Adopting a Shih Tzu in Nottingham: rescues, costs and coat care

The figure beneath the short answer is our live count of Shih Tzus and Shih Tzu crosses with rescues in and around Nottingham, out to about 25 miles. Small dogs of other breeds do come through, and our Nottingham small dogs page gathers them in one place.

Not one we can point you to. We found no Shih Tzu rescue based in Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire or anywhere in the East Midlands, and we don't currently name a national one for Nottingham adopters, because we only name breed rescues whose registration we have been able to check. That is why this guide leans on the general rescues and Dogs Trust.

If you come across a group that rehomes only Shih Tzus, check it before you send money or personal details. Look for a charity number on its own website, look the number up on the official register of charities to see that its accounts are filed on time, and be wary of any group that wants a payment before you have met a dog. The Royal Kennel Club runs a Find a Rescue search that can sit alongside our listings.

An adult from Ashbourne Animal Welfare at £275 costs less than the cheapest bought puppy in the £400 to £3,000 range from Blue Cross, and Ashbourne says it may reduce the fee for an older dog. Ask each rescue what the fee includes, such as neutering, vaccinations or a spell of free insurance.

Buying shifts those costs to you. By law a puppy is chipped by 8 weeks old, before it leaves the breeder, so you won't pay for that separately; neutering, boosters, insurance and a groomer every few weeks are not. A rescue adult also shows you its coat, its teeth and its manners before you commit.

The breed sits in Category 1 of The Royal Kennel Club's Breed Watch, which means it currently lists no points of concern specific to the breed, but the short face still raises questions. Ask the rescue about these:

• Breathing. Dogs Trust calls the Shih Tzu brachycephalic, meaning short nosed or flat faced, and PDSA lists it among the breeds that BOAS (brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome) commonly affects. The Royal Kennel Club recognised breathing grading for the breed in August 2026, so a graded dog is a plus.
• Eyes. The Royal Kennel Club asks breeders to have eyes tested, and PDSA names dry eye (KCS) and cataracts among the problems the breed can develop.
• Teeth. PDSA also warns that teeth can be crowded or out of place because the mouth is small, so ask whether a vet has looked at them.

The coat is the real commitment. Brushing is a daily job on The Royal Kennel Club's profile, and Dogs Trust puts a visit to a professional groomer for a clip at every 6 to 8 weeks. PDSA adds that most pet Shih Tzus are kept clipped and that the hair round the mouth and nose needs trimming and cleaning, so ask whether a rescue dog will stand still for a brush.

A small home won't count against you: in that breed profile a flat is fine, and an hour's exercise a day is the most it suggests. Rules on children and work vary by rescue. Just For Dogs says it will rehome to families with young children and to people in full-time work when a dog suits, while Doggy Dens UK Rescue wants fencing of at least 5 ft, sometimes higher depending on the dog.

Searches for a Shih Tzu to buy outnumber searches for a rescue one around Nottingham, in the rest of Nottinghamshire and in Derby. A rescue never sells a dog: it matches one to your home and asks an adoption fee. Every dog on our Nottingham Shih Tzu page is waiting for an adopter, not a buyer, and since rescue puppies are scarce, set your sights on a grown dog.

If you decide to buy, ask whether the parents have been eye tested and breathing graded, as The Royal Kennel Club recommends, and see the puppy with its mother. Dogs Trust notes that some vets offer a pre-purchase consultation. Registered litters are on The Royal Kennel Club's "Find a puppy" service, and a suspected scam advert goes to Report Fraud (formerly Action Fraud).