17 Shih Tzu Haircuts: From Teddy Bear Cuts to Show Coats

If you own a Shih Tzu, you already know their coat is half the charm. But choosing the right Shih Tzu haircuts can feel overwhelming when there are so many cute styles floating around online. Should you go short for summer? Keep it long for shows? Add a topknot or two braids?

This guide breaks down 17 real, photo-inspired Shih Tzu haircut styles — from classic teddy bear cuts to full show coats — so you can walk into your groomer’s shop (or start clipping at home) with a clear picture in mind. Whether you’re searching for Shih Tzu haircuts for short hairs or a Shih Tzu haircut for long hairs, there’s something here for every coat type, lifestyle, and personality.

Let’s jump straight into the styles.

17 Best Shih Tzu Haircuts to Try

1. Classic Teddy Bear Face Cut

This is the haircut most people picture when they think of a Shih Tzu. The muzzle is trimmed into a soft, rounded shape while the ears are left long and flowing. The eyes stay big and expressive, and the overall look is what gives this breed its “stuffed animal” nickname.

The magic of this cut is in the balance. The groomer rounds the cheeks and chin so the face looks like a perfect circle, then leaves the ear fringe untouched so it frames the face like curtains. Because the body coat can be trimmed at almost any length underneath, this style is incredibly flexible — you can pair it with a short summer body or a longer flowing coat and it will still read as “teddy bear.”

This style works on almost any coat color and length, which is why it’s one of the most requested Shih Tzu haircut styles at grooming salons. It’s low-drama, always adorable, and easy to maintain with regular brushing. Most owners find that a light face trim every two to three weeks keeps the round shape looking fresh between full grooming sessions.

Best for: Owners who want the signature “teddy bear” charm without a complicated grooming routine.

📸 Photo credit: Instagram @moko8692

2. Round-Face Puppy Cut With Patchwork Coat

This style trims the whole body to a short, even length — usually one to two inches — while keeping the round face shape intact. What makes this one stand out is the natural tan-and-white patchwork pattern, which almost looks painted on once the coat is trimmed evenly.

Because the fur is kept so short, the natural color blocking on the dog’s back, legs, and ears becomes far more visible than it would be under a long coat. Groomers often use clippers with a guard comb to get this even, all-over length, then hand-scissor around the face and paws for a cleaner finish. A single topknot bow adds a playful touch without weighing the dog down.

This cut is a favorite for Shih Tzus that spend a lot of time outdoors, since shorter fur means less mud and fewer tangles. It also dries much faster after a bath, which is a real bonus if your dog isn’t a fan of the blow dryer. Owners who choose this style typically only need a full grooming appointment every five to six weeks.

Best for: Active dogs and owners who want a wash-and-go routine.

📸 Photo credit: Instagram @bt_cintiacamargo

3. Full Long Show Coat With Braided Bows

If you’ve ever watched a dog show, this is the coat you picture. The hair is grown out to floor length and kept perfectly straight and silky. Multiple decorative bows are braided into the topknot for a polished, competition-ready finish.

Getting a coat to this length takes years of patient growth, protective wrapping, and daily detangling. Many owners section the coat into small wraps secured with bands to prevent breakage from everyday movement, then take the wraps down for brushing and bathing before redoing them. The topknot itself is often split into multiple small sections, each tied off and decorated with a coordinated bow, which is what gives this look its extra-polished, show-ring feel.

This is one of the most demanding Shih Tzu haircuts for long hairs, requiring daily brushing, regular oil treatments, and careful wrapping to prevent breakage. It’s stunning, but it’s a real commitment — expect to spend at least twenty to thirty minutes a day on coat care alone.

Best for: Show dogs or owners who genuinely enjoy daily coat care as a bonding ritual.

📸 Photo credit: Instagram @petdabarrarj

4. Compact Teddy Bear Puppy Cut

This is a slightly shorter, more compact version of the teddy bear look. The body fur is kept close and fluffy, the legs are rounded like little pom-poms, and small clips hold the fringe out of the eyes. The tail is left a bit fuller for balance.

What sets this style apart from the classic teddy bear cut is the proportion work. The groomer keeps the legs slightly rounder and fuller than the body, which creates a compact, plush silhouette rather than a leaner, longer one. This trick is especially popular for smaller or younger Shih Tzus, since it emphasizes their naturally puppy-like build.

It photographs beautifully because the proportions stay soft and puppy-like even on adult dogs. This style tends to hold its shape well between grooming appointments, and because the coat is shorter overall, tangles are much easier to catch and comb out before they turn into mats.

Best for: Owners who want the teddy bear look with a bit less daily upkeep than the full-length version.

📸 Photo credit: Instagram @studio_babypets

5. Long Pigtail Ears Style

This one is bold and unmistakable. Instead of trimming the ear hair, it’s grown out and gathered into two long ponytails that hang well past the chin, tied off with bows. The body coat is kept shorter for contrast, which makes the ear pigtails the star of the look.

Growing the ear hair out to this length usually takes many months of dedicated care, since ear fur is thinner and more prone to breakage than body coat. Owners typically use small elastic bands placed loosely near the base of the ear, then re-secure them every few days to avoid pulling on the skin. Leave-in conditioner or coat oil is often worked through the ear fringe to keep it silky and prevent split ends.

It’s a striking style that takes patience to grow out, but once the length is there, daily maintenance is mostly about keeping the ties neat and tangle-free. Many owners find this style easier to maintain long-term than a full body-length coat, since only two small sections need daily attention instead of the entire coat.

Best for: Owners who want a unique, head-turning look that’s different from the standard teddy bear face.

📸 Photo credit: Instagram @natalia.pelucan

6. Fishtail Braided Topknot Detail

This idea zooms in on technique rather than an entire haircut. The topknot hair is sectioned and woven into a tight fishtail braid before being tied off, creating a detailed, salon-quality finish that elevates any base haircut.

Unlike a simple ponytail, a fishtail braid involves splitting the hair into two sections and repeatedly crossing small strands from each side into the other — a technique that takes practice but holds its shape much longer than a basic tie. Because the braid is woven so tightly, it tends to stay neat for several days even on an active dog, which makes it a practical choice as well as a decorative one.

You can add this braid to almost any of the other styles on this list, whether the body coat is short and practical or long and flowing. It’s especially popular for dog show handlers and pet influencers who want extra polish for photos, and it’s a great option if you want to try something more advanced once you’ve mastered a basic topknot.

Best for: Adding a decorative upgrade to an existing haircut for special occasions.

📸 Photo credit: Instagram @belatheblueberry

7. Long Ears and Tail “Lion” Cut

This style keeps the ears, tail, and leg feathering long while trimming the body coat shorter — similar to a lion cut on other breeds. The contrast between the fluffy short body and the flowing dark ear fringe creates a dramatic, eye-catching silhouette.

The technique behind this cut relies on clean transition lines. The groomer uses clippers on the body, blending carefully into the longer ear and tail sections so the change in length looks intentional rather than uneven. This contrast style works particularly well on Shih Tzus with darker ear color against a lighter body, since it visually separates the two textures even further.

Because most of the coat is trimmed, this cut needs less daily brushing than a full-length coat, while the long ears and tail still give that classic Shih Tzu elegance. It’s a nice middle-ground option for owners who love the drama of a long coat but don’t want to manage it across the entire body.

Best for: Owners who want a dramatic look without committing to a full-length coat everywhere.

📸 Photo credit: Instagram @veseliy_gremlin

8. High Ponytail Unicorn Topknot

Instead of two side pigtails, all the head hair is gathered into a single high ponytail secured with small bands and finished with a bow — often nicknamed the “unicorn” topknot. It sits right at the crown and gives the face an open, alert expression.

To achieve this look, the groomer combs all the crown hair upward and secures it with a small elastic close to the skin, then adds a second or third band further up the ponytail before attaching the bow. This layered banding technique helps the ponytail stand upright instead of flopping to one side, which is what gives it that signature “unicorn horn” appearance.

This style is quick to put together once you get the hang of sectioning, making it a great everyday option for owners who like a bit of flair without much extra time. It also keeps hair out of the eyes more effectively than a loose fringe, which can help reduce eye irritation and tear staining.

Best for: A cute daily topknot that’s faster to do than braided styles.

📸 Photo credit: Instagram @luaelara.shihtzu

9. Panda-Colored Teddy Bear Cut

This haircut is a standard rounded teddy bear shape, but the black-and-white panda coloring makes it look completely unique. The dark patches around the eyes and ears frame the face dramatically, while the fluffy white body adds softness.

Because the cut itself is simple, this style is really about letting the natural coat markings shine. The groomer focuses on symmetry, making sure the dark eye patches and white blaze down the center of the face line up evenly on both sides, since any unevenness is much more noticeable with high-contrast coloring than it would be on a solid-colored coat.

It’s proof that you don’t need an elaborate haircut to get a showstopping look. If your Shih Tzu has strong panda or parti-color markings, even a basic teddy bear trim can look striking simply because of how the colors fall across the rounded shape.

Best for: Shih Tzus with bold black-and-white or multi-color markings.

📸 Photo credit: Instagram @doralpetspa

10. Short Summer Puppy Trim With Pigtails

This is a practical, all-around short trim — close to the body, easy to maintain, and finished with two small pigtail clips at the top of the head. In the reference photo, the dog also wears a playful dinosaur bandana, which adds personality without extra grooming work.

The entire body is clipped to a uniform short length, usually with a guard comb attachment, which removes bulk and makes the coat far easier to keep clean during hot, active months. The two tiny top pigtails are more decorative than functional here, since the coat is already short enough to stay out of the eyes on its own, but they add a sweet, playful touch that pairs nicely with fun accessories like bandanas or bows.

This is one of the go-to Shih Tzu haircuts for short hairs during hot months, since it keeps the coat manageable and reduces overheating risk. It’s also one of the easiest styles to maintain between salon visits, often needing nothing more than a quick brush every few days.

Best for: Summer weather, busy households, and dogs who don’t love long grooming sessions.

📸 Photo credit: Instagram @rabito_centroestetico

11. Traditional Long Flowing Show Coat

This is the timeless, floor-length Shih Tzu coat you’d see at breed standard photos and dog shows. The hair is parted straight down the spine and brushed to a glossy finish, with a small decorative topknot bow at the crown.

Maintaining a coat at this length is a full lifestyle commitment. The coat must be line-brushed in small sections from the skin outward to prevent breakage, and most owners use a quality leave-in conditioner or coat oil to keep the strands from becoming brittle. The part down the spine has to be re-combed after every bath and often touched up daily to stay perfectly straight.

Keeping this coat requires daily detangling, a good quality brush, and often a wrap-and-band routine to protect the length between grooming sessions. It’s beautiful, but it is genuinely a full-time coat commitment, and most owners who choose this style dedicate a set time each day specifically for coat care.

Best for: Breed enthusiasts and owners with the time for daily coat maintenance.

📸 Photo credit: Instagram @bolotashih_tzu

12. Medium Puppy Cut With Single Topknot

This style sits right in the middle — not as short as a summer trim, not as long as a show coat. The body fur is kept at a manageable medium length, the legs stay fluffy, and a single small topknot keeps the fringe out of the eyes.

This length usually falls somewhere around two to four inches, long enough to keep that soft, fluffy Shih Tzu texture but short enough to detangle in just a few minutes a day. Many groomers consider this the most practical everyday length, since it strikes a balance between visual fullness and realistic maintenance for busy households.

It’s a popular everyday choice because it balances that classic Shih Tzu look with realistic upkeep for busy owners. A single small topknot bow finishes the look without adding extra grooming time, making this one of the easiest styles to recreate consistently between salon visits.

Best for: Owners who want a “best of both worlds” length that’s still easy to brush.

📸 Photo credit: Instagram @lookanimalestetica

13. Extreme Round Teddy Bear Face

This is the teddy bear cut taken to its fullest, roundest extreme. The face is trimmed into an almost perfectly circular shape, with the muzzle rounded and the cheeks left extra fluffy. The result is an exaggerated, plush-toy look that’s incredibly popular on social media.

Achieving this shape takes a skilled hand with scissors, since it’s mostly about precise face-shaping rather than overall body length. The groomer typically scissors the face freehand in small, careful passes, constantly checking the shape from multiple angles to keep both sides perfectly symmetrical. Extra fluff is often left around the cheeks and chin specifically to exaggerate the roundness.

Because this style relies so heavily on precision scissor work rather than clippers, it usually needs touch-ups every two to three weeks to keep the shape crisp, especially around fast-growing areas like the muzzle and chin.

Best for: Owners who want the most dramatic, “stuffed animal” version of the teddy bear face.

📸 Photo credit: Instagram @groomer_yunhee

14. Ultra-Short Summer Cut With Braided Tail

This is one of the shortest cuts on this list — the body is trimmed close all over, and even the tail is styled into a neat little braid finished with a band. Small pigtail clips on the ears add a cute finishing touch.

Because almost the entire coat is clipped short, this style dramatically reduces matting risk and cuts bathing and drying time down significantly. The tail braid is a fun detail that works because there’s just enough length left on the tail to weave, even though the rest of the body has been trimmed close. It’s a nice way to add personality to an otherwise very practical, low-maintenance cut.

This is an excellent option for owners searching for Shih Tzu haircuts for short hairs who want minimal grooming between salon visits, especially in warmer climates. Dogs with sensitive skin or seasonal allergies often do well with this length too, since it’s easier to spot and treat skin issues on shorter fur.

Best for: Hot climates, allergy-prone owners, or dogs prone to matting.

📸 Photo credit: Instagram @sh_jado0o

15. Fluffy Pageant-Style Cut With Double Bows

This look is all about volume and presentation. The coat is trimmed to a medium length but blown out and fluffed for maximum fullness, then styled with two matching bows in the topknot and a large matching bow at the collar.

Achieving this level of fullness usually involves a high-velocity dryer used while brushing the coat outward from the skin, which lifts the fur and adds noticeable volume compared to an air-dried coat. The double-bow topknot and coordinating collar bow are typically color-matched to create a put-together, “dressed up” presentation rather than a purely practical trim.

It’s often used for competitions, photoshoots, or special events where a polished, dressed-up appearance matters. This style takes more time to prep than most everyday cuts, so it’s best saved for occasions rather than a weekly routine.

Best for: Special occasions, pageants, or photo sessions.

📸 Photo credit: Instagram @classdog_pet

16. Puppy Cut With Fluffy Cylindrical Legs

This style keeps the body coat short while leaving the leg fur rounded into full, cylindrical “column” shapes — a technique borrowed from Poodle grooming that works beautifully on a Shih Tzu’s naturally thick coat. The ears stay medium-length for balance.

Creating this leg shape takes careful scissor work, rounding the fur evenly around each leg like a cylinder rather than tapering it naturally with the limb. Groomers often use a comb-and-scissor technique, combing the fur straight out from the leg and trimming it to an even length all the way around before blending it smoothly into the shorter body coat.

It gives the dog a sturdy, statuesque look while still being practical to maintain, since only the legs need extra shaping attention during touch-ups. Between full grooming appointments, most of the upkeep is simply brushing the legs to keep the rounded shape looking neat.

Best for: Owners who like a structured, groomed appearance without a full-length coat.

📸 Photo credit: Instagram @mutzcutzllc

17. Grey and White Round Teddy Bear Face

This final style is another take on the teddy bear cut, this time on a striking grey-and-white coat. The rounded face shape stays consistent with other teddy bear styles, but the cooler grey tones give it a completely different personality — soft, almost silvery.

Grey coats can be trickier to groom evenly than tan or brown coats, since color fading and sun exposure can create uneven tones over time. Groomers often recommend gentle, color-safe shampoos for grey and blue Shih Tzus to help keep the coat looking crisp and cool-toned rather than yellowed. The rounded teddy bear shaping itself follows the same technique as other versions on this list, proving how much a coat’s natural color can change the final impression of an identical haircut.

It’s a great reminder that the same base haircut can look totally different depending on your dog’s natural coloring, so it’s worth discussing your dog’s specific coat tone with your groomer before settling on a style.

Best for: Grey, blue, or silver-toned Shih Tzus who want the classic round face shape.

📸 Photo credit: Instagram @briantgroomer

Why Shih Tzu Haircut Styles Matter for Your Dog

A haircut isn’t just about looks. Shih Tzus have a double coat that mats and tangles easily if left unmanaged, which can lead to skin irritation, trapped moisture, and even pain if mats pull on the skin. The right haircut keeps your dog comfortable, cool in summer, and easier to bathe and brush.

Regular grooming also gives you a chance to check for skin issues, ticks, or lumps early. If you’re new to maintaining your dog’s coat between salon visits, this guide on how to groom a dog at home is a solid place to start.

Shih Tzu Haircuts for Short Hairs vs Long Hairs

Best Cuts for Short-Haired Shih Tzus

Short cuts are ideal for hot weather, busy schedules, and dogs prone to matting. From our list above, the round-face puppy cut, the short summer trim with pigtails, and the ultra-short summer cut with a braided tail are all excellent Shih Tzu haircuts for short hairs. They’re easy to bathe, dry quickly, and need far less daily brushing.

If you’re comparing short styles across different small breeds, this roundup of best small dog haircuts is worth browsing for more ideas.

Best Cuts for Long-Haired Shih Tzus

Long coats are stunning but demanding. The full show coat and the traditional flowing coat both require daily brushing, careful detangling, and often protective wrapping to prevent breakage. If you love the elegant look of a Shih Tzu haircut for long hairs, be honest with yourself about the time commitment before choosing it.

Shih Tzu Haircut Grooming Tips

Here are a few practical tips to help any of these styles last longer between appointments:

• Brush before bathing, not after. Water tightens existing tangles into mats.
• Use a slicker brush and a metal comb. The comb catches hidden mats the brush misses.
• Trim the eye area gently and often. Hair near the eyes causes irritation fastest.
• Schedule grooming every 4 to 6 weeks. This keeps any style looking fresh and prevents heavy matting.
• Dry completely after every bath. Trapped moisture under a thick coat can lead to skin problems.

For more visual inspiration on setting up a proper grooming routine, this list of dog grooming styles and dog grooming salon ideas can help you plan ahead, whether you’re grooming at home or picking a salon look to request.

How to Choose the Right Shih Tzu Haircut for Your Dog

Before you settle on one of these 17 Shih Tzu haircuts, think through a few practical factors:

1. Your climate. Hot, humid areas usually call for shorter cuts.
2. Your schedule. Long coats need daily attention; short cuts need far less.
3. Your dog’s coat texture. Some coats hold curls and volume better than others.
4. Your dog’s comfort. Watch how your dog reacts to grooming sessions and adjust length accordingly.
5. The occasion. Everyday cuts and show-ready styles serve very different purposes.

There’s no single “correct” haircut — the best one is whichever style fits your lifestyle while keeping your dog healthy and comfortable. If you’re drawn to the fluffy, rounded teddy bear look specifically, it might also help to read about other best teddy bear dog breeds to see how similar coats are styled across different breeds.

Final Thoughts

From the classic teddy bear face to bold pigtail ears and full show coats, Shih Tzus can pull off an incredible range of looks. The key is matching the haircut to your dog’s coat, your climate, and how much grooming time you realistically have each week.

Save a few of these styles as reference photos, bring them to your groomer, and don’t be afraid to try something new next appointment. With the right care routine, any one of these 17 Shih Tzu haircut styles can look just as good on your pup as it does in the photos.