When a Shih Tzu goes missing, she rarely stays 'lost' in the open for long — a small, appealing dog with a baby face gets picked up, carried inside, and given a bowl of water by the first kind stranger who sees her. Identification is therefore a race: your description has to reach that person's phone before they decide she was abandoned and settle her into their spare room.
The Shih Tzu features that survive any haircut
Coats change, but a Shih Tzu's head does not. Lead with the flat face, the short muzzle, the large round eyes, and the slight underbite that shows her lower teeth when her mouth closes — finders remember and report those. Then describe the coat as it is today: full and flowing, a medium teddy cut, or a short puppy clip, and whether she wears a topknot with a bow or band, because a topknot in the photo and none on the found dog (lost, chewed off, removed by a groomer) has derailed many matches. Record her colors as they currently read in daylight — Shih Tzu puppies are often born dark and fade dramatically, so the gold-and-white adult may not match her puppy pictures at all — and note a white tail tip, a dark mask that has gone gray, or any bald patch from skin trouble.
Details finders notice about a Shih Tzu without knowing the breed
Many people cannot name the breed, so write your description for the person who will post 'found small fluffy dog.' That finder will mention her snorting and snuffling — Shih Tzu breathing is audible and distinctive, and a lost post saying 'snores and snorts a lot' is practically a breed label. They may also notice tear staining on a light face, a tail that curls up over the back, and a habit of standing on hind legs to beg. Include your dog's versions of those traits, plus her size in pounds, because 'small' to a Great Dane owner and 'small' to a Shih Tzu owner are different animals. If she is elderly — many lost Shih Tzus are seniors with cloudy eyes and a slower, stiffer walk — say so, since it changes both the description and how urgently she needs her routine back.
Keeping ID on a small dog who gets carried off
A Shih Tzu's collar should be lightweight but the ID on it unmissable, and it needs checking whenever her coat is groomed: a fresh short clip can leave a collar loose enough to slip over that flat little head, while a grown-out coat can mat around a tag and hide it. Photograph her right after each groom, front and both sides, sitting against something that shows her scale. Keep chip registration current, and make sure the contact on it is a phone that is answered — with a dog this portable, the call often comes within the hour, from someone holding her on their couch two streets away.
Making reunion the easiest option for her finder
The person holding your Shih Tzu is usually willing; what they lack is a frictionless way to find you. Every post should carry her face-forward photo, her current coat length in words, and one memorable trait — the underbite grin, the snort, the begging stand. Ask finders to check for a collar code or tag before posting her as unclaimed. That frictionless step is built into KinsLe's Verified QR ID Pet Profiles: anyone who picks up your Shih Tzu can scan the unique code on her tag and land straight on her profile with your contact details, turning a stranger's good deed into a same-hour reunion.