Purebred dogs have been recognized for years by revered organizations like The American Kennel Club (AKC), which holds competitions for pure breeds. Pure breeds are defined as “of or belonging to a recognized strain established by breeding individuals of unmixed heritage over many generations.” Examples of purebred dogs include the Shih Tzu and the Maltese. In addition to being two of the oldest breeds, these breeds have an established lineage or pedigree.

Though pure breeds are still very much in demand, a new type of dog is becoming popular. Mixed breeds, or hybrids, are the result of mating two different pure breeds. Mixed breeds used to be known simply as “mutts”, but hybrids are different in that both parents have documented ancestry.

The most common breeds to mix are poodles and pugs, possibly because of the cute-sounding names that result. The Shi-Poo is a Shih Tzu/Poodle mix. The Puggle is a Poodle/Pug mix. A mix of the Shih Tzu and Maltese breeds is referred to as Mal-Shi.
The Maltese Shih Tzu, or Mal-Shi, has characteristics of both the Maltese and Shih Tzu breeds. Mal-Shi are known to be social, non-shedding and even hypoallergenic small dogs with straight to wavy, silky fur. An adult Mal-Shi weighs only 6-10 pounds. This hybrid is thought to have the best characteristics of its Shih Tzu and Maltese parents.

The Shih Tzu (pronounced sheet-sue) breed dates as far back as 17th century Tibet, China. This toy breed is thought to have resulted from the cross breeding of the Lhasa Apso and Pekingese. Shih Tzu means “lion”, which is why they are referred to by the Chinese as “lion dogs”. The Shih Tzu is a small, sturdy dog with a double coat of long silky fur in varying colors. This breed is energetic, alert, intelligent, and also very stubborn. Shih Tzu owners usually tie up the hair above their eyes in a bow or ribbon. Shih Tzu have health problems such as frequent eye infections, inability to withstand high temperatures, and fur that is prone to matting and uncleanliness. Daily brushing and tying up of the hair is necessary and a “pet clip” can be done if the dog is not competing.
The Maltese part of the Maltese Shih Tzu dates back 28 centuries. The breed originated on the Island of Malta and has not changed in the intervening years. Physically, the Maltese has one layer of fur that is long, silky, straight and pure white in color. The fur is also hypoallergenic and sheds very little. Maltese have dark, expressive eyes and a black nose..

The Mal-Shi comes from two breeds with long histories and it is no surprise that owners believe this mix benefits from both lines of ancestry. Maltese Shih Tzu, or Mal-Shi, dogs have the multi-colored, silky fur and energy of the Shih Tzu as well as the hypoallergenic quality of the Maltese. Temperamentally, Mal-Shi dogs are energetic, sociable and alert. They are also difficult to housebreak. Perhaps the Mal-Shi, like the Shih Tzu-which is the product of a Lhasa Apso and Pekingese cross breed, will one day become recognized as a pure breed by the American Kennel Association.

It is important to know the many positive characteristics of Shih Tzu mixed breeds such as the Maltese Shih Tzu, or Mal-Shi. Shih Tzu information and Maltese Shih Tzu mixed breed information is provided in this article.