In China, solid black Shih Tzus were called “Yi Ting Mo,” which translated into “lump of ink,” and genetically speaking, a solid black Shih Tzu is very unusual indeed. To be even considered solid black for the purposes of AKC registration, a black Shih Tzu must have no other color in the coat at all (and he or she will always have a black nose, eye rims, and paw pads, something the Canadian Kennel Club regards as “a must” and which, as an aside, are called “points”).  Even a tiny bit of another color will be considered a combination, and then dog must be registered as such. 

As mentioned earlier, it’s exceedingly rare for a Shih Tzu to be a full solid black, the color dependent on the K allele. The black on such pups may fade as they grow into maturity, and it’s not uncommon for a black pup to even transition to silver.

We at National Purebred Dog Day always defer to experts in their own breed, so while we pass along what we’ve found on the black Shih Tzu, we welcome input from seasoned Shi Tzu breeders!