How to Feed Your Shih Tzu
Determine your Shih Tzu’s weight., Feed your Shih Tzu the appropriate amount of food., Give your Shih Tzu food in the morning and evening., Avoid leaving large amounts of food out for your pet., Adjust the feeding schedule for older or less active...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Determine your Shih Tzu’s weight.
It’s always best to have your veterinarian or groomer weigh the dog, since they have scales specifically created for this task.
However, you can weigh your Shih Tzu at home with a method that is only slightly less accurate.
Start by standing on a scale while holding your dog.
Then, put the dog down, and weigh yourself again.
The difference in these two weights should be your dog’s weight., This breed is prone to obesity, so it’s especially important to count calories.
On average, older Shih Tzus and puppies need about 280 calories a day, adults need about 340 calories, and very active dogs need about 540 calories.
You should be able to find the calorie information on the pet food bag.
In most cases, this information is found either as part of the nutritional information or within the feeding guide.
If you cannot find caloric information on the packaging, you may want to reconsider your choice of pet food, or contact the supplier directly.
A good equation to determine how much to feed your specific Shih Tzu is 35 times each pound of body weight equals the total number of daily calories.
For example, a 9-pound Shih Tzu would need to consume 315 calories a day: 9 X 35 =
315.
Older dogs and puppies need to consume about 30 calories per pound of body weight.
The same 9-pound Shih Tzu from the sample above would need 270 calories a day as a puppy and in their old age: 9 X 30 =
270.
Use these calculations as a good starting point or guideline, but they may not be quite right for your dog.
Each week feel for your dog's ribs — they should be easy to feel without applying pressure, but they also shouldn't be jutting out of their fur.
If you can't find the ribs, then cut the amount of food by 10%.
Dogs are considered senior after the age of seven, and should be considered puppies until they are one year old., Some Shih Tzus will thrive with one large meal, but typically, splitting their daily calorie allotment between a morning and evening meal is preferred.
This keeps your pup’s belly full and minimizes the amount of blood sugar peaks and valleys, offering more consistent energy levels.
Until three months old, you can let puppies free feed.
Provide them food equivalent to 30 calories per pound of weight, and let them graze throughout the day, unless they show signs of gorging.
If your pup eats all of the food at once and is sick, you may need to split their meals up.
Between three months and one year old, feed your Shih Tzu three times each day.
After the pup reaches one year of age, you can begin feeding them one or two meals a day., This is called free feeding, and after your Shih Tzu reaches three months of age, this may encourage overeating.
As a breed, Shih Tzus are prone to being overweight, so it’s especially important to avoid overfeeding.
Instead, portion out their food to split calories into two smaller meals spaced throughout the meal. , Once your pup reaches the age of seven it’s considered a senior.
At this age, you’ll need to reduce their caloric intake.
As they age, some dogs will not be able to eat very much at one time.
Monitor their food consumption, and if you notice they just eat a few bites within 20 or 45 minutes, you can probably revert to free feeding.
If you have a less active dog, you will need to reduce intake to 30 calories per pound, but you should continue to feed them at regular intervals to avoid weight gain. -
Step 2: Feed your Shih Tzu the appropriate amount of food.
-
Step 3: Give your Shih Tzu food in the morning and evening.
-
Step 4: Avoid leaving large amounts of food out for your pet.
-
Step 5: Adjust the feeding schedule for older or less active Shih Tzus.
Detailed Guide
It’s always best to have your veterinarian or groomer weigh the dog, since they have scales specifically created for this task.
However, you can weigh your Shih Tzu at home with a method that is only slightly less accurate.
Start by standing on a scale while holding your dog.
Then, put the dog down, and weigh yourself again.
The difference in these two weights should be your dog’s weight., This breed is prone to obesity, so it’s especially important to count calories.
On average, older Shih Tzus and puppies need about 280 calories a day, adults need about 340 calories, and very active dogs need about 540 calories.
You should be able to find the calorie information on the pet food bag.
In most cases, this information is found either as part of the nutritional information or within the feeding guide.
If you cannot find caloric information on the packaging, you may want to reconsider your choice of pet food, or contact the supplier directly.
A good equation to determine how much to feed your specific Shih Tzu is 35 times each pound of body weight equals the total number of daily calories.
For example, a 9-pound Shih Tzu would need to consume 315 calories a day: 9 X 35 =
315.
Older dogs and puppies need to consume about 30 calories per pound of body weight.
The same 9-pound Shih Tzu from the sample above would need 270 calories a day as a puppy and in their old age: 9 X 30 =
270.
Use these calculations as a good starting point or guideline, but they may not be quite right for your dog.
Each week feel for your dog's ribs — they should be easy to feel without applying pressure, but they also shouldn't be jutting out of their fur.
If you can't find the ribs, then cut the amount of food by 10%.
Dogs are considered senior after the age of seven, and should be considered puppies until they are one year old., Some Shih Tzus will thrive with one large meal, but typically, splitting their daily calorie allotment between a morning and evening meal is preferred.
This keeps your pup’s belly full and minimizes the amount of blood sugar peaks and valleys, offering more consistent energy levels.
Until three months old, you can let puppies free feed.
Provide them food equivalent to 30 calories per pound of weight, and let them graze throughout the day, unless they show signs of gorging.
If your pup eats all of the food at once and is sick, you may need to split their meals up.
Between three months and one year old, feed your Shih Tzu three times each day.
After the pup reaches one year of age, you can begin feeding them one or two meals a day., This is called free feeding, and after your Shih Tzu reaches three months of age, this may encourage overeating.
As a breed, Shih Tzus are prone to being overweight, so it’s especially important to avoid overfeeding.
Instead, portion out their food to split calories into two smaller meals spaced throughout the meal. , Once your pup reaches the age of seven it’s considered a senior.
At this age, you’ll need to reduce their caloric intake.
As they age, some dogs will not be able to eat very much at one time.
Monitor their food consumption, and if you notice they just eat a few bites within 20 or 45 minutes, you can probably revert to free feeding.
If you have a less active dog, you will need to reduce intake to 30 calories per pound, but you should continue to feed them at regular intervals to avoid weight gain.
About the Author
Kyle Miller
A passionate writer with expertise in home improvement topics. Loves sharing practical knowledge.
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