Toy (9-16 lbs) · 10-18 years
Shih Tzu
Affectionate, outgoing, playful; bred purely to charm - friendly with everyone.
At a glance
What they’re great at
Honest challenges
Coat or airway makes heat a genuine physical limit.
What helps: Dawn and dusk walks; midday is rest time. Cooling mat, shade, and AC access always (see Home Setup). Learn the heatstroke signs in SOS - minutes matter.
Short airways set real physical limits.
What helps: Exercise in cool hours only; weight is the #1 breathing variable. Harness always - never a collar on this airway. Know the breathing-emergency signs in SOS.
Exercise & training
Grooming & coat
Health to know about
This page can only give breed ranges. The app calculates calories and portions from your dog’s actual weight and life stage, splits them across the right number of meals, and adjusts as they grow.
Emergency red flags
Vomiting, drooling, tremors, collapse, or known ingestion
→ Call ASPCA Poison Control 888-426-4435 or Pet Poison Helpline 855-764-7661 immediately; do NOT induce vomiting unless instructed
→ Save your nearest 24-hour emergency vet's address and phone in your phone TODAY, not during a crisis
Loud/frantic breathing, brick-red or blue gums, wobbliness, collapse, vomiting in heat
→ Move to AC, wet with cool (not ice) water especially belly/paws, fan, and drive to ER with windows down/AC on - even if the dog seems to recover
Sudden yelping, hunched back, refusal to move, wobbly or dragging hind legs, loss of bladder control
→ Crate immediately to prevent further damage and go straight to ER - surgery within 24-48 hours can mean the difference between walking and paralysis
Eye bulging or out of the socket, sudden squinting, bleeding, or cloudiness after rough play or restraint by the scruff
→ Cover with a damp clean cloth, do not push it back, ER immediately - minutes matter for saving vision
The app keeps every Shih Tzu red flag on your phone and opens them with no connection at all — which is the whole point at 2am in a car park. Add it to your home screen and it works like any other app.
📊 The numbers›
Typical ranges for planning, not promises — costs vary by region, breeder and individual dog.
| Group | Toy |
| Size | Toy (9-16 lbs) |
| Lifespan | 10-18 years |
| Healthy adult weight | 9–16 lb |
| Original purpose | Palace companion and lap warmer for Chinese emperors. |
| Monthly care | $60-$120 (incl. grooming) |
| Typical puppy price | $800-$2,500 |
🐕 Similar breeds›
Add them in the app for feeding by weight, training for their stage, and Shih Tzu emergency red flags saved to your phone. Free, no account needed.
Add them once and everything here becomes about your dog: feeding by their weight, training picked for their stage, a day built around your hours, and a vitals log that shows the trend. Free, works offline, no account needed.