How to Feed a Shih Tzu

How Much is Too Much

Sometimes it may seem as if a dog could eat endlessly.  This is not true of course; a dog needs a certain amount of
food each day.  Just like humans, too little food will not offer the dog enough nutrients and vitamins and a Shih Tzu
will not be able to properly grow.  Health issues will eventually appear is a dog is underfed for an extended time.

Determining Proper Weight

Too much food and just like a person, your Shih Tzu will gain weight.  When a dog is overweight this will first
show in the rib area.  A Shih Tzu has long fur so one can determine a general idea of proper weight by touching the
rib cage. 

If you can immediately feel ribs that are seem to be almost poking through the skin, your Shih Tzu is extremely
underweight.  If you can feel the ribs but also feel a thin layer of fat and muscle, your dog is most likely an
appropriate weight.  If you cannot feel the ribs at all because so much fat and tissue is covering them, your dog may
be carrying too much weight.

Measured Dog Food

When your Shih Tzu is still a puppy you should feed your dog 3 times each day.   You can also give your dog some
treats in between meals as long as they are healthy. An adult dog should eat once per day.

After the age of 3 months, it is recommended to never "free feed".  This means that you should not leave out dog
food for your Shih Tzu to eat whenever they wish.  Meals should be scheduled.  A puppy should eat an ounce of
food (28.4 grams) for each pound that he or she weighs. For an adult: 1/2 ounce per pound.

You can weigh your Shih Tzu by first placing a basket or other comfortable container on a scale and seeing how
much it weighs.  Then, place your Shih Tzu inside the basket to see the total weight.  Subtract the weight of the
container from the total weight to learn how much your dog weighs.