|---|---|
| Starter kit | 30 items, $533 itemized value |
| Delivery | Free home delivery and playpen setup |
| First groom | First professional groom included |
| Training | Free lesson with an AVS-certified trainer |
| Licensing | AVS licence paperwork handled at purchase |
| Safety net | 5-day bring-back-if-sick support; boarding up to 1 month after deposit |
| Budget line to add yourself | Grooming: about $900 to $1,400 a year, every year |
Buying safely: licensed shop vs the cheap listing
Verify a licensed pet shop before you pay anyone, including us. We are an AVS licensed pet shop, and our AVS licence AS24J00046 is checkable in two minutes on the AVS public registry of licensed pet shops. Unlicensed sellers who cannot show you a registry entry are not a shortcut; they are the risk.
The cheap listings from Carousell and Telegram sellers usually trace to smuggled puppies, and Singapore now prosecutes buyers, not just sellers: one buyer was fined $7,000 by NParks for purchasing a smuggled dog. The parvovirus risk makes the maths worse than the fine: $500 to $1,000 saved upfront against $5,000 to $10,000+ for a single parvovirus treatment, with no guarantee of survival.
And the same honesty stance applies to mixes as to purebreds: no teacup or mini labels here. We refuse the size-label gimmick because a small Pomshi is a small dog, not a teacup dog.
Three checks before any deposit
- Seller appears on the AVS public registry (ours: AS24J00046)
- Vaccination records and microchip details shown before payment
- Visit before you decide: our Balestier Road pet shop is at 2 Balestier Road #01-701
Availability and how placement works
Pomshi litters appear irregularly; a mix is not an always-in-stock product, and we will not pretend otherwise. If you searched "Pomshi for sale Singapore", "Pomshi puppies for sale Singapore" or "Pomeranian Shih Tzu mix for sale", this is the honest version of that page: the way to buy a Pomshi in Singapore from us starts with a chat, so WhatsApp us and ask what is available. If nothing is, we will tell you the honest wait rather than pressure you toward whatever is in the shop.
You would be dealing with the Curious Tails brand: 2+ years operating, 45 five-star Google reviews and 30+ Shih Tzus placed, and our mixes ride on the same process. As far as we can tell, this is the only Pomeranian Shih Tzu mix Singapore guide written by a licensed shop that actually places them, so if you have been comparing Pomshi Singapore listings, ask us the awkward questions too.
The path from chat to sofa runs in order. First, the grooming-readiness conversation; that comes before price talk. Second, viewing and choosing your puppy at the Balestier shop. Third, vaccinations on the weeks 6, 8 and 12 schedule, with the puppy home around week 9. Finally, licensing at purchase; the first licence is $13.50 for a puppy under 5 months, and first-time owners complete the short AVS pet ownership course.
Keep exploring before you decide
Frequently asked questions
Is a Pomeranian Shih Tzu mix HDB-approved in Singapore?
Yes. A Pomshi is a cross of two HDB-approved breeds (the Shih Tzu is item 48 on the approved list and the Pomeranian is also listed), so it is legal in an HDB flat with a valid AVS licence. The usual rules apply: one approved dog per flat and a fine of up to $4,000 for a non-approved dog.
Do Pomshis shed a lot?
It depends on the coat your puppy inherits. A Pomeranian-type double coat sheds noticeably; a Shih Tzu-type hair coat sheds very little but mats quickly. Either way, plan for daily brushing and a professional groom every 4 to 6 weeks, about $900 to $1,400 a year.
How much does a Pomshi cost in Singapore?
Our published band is $3,888 to $4,888 all-in, including the 30-item starter kit, free delivery and playpen setup, the first professional groom, a free training lesson, and licensing handled at purchase. US price guides quoting around US$1,000 to US$1,350 do not reflect Singapore landed reality.
Are Pomshis good with children?
Generally yes; the mix is affectionate and people-centred. The caveat is size: a Pomshi on the small end weighs 2 to 4 kg and is fragile around toddlers, so supervised handling is essential with young children.
Should I get a Pomshi or a purebred Shih Tzu?
Choose a Pomshi if you want more spark and a foxier look, and a purebred Shih Tzu if predictability matters most; a cross always carries more variance in size, coat and temperament. We place both, so we will give you an honest read on fit rather than push either.
Do you have Pomshi puppies available now?
Mixes arrive litter by litter, so availability changes. WhatsApp us for the current answer; if nothing is available we will tell you the honest wait time. Puppies are vaccinated at weeks 6, 8 and 12 and go home around week 9.
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.
Not sure a Pomshi fits?
Tell us about your home, your hours and your grooming budget. If a different mix, or the purebred, suits you better, we will say so.
Compare all our mixes