Shih Tzu Complete Guide: Grooming, Personality, and Health Care

Shih Tzu Complete Guide: Grooming, Training & Care for Your Royal Companion

The Shih Tzu captivates hearts worldwide with their distinctive appearance combining flowing floor-length coats cascading like silk waterfalls when properly maintained, flat faces featuring large, round, dark eyes conveying sweetness and mischief simultaneously, pushed-up noses creating that characteristic brachycephalic profile, and small, sturdy bodies weighing 9-16 pounds carrying themselves with an air of dignity suggesting their ancient heritage as treasured companions of Chinese royalty. Literally translating to “little lion dog,” Shih Tzus were bred exclusively for Chinese emperors and nobility for over 1,000 years, living pampered lives in palace luxury where their sole purpose was providing companionship, warmth, and entertainment to their aristocratic owners. This heritage created dogs whose entire existence centers on human companionship, making them exceptionally affectionate, devoted, and happiest when simply being near their people whether cuddling on laps, following room to room, or participating in family activities. Their adaptability to apartment living, relatively modest exercise needs compared to working breeds, generally friendly temperaments with children and other pets, and portable size perfect for travel have maintained their popularity ranking consistently in the top 20 breeds for decades.

However, beneath those gorgeous flowing locks and adorable squished faces lurks a breed requiring extraordinary grooming commitment that overwhelms unprepared owners, facing serious brachycephalic health issues causing breathing difficulties and heat intolerance, displaying surprising stubbornness making training challenging despite their small size, and possessing behavioral quirks including potential aggression, excessive barking, and separation anxiety without proper socialization and management. The grooming alone makes Shih Tzus among the most time-intensive and expensive breeds requiring daily brushing taking 15-30 minutes preventing their continuously growing hair from matting into painful tangles, professional grooming every 4-6 weeks maintaining coat health and appearance costing $60-100 per session totaling $720-1,200 annually, meticulous facial cleaning preventing eye infections and tear staining from their flat faces and prominent eyes, and constant coat maintenance removing debris, checking skin condition, and managing the inevitable matting that occurs despite best efforts. Many owners opt for shorter “puppy cuts” reducing daily maintenance time but still requiring professional grooming and regular brushing preventing the mats that form incredibly quickly in Shih Tzu coats.

Their brachycephalic anatomy creates lifelong challenges as their flat faces mean stenotic nares (pinched nostrils), elongated soft palates, and narrow airways causing chronic breathing difficulties manifesting as snorting, snoring, wheezing, exercise intolerance, overheating in temperatures above 75-80°F, and potential respiratory crises requiring emergency intervention. They cannot exercise strenuously, struggle in warm weather, and face increased anesthesia risks during any surgical procedures due to their compromised airways. Add in their tendency toward eye problems including corneal ulcers, dry eye, and progressive retinal atrophy, orthopedic issues including luxating patellas and hip dysplasia despite their small size, dental disease affecting nearly all Shih Tzus requiring expensive professional cleanings and extractions, ear infections from their floppy ears trapping moisture, and various other conditions, and you have a breed requiring substantial veterinary care throughout their 10-18 year lifespans.

Their personalities while generally sweet can include challenging aspects like stubbornness making house training notoriously difficult with many never achieving full reliability, potential aggression toward strangers or other dogs without extensive socialization, excessive barking at everything creating noise that disturbs owners and neighbors, and separation anxiety manifesting as destructive behaviors when left alone. Lifetime costs typically exceed $25,000-50,000 including purchase price, grooming expenses that accumulate to $10,000-15,000+ over their lives, routine veterinary care, and inevitable health interventions for breed-specific conditions. This guide provides complete information about Shih Tzu ownership including their grooming reality with specific time and cost commitments, brachycephalic health challenges and management strategies, personality quirks and training approaches, daily care requirements, costs for USA, UK, and Germany, and honest assessment helping you determine whether this ancient companion breed matches your lifestyle, capabilities, and willingness to commit to their substantial needs despite their small, adorable appearance suggesting low-maintenance pets when reality proves quite different.

The Shih Tzu Personality: Ancient Companion Bred for Royalty

Shih Tzus were bred exclusively as companion dogs for over 1,000 years with their sole purpose being providing comfort, warmth, and entertainment to Chinese royalty, creating dogs whose entire existence centers on human companionship and who genuinely seem happiest when cuddling on laps, sleeping pressed against their people, or simply being in the same room watching household activities unfold. Their affectionate nature manifests through constant desire for physical contact, following their favorite people everywhere including bathroom visits, greeting family members with enthusiastic tail wagging and full-body wiggles, and seeking attention through pawing, nudging, or gentle vocalizations until they receive the petting or cuddling they crave. This devotion creates wonderful companionship for people wanting deeply bonded relationships with their dogs, though it also predisposes Shih Tzus to separation anxiety requiring management through gradual alone-time training, providing enrichment during absences, and accepting they’re not suitable for people away from home extensively.

Their temperament with children ranges from patient and gentle with properly socialized dogs raised with respectful kids, to nervous or snappy with dogs lacking socialization or around rough, loud children who trigger anxiety or defensive responses. Shih Tzus’ size means they’re easily injured by young children who accidentally step on them, drop them, or handle them roughly, requiring supervision and teaching children appropriate gentle interactions. With other pets including dogs and cats they’re generally friendly when properly introduced and socialized, though some show dog aggression particularly toward same-sex dogs, and their prey drive is typically minimal making them safer with small pets than many breeds. Their friendliness with strangers varies widely from dogs who greet everyone enthusiastically to those who remain aloof or nervous with unfamiliar people, depending heavily on individual temperament, breeding, and socialization experiences.

Their stubbornness surprises many owners expecting automatic compliance from small companion dogs, as Shih Tzus possess independent streaks inherited from their royal heritage where they were pampered and indulged rather than required to work or follow commands. They evaluate whether obeying benefits them and sometimes decide their own agendas take priority, creating selective hearing where they know what you want but choose to ignore you if more interesting options exist. This selective obedience frustrates owners expecting easy training from small dogs who theoretically should be simple to control, but Shih Tzus have minds of their own and require patient, consistent, positive reinforcement training using high-value rewards maintaining their interest and cooperation. House training exemplifies their stubbornness as many take 6-12 months or never achieve full reliability, deciding certain indoor locations work perfectly well as bathrooms regardless of owner disagreement and requiring diligent crate training, frequent breaks, enzymatic cleaners, and acceptance that accidents may continue periodically throughout their lives.

Their vocal nature creates constant barking at doorbells, footsteps, passing dogs, delivery drivers, and seemingly random stimuli, making them excellent alert dogs but potentially problematic in apartments or with noise-sensitive neighbors. Training “quiet” commands helps manage barking though complete elimination is unrealistic given their alert watchdog instincts and sensitivity to environmental changes. Their playfulness persists throughout life as they enjoy interactive toys, gentle games, and activities involving their people, though their exercise tolerance remains limited by their brachycephalic anatomy and they’re generally content with moderate activity levels matching less active owners or seniors seeking companionship without extensive exercise demands.

The Grooming Reality: Beautiful Coats Require Serious Commitment

Understanding Shih Tzu grooming requirements before bringing one home is absolutely critical because their gorgeous coats come with maintenance demands exceeding most breeds and creating significant ongoing time and financial commitments throughout their 10-18 year lifespans. Their coat consists of continuously growing hair rather than fur that sheds seasonally, creating low-shedding dogs appealing to allergy sufferers but requiring constant maintenance preventing matting. Left natural, Shih Tzu coats grow floor-length requiring daily brushing taking 30-45 minutes using proper tools including pin brushes, slicker brushes, metal combs, and detangling sprays, working systematically through the entire coat from skin outward in small sections ensuring you reach down to the skin rather than just brushing surface layers. Skip even one day and mats begin forming behind ears, under legs, on chest and belly, around rear end, and anywhere friction occurs, with these mats tightening into felt-like masses pulling skin painfully and creating skin infections underneath.

Professional grooming every 4-6 weeks is essential maintaining Shih Tzu health and appearance, with skilled groomers bathing thoroughly, completely drying their dense coats (which takes considerable time), brushing out all mats or shaving them if too tight, trimming coat to desired length and style, shaping face and topknot if maintained, cleaning ears, trimming nails, expressing anal glands if needed, and addressing any skin issues discovered during grooming. Full appointments cost $60-100 per visit depending on location, coat condition (badly matted coats cost significantly more), and services included, totaling $720-1,200 annually for standard maintenance. Most pet Shih Tzu owners choose shorter “puppy cuts” keeping entire coat trimmed to 1-2 inches reducing daily brushing to 10-15 minutes and making maintenance more manageable, though professional grooming remains necessary and even short coats mat quickly requiring vigilance.

Beyond coat care, Shih Tzus require intensive facial maintenance as their flat faces create constant eye discharge, tear staining particularly visible on light-colored coats, and moisture accumulation in facial folds predisposing to infections. Daily face cleaning involves wiping around eyes removing discharge, cleaning facial folds preventing bacterial or yeast overgrowth, trimming hair around eyes preventing irritation, and monitoring for signs of eye problems requiring veterinary attention. Dental care is equally critical as their small mouths create severe overcrowding where teeth jam together allowing bacteria to flourish, resulting in periodontal disease affecting most Shih Tzus by age 5-7 despite preventive efforts. Daily teeth brushing using dog-specific toothpaste, professional cleanings under anesthesia starting around age 2-3 continuing annually costing $500-1,200 each, and extractions of diseased teeth costing $50-150 per tooth become necessary for most dogs throughout their lives.

Ear cleaning 2-3 times weekly prevents infections in their floppy ears that trap moisture and restrict airflow, nail trimming every 2-3 weeks maintains foot health, and regular checks for skin problems, lumps, or other health concerns catch issues early. The total time commitment for grooming includes 10-45 minutes daily depending on coat length, professional grooming every 4-6 weeks, dental care adding 5-10 minutes daily, weekly ear and nail maintenance, and constant attention to their faces preventing eye problems and staining. Financial costs exceed $1,500-2,500 annually when combining professional grooming fees, home maintenance supplies, dental cleanings, and various grooming-related expenses, creating substantial ongoing investment throughout Shih Tzu lifespans.

Health Issues: Brachycephalic Problems and More

Shih Tzus face numerous breed-specific health challenges requiring awareness, preventive care, and financial resources for treatment. Their brachycephalic anatomy creates lifelong breathing difficulties as their flat faces mean stenotic nares (abnormally narrow nostrils barely allowing air passage), elongated soft palates (excess throat tissue blocking airways), hypoplastic tracheas (abnormally narrow windpipes), and narrow nasal passages combining to make every breath work rather than the effortless process normal dogs experience. Symptoms include constant snorting, snoring, wheezing sounds, exercise intolerance where even short walks cause distress, overheating in temperatures above 75-80°F because they cannot pant effectively to cool themselves, difficulty eating as elongated soft palates interfere with swallowing, sleep apnea causing poor sleep quality, and potential respiratory crises requiring emergency intervention. Many Shih Tzus benefit from BOAS surgery widening nostrils and shortening soft palates costing $2,000-5,000, improving breathing from severely compromised to moderately compromised though never creating “normal” respiratory function.

Eye problems plague Shih Tzus as their prominent, bulging eyes in flat faces make them vulnerable to injury and disease. Corneal ulcers occur when eyes get scratched by grass, debris, or their own facial hair creating painful open sores on eye surfaces requiring immediate treatment with medications and sometimes surgery preventing permanent damage or blindness. Dry eye (keratoconjunctivitis sicca) develops when tear production becomes inadequate causing painful, dry, irritated eyes prone to infections requiring lifelong medicated eye drops costing $50-100 monthly. Progressive retinal atrophy causes hereditary blindness beginning with night blindness progressing to complete vision loss with no treatment available. Cataracts cloud lenses impairing vision and sometimes requiring surgical removal costing $2,500-4,000 per eye. Proptosis (eye popping out of socket) can occur from trauma requiring emergency veterinary intervention preventing permanent blindness.

Luxating patellas (dislocating kneecaps) affect 15-20% of Shih Tzus causing intermittent lameness, skipping or hopping on back legs, and progressive arthritis with severe cases requiring surgical correction costing $1,500-3,000 per leg. Hip dysplasia despite their small size affects some Shih Tzus causing pain and mobility problems. Intervertebral disc disease (IVDD) occurs when spinal discs herniate causing pain, nerve damage, and potentially paralysis requiring strict rest or surgery costing $3,000-7,000. Dental disease is nearly universal with their overcrowded teeth creating impossible-to-clean spaces where bacteria flourishes, requiring professional cleanings and extractions throughout their lives. Ear infections are common due to floppy ears blocking airflow. Allergies both environmental and food-related create chronic itching, skin infections, and digestive upset. Hypothyroidism causes weight gain and lethargy requiring lifelong medication. Various other conditions affect the breed requiring ongoing veterinary care and management.

Training, Exercise, Daily Care, Costs, and Lifestyle

Training Shih Tzus requires patience and realistic expectations as their stubbornness and independent nature create dogs who learn slowly and obey selectively. Basic obedience using positive reinforcement with high-value treats and enthusiastic praise works best, starting training immediately upon bringing puppies or adults home and enrolling in puppy kindergarten or basic obedience classes. Essential commands include sit, down, stay, come, and critically “quiet” for managing excessive barking, though house training proves most challenging taking 6-12 months or longer with many never achieving full reliability requiring crate training, frequent breaks every 2-3 hours, consistent schedules, enzymatic cleaners, and acceptance that accidents may continue. Socialization during the critical 8-16 week period is essential preventing fear and aggression, exposing puppies to diverse people, dogs, environments, and experiences creating confident, well-adjusted adults.

Exercise needs are modest with adult Shih Tzus requiring only 20-30 minutes daily through short gentle walks of 10-15 minutes twice daily at slow pace, indoor play, and mental stimulation, making them suitable for less active owners, seniors, or apartment living. However, their brachycephalic anatomy creates exercise limitations as they cannot sustain vigorous activity, overheat quickly in warm weather requiring exercise only during coolest hours, and struggle breathing during any exertion. Temperature management is critical as they require air conditioning in summer, avoiding outdoor time when temperatures exceed 75-80°F, and wearing coats in cold weather below 50-60°F given their minimal body fat. Daily care involves feeding 1/2 to 1 cup high-quality food split into two meals, daily grooming maintenance, facial cleaning, dental care, and constant companionship as they develop separation anxiety when isolated extensively.

Purchase prices from reputable breeders providing health testing average $1,200-3,000 in USA, £1,000-2,500 in UK, €1,200-3,000 in Germany, while rescue adoption costs $200-500 (USA), £150-350 (UK), €200-450 (Germany). Annual costs average $2,500-4,500 including food, routine veterinary care, professional grooming ($720-1,200), preventive medications, pet insurance, dental care, and supplies. Major health expenses for BOAS surgery, eye surgeries, orthopedic corrections, or other interventions add $2,000-10,000+ in years when problems occur, pushing lifetime costs to $25,000-50,000+ over 10-18 years.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Are Shih Tzus good for first-time dog owners?
A: Maybe with realistic expectations about grooming demands, health challenges, training difficulties, and costs. Their small size and moderate exercise needs help but intensive grooming and stubborn temperaments challenge inexperienced owners.

Q: Do Shih Tzus shed?
A: Minimally compared to most breeds, making them better for allergy sufferers, but their coats require constant maintenance preventing matting which is far more time-consuming than managing shedding.

Q: How long do Shih Tzus live?
A: 10-18 years average with many reaching 15-16 years through excellent care, making them among the longer-lived breeds.

Q: Are Shih Tzus easy to train?
A: No, their stubbornness makes training challenging. House training is particularly difficult taking 6-12 months or longer with many never fully reliable. Basic obedience is achievable but requires patience.

Q: Can Shih Tzus be left alone?
A: Poorly. They develop separation anxiety easily and suffer when regularly left 8-10 hours. They’re unsuitable for full-time workers rarely home.

Q: Are Shih Tzus good with kids?
A: Depends on the individual dog and children. Well-socialized Shih Tzus with respectful older children can work well, but they’re too fragile for families with young children under 7-8 who might accidentally injure them.

Q: Do Shih Tzus bark a lot?
A: Yes, they’re alert watchdogs who bark at everything. Training reduces but doesn’t eliminate barking given their territorial instincts.

Q: How much grooming do Shih Tzus really need?
A: Daily brushing 10-45 minutes depending on coat length, professional grooming every 4-6 weeks ($720-1,200 annually), plus facial cleaning, dental care, and ear maintenance. This is genuinely high-maintenance.

Q: Are Shih Tzus hypoallergenic?
A: No dog is truly hypoallergenic, but Shih Tzus shed minimally making them better for some allergy sufferers. However, people react to dander and saliva, not just hair.

Q: Why do Shih Tzus have breathing problems?
A: Their flat faces create anatomical abnormalities including pinched nostrils, elongated soft palates, and narrow airways making breathing difficult their entire lives.

Shih Tzus suit people wanting devoted companions, those prepared for intensive grooming commitments, individuals home frequently providing companionship, and families with older children understanding gentle handling. They’re NOT suitable for busy people rarely home, those wanting low-maintenance or easily trained dogs, families with young children, people unprepared for $25,000-50,000+ lifetime costs, or anyone seeking athletic companions. For owners meeting their needs, Shih Tzus provide 10-18 years of devoted companionship, entertaining personalities, and ancient royal heritage making every grooming session and veterinary visit worthwhile. 🐕👑✨