Puppies › Shih Tzu › Lifespan, health and shedding
Shih Tzu guideA Shih Tzu can live 10 to 18 years, and it sheds about as little as any dog can. No Shih Tzu is allergy-free, though, because the allergen people react to comes from a dog's saliva, dander and urine.
Anywhere from 10 to 18 years, which gives a well kept Shih Tzu a real chance at a long life. For a sense of scale, a large study of dogs of every kind found a typical lifespan of 12.5 years.
The biggest thing in your hands is weight. Overweight dogs tend to live shorter lives, breed after breed, and Shih Tzus put weight on easily. A Shih Tzu will happily talk you into a second treat, so it helps to settle the treat budget before those eyes go to work.
A Shih Tzu used for breeding should have its eyes examined by a veterinary eye specialist and its kneecaps checked, and hip and heart exams can be added. Good breeders also watch for hip problems, slipping kneecaps and eye problems such as cataracts, an inherited eye disease that can lead to blindness, and a detached retina.
We are working toward health testing all of our mamas and papas, and the certificates we have are posted on each parent's page, linked from its puppies and litters. The ones we have for our Shih Tzu parents so far cover eye, heart and kneecap exams. A health certificate records the result of an exam, so open it and read it rather than taking any certificate as proof that every result was normal.
Mostly it means minding the heat. A short face and a heavy coat make a Shih Tzu poor at handling hot weather and a weak swimmer, so summer walks belong in the cool of the morning or evening, and a Shih Tzu near a pool needs a close eye.
The eyes need looking after as well. Wipe the corners gently with a damp cloth and keep the hair on top of the head short or tied up so it doesn't bother them, and if an eye ever looks red or runny, call your vet.
Very little. The breed is about as low shedding as dogs get and near the top for grooming, which for most families means less vacuuming and more brushing.
A Shih Tzu has a long, thick double coat that flows, sometimes with a slight wave, and it can be any color or marking. Our Shih Tzu price guide goes through what that coat takes each week, and whether a short trim might suit you better.
No breed is. Every dog carries some allergen, since the protein behind a dog allergy lives in saliva, dander and urine, and a long coat doesn't change that. When researchers measured the main dog allergen in coat samples, they found more of it on the breeds sold as hypoallergenic, with no less of it in those dogs' homes.
Anyone in the family with allergies should spend a few afternoons with a Shih Tzu before you decide, and check with their doctor. When you're ready, our Shih Tzu puppies are on the breed page.
Every Shih Tzu page names its mama and papa, and any certificates we have for them are one click from there.
Call or text during the day, email any time, or send an application and we will get back to you, usually within 24 hours. You are welcome to visit in Syracuse, Indiana, during our hours or at another time on request.