Skip to content
PetPrep
Get early access

Animal register · DogIn the app

Shih Tzu

Shih-Tzu

The Shih Tzu is a small companion dog from Tibet; Great Britain looks after its FCI standard. The standards describe a sturdy, abundantly coated dog with a proud carriage and a "chrysanthemum-like" face: a long, dense outer coat, large dark round eyes, large drooping ears and a heavily plumed tail carried over the back. The standards allow many colours; PetPrep shows gold and white, black and white, and liver and white, and never merle. The muzzle is short and flat, and the PDSA names breathing problems caused by the shorter face, so PetPrep always draws a moderate face with open nostrils.

The FCI describes it as intelligent, active and alert, friendly and independent. The Royal Kennel Club recommends up to an hour of exercise a day and grooming every day, and lists a flat as a suitable home. The PDSA says Shih Tzus can be good-natured family pets if they have had the right socialisation and training, calls them an ideal pet for first-time owners, advises always supervising them with children, and recommends a daily brush plus a clip by a professional groomer every six to eight weeks for most pet dogs. The Royal Kennel Club gives its lifespan as over 10 years.

Available in the 12-week PetPrep Challenge (paid breed).

Updated:

Shih Tzu — photo (AI)
AI-generated photo

At a glance

Size
small — The Royal Kennel Club S231
Adult weight
males 4.5–8 kg, females 4.5–8 kg — FCI S229
Daily exercise
up to 1 hour a day — The Royal Kennel Club S231
Brushing
every day — The Royal Kennel Club S231
Lifespan
median 12.7 years — Canine Medicine and Genetics 11:1 S234; more than 10 years — The Royal Kennel Club S231

Key facts from the sources at the bottom of the page. Where sources differ, each value is listed.

Who it suits

Good for:

Keep in mind:

  • needs brushing several times a weekS231S233
  • shorter muzzle — can have breathing problemsS233S236

The same tags as in the app. Each tag is backed by the sources listed at the bottom of the page.

What it needs

From breed standards, kennel clubs, veterinary charities and studies. Where sources differ, each one is shown.

Exercise

  • Daily exercise: up to 1 hour a day — The Royal Kennel Club S231

Coat and grooming

  • Coat: long — The Royal Kennel Club S231
  • Brushing: every day — The Royal Kennel Club S231

Meals

General guidance for dogs (not breed-specific):

  • 8–12 weeks: 4 meals a day — ASPCA S18
  • 3–6 months: 3 meals a day — ASPCA S18
  • 6–12 months: 2 meals a day — ASPCA S18
  • Adult: at least 2 meals a day — VCA Animal Hospitals S19
  • Senior: 2–3 meals a day, smaller portions — Dogs Trust S14

Lifespan

  • Lifespan: median 12.7 years — Canine Medicine and Genetics 11:1 S234
  • Lifespan: more than 10 years — The Royal Kennel Club S231

Life stages

  • Reaches adult size at: about 9–12 months (guidance for its size class) — PetMD S10

General guidance for dogs (not breed-specific):

  • Puppy: until about 6–9 months — AAHA S11
  • Young adult: until 3–4 years — AAHA S11
  • Senior: the last 25 % of the expected lifespan — AAHA S11

Size and weight

  • Size: small — The Royal Kennel Club S231
  • Height at the withers: 27 cm — PDSA S233
  • Adult weight: males 4.5–8 kg, females 4.5–8 kg — FCI S229

Training

  • No. 70 in Stanley Coren's ranking of working and obedience intelligence. — Wikipedia S35
  • FCI standard no. 208, group 9 (companion and toy dogs); origin: Tibet (China). — FCI S230

Questions and answers

Answered only from the sourced facts on this page; every answer names its sources.

How much exercise does a Shih Tzu need?

According to our sources, the Shih Tzu needs this much exercise: up to 1 hour a day — The Royal Kennel Club S231.

How long does a Shih Tzu live?

According to our sources, the lifespan of the Shih Tzu is: median 12.7 years — Canine Medicine and Genetics 11:1 S234; more than 10 years — The Royal Kennel Club S231. The sources give different values, so each one is listed.

How big does a Shih Tzu get and how much does it weigh?

Size and adult weight of the Shih Tzu, according to our sources: Size: small — The Royal Kennel Club S231; Adult weight: males 4.5–8 kg, females 4.5–8 kg — FCI S229.

How much grooming does a Shih Tzu need?

Coat and grooming of the Shih Tzu, according to our sources: Brushing: every day — The Royal Kennel Club S231; Coat: long — The Royal Kennel Club S231.

Who is the Shih Tzu a good fit for?

Our sources describe the Shih Tzu as a good fit for: apartment living — The Royal Kennel Club S231; family life — PDSA S233; first-time owners — PDSA S233. Keep in mind: needs brushing several times a week — The Royal Kennel Club, PDSA S231S233; shorter muzzle — can have breathing problems — PDSA, British Veterinary Association S233S236.

Game rules, not veterinary advice

How PetPrep simulates it

In PetPrep one real week is one month of the pet's life. These are the rules the game uses for this breed. PetPrep chose them from the sources on this page; they are not care instructions for a real animal.

Life stageStartsMeals a dayDaily step goal
Puppyarrives at 2 months4; from month 3: 3; from month 6: 21,000 steps per month of age (2,000 on arrival), up to 6,000 from month 6
Young dogmonth 926,000 steps
Adultmonth 36 (3 years)26,000 steps
Seniormonth 114 (9.5 years)24,500 steps
  • Step goal = minutes of daily exercise × 100 steps: an adult gets 1 hour, so 6,000 steps a day.
  • Learns commands more slowly than the mixed breed of the free plan (0.5× its speed).
  • Becomes a senior in month 114 (9.5 years) — the last quarter of the breed's expected lifespan.
  • Walks count real steps from Apple Health or Health Connect (with permission, read-only) and the phone's motion sensor — no GPS.
  • Combing 7 times a week.

Each game number is a PetPrep decision recorded with its sources. — PetMD, AAHA, Dogs Trust, ASPCA, VCA Animal Hospitals, The Royal Kennel Club, Purdue University Canine Welfare Science, Wikipedia, British Journal of Sports Medicine, Canine Medicine and Genetics 11:1 S10S11S14S18S19S21S24S35S45S231S234

Health

For information only, not vet-reviewed. Ask your vet about your own animal.

  • A brachycephalic (short-faced) breed: the shorter face can cause serious breathing problems (brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome, BOAS). — PDSA S233
  • A large UK study names dental disease as the most common problem in the breed, and owners are advised to make dental care a priority. — Royal Veterinary College S235
  • Eye problems occur in the breed, such as dry eye, cataracts, progressive retinal atrophy, which can slowly lead to blindness, and retinal detachment. — PDSA S233

Before you buy: what to check with the breeder

Questions to settle before you take a puppy home. The points are advice from vets, welfare charities and kennel clubs; each cites its source.

For every breed

  • See the puppy with its mother, where it was born. — PDSA, RSPCA K1K2
  • The puppy should not leave its mother before 8 weeks of age. — PDSA K1
  • Ask for the pedigree. Under FCI rules a pedigree may be issued for correct parentage only. — FCI K7
  • Ask to see the health-test results of both parents. Which tests matter depends on the breed. — PDSA, British Veterinary Association, FOUR PAWS UK K1K9K10
  • National kennel clubs can set breeding rules that go beyond the FCI's — ask the breed club which tests the parents need. — FCI K7
  • Ask for a written sale contract that records the puppy's background and health. — British Veterinary Association, FOUR PAWS UK K9K10

Laws on the minimum age, microchipping and vaccination differ by country — check the rules where you live.

Health tests of the parents for this breed

  • The Royal Kennel Club currently lists no recommended pre-breeding health screening for this breed. Still ask the breeder about the parents' health. — The Royal Kennel Club S231

Similar breeds

Other dogs in the register with similar needs — each with sourced facts.

Sources

Every fact on this page cites one of these sources.

  1. S10PetMD — S. C. Mitchell, DVM, DABVP, 2025-05-20 — When Do Dogs Stop Growing?https://www.petmd.com/dog/general-health/when-do-dogs-stop-growing
  2. S11AAHA — 2019 AAHA Canine Life Stage Guidelines — Canine life stage definitionshttps://www.aaha.org/resources/life-stage-canine-2019/canine-life-stage-definitions/
  3. S14Dogs Trust (UK) — Caring for an older doghttps://www.dogstrust.org.uk/dog-advice/life-with-your-dog/at-home/looking-after-an-older-dog
  4. S18ASPCA — General Dog Carehttps://www.aspca.org/pet-care/dog-care/general-dog-care
  5. S19VCA Animal Hospitals (2025-02-21) — Feeding Times and Frequency for Your Doghttps://vcahospitals.com/pets-first/know-your-pet/feeding-times-and-frequency-for-your-dog
  6. S21The Royal Kennel Club (UK) — Puppy feeding tipshttps://www.royalkennelclub.com/health-and-dog-care/health-dog-care/health/health-and-care/a-z-of-health-and-care-issues/puppy-feeding-tips
  7. S24Purdue University Canine Welfare Science (content: Pet Leadership Council 2019, bedogsmart.com) — Dog Fitness and Exercise (PDF)https://caninewelfare.centers.purdue.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Dog-Fitness-and-Exercise.pdf
  8. S35Wikipedia — The Intelligence of Dogshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Intelligence_of_Dogs
  9. S45British Journal of Sports Medicine (2018) — Tudor-Locke C. et al. How fast is fast enough? Walking cadence (steps/min) as a practical estimate of intensity in adults. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2017-097628https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6029645
  10. S229FCI — FCI-Standard N° 208 — Shih Tzu (EN PDF, dev.fci.be host; date of publication of the valid standard 22.08.2017)https://dev.fci.be/Nomenclature/Standards/208g09-en.pdf
  11. S230FCI — FCI breeds nomenclature — Shih Tzu (208)https://www.fci.be/EN/nomenclature/SHIH-TZU-208.html
  12. S231The Royal Kennel Club (UK) — Shih Tzu — breed information page (Breeds A to Z, older address)https://thekennelclub.org.uk/services/public/breed/display.aspx?id=4102
  13. S233PDSA — Shih Tzu breed informationhttps://www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/looking-after-your-pet/puppies-dogs/small-dogs/shih-tzu
  14. S234Canine Medicine and Genetics 11:1 (2024) — Dale F., Brodbelt D. C., West G., Church D. B., Lee Y. H., O'Neill D. G. Demography, common disorders and mortality of Shih Tzu dogs under primary veterinary care in the UK. doi:10.1186/s40575-023-00135-yhttps://doaj.org/article/657d6c33d0c3436bb75e64d9ee6250eb
  15. S235Royal Veterinary College — VetCompass — Shih Tzu (VetCompass infographic / summary of S234, 2024-01-24) (PDF)https://www.rvc.ac.uk/Media/Default/VetCompass/240124%20VetCompass%20-%20Shih%20Tzu%20infographic.pdf
  16. S236British Veterinary Association — BVA brachycephalic dogs policy position, January 2018 (full position, PDF)https://www.bva.co.uk/media/1183/bva-position-on-brachycephalic-dogs-full.pdf
  17. K1PDSA — Getting a puppyhttps://www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/looking-after-your-pet/puppies-dogs/getting-a-puppy
  18. K2RSPCA — Buying a puppyhttps://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/pets/dogs/puppy
  19. K7FCI (copy hosted by Norsk Kennel Klub) — International Breeding Rules of the FCIhttps://nkk2023.stage22.coretrek.no/getfile.php/131987377-1520848467/Dokumenter/Registrering/FCIs%20avlsregler%202013.pdf
  20. K9British Veterinary Association — What should you consider when buying a puppy?https://www.bva.co.uk/news-and-blog/blog-article/what-should-you-consider-when-buying-a-puppy/
  21. K10FOUR PAWS UK — Questions to ask when buying a puppyhttps://www.four-paws.org.uk/our-stories/publications-guides/questions-to-ask-when-buying-a-puppy

PetPrep is a simulation for families. This page is not veterinary advice — for a real animal, ask a vet or the breed club.

Ready for a pet?

Be among the first families to try PetPrep. We will email you when it is ready — nothing else.

By subscribing you agree to receive emails about PetPrep. Unsubscribe anytime. Privacy policy