Whether your Shih Tzu is a puppy or a senior, healthy or suffering from allergies, this article should clear up the basics for providing your Shih Tzu with food and snacks that benefit its health and wellbeing. Similarly, whether or not you’re a dog professional or previous dog owner yourself, I will provide basic knowledge of food and snacks to avoid, and best options for special cases of Shih Tzus with sensitive stomachs or other unique allergy problems. Typically, Shih Tzus aren’t especially picky compared to other breeds, but if you find your Shih Tzu is being overly picky and not eating, it is best to avoid over-catering to it by adding a variety of tops to their dish or changing around the eating schedule as it bothers you. It is always best to remain firm and keep a steady schedule, especially if you are raising a puppy.
Generally speaking, you want to avoid food and snacks with high chemical content in coloring or additives. In other words, the ‘prettier’ or more colorful the food or snack looks, the more detrimental it probably is to your Shih Tzu! Here’s a trick for deciphering whether or not a food/treat product is the one for you: read the ingredients. If the product contains a bunch of things you can’t pronounce, it’s probably best left on the shelf.
During a Shih Tzu’s first stage of life (8 to 12 weeks) it will have difficulty associating a certain time of day with eating, and even if it does, probably won’t eat enough to fill itself. The best method during this stage is to constantly have a little food in the bowl, and always remind the dog of where the food and water bowls are. Too much time in between meals during this young stage of life is the leading cause of hypoglycemia in Shih Tzus- the only exception to this rule is in the case of stomach problems whereby you might want to hold out on feeding the dog for 10-16 hours. As the dog gets older, three meals per day is typically the best way to ensure health and general wellbeing. If the dog never seems satisfied, it may be due to the quality of food it's being served, i.e. how many additives, fillers, and chemicals there are in its contents.
During a Shih Tzu’s first stage of life (8 to 12 weeks) it will have difficulty associating a certain time of day with eating, and even if it does, probably won’t eat enough to fill itself. The best method during this stage is to constantly have a little food in the bowl, and always remind the dog of where the food and water bowls are. Too much time in between meals during this young stage of life is the leading cause of hypoglycemia in Shih Tzus- the only exception to this rule is in the case of stomach problems whereby you might want to hold out on feeding the dog for 10-16 hours. As the dog gets older, three meals per day is typically the best way to ensure health and general wellbeing. If the dog never seems satisfied, it may be due to the quality of food it's being served, i.e. how many additives, fillers, and chemicals there are in its contents.
If you’re wary of this, food and snack shopping for your dog should please all parties involved. Some of the most acclaimed treats are made by Natural Balance, Blue Buffalo, and Zuke’s Jerky Naturals- all these brands offer safe and tasty treats for your Shih Tzu. If your budget is tight and treats push your budget limit, food items in your fridge and pantry will be perfectly sufficient for a Shih Tzu awaiting a reward. Tiny chunks of strawberry, carrot, apple, or even a couple of Cheerio pieces are a great way to express love or reward your Shih Tzu.
Some of the best daily food options for Shih Tzus are Diamonds Naturals, Eukanuba, Hill’s Science Small Dog, Royal Canin (who makes a product specifically for Shih Tzus), Wellness CORE Natural Grain, and Nature’s Variety Instinct Raw Boost. All of these products are dry food options which are always easier on the stomach of your dog, and better for healthy teeth as well which will keep the dog from developing bad breath later in life- always a plus! If your Shih Tzu is adopted, used to wet foods, or just not eating dry foods, some helpful options of convincing your dog are to warm the dry food before serving or sprinkle a bit of chicken broth on top of it. Newman’s Own and Hill’s Science make fine wet food products if your Shih Tzu refuses dry food, but typically dry variations are the best way to go.
Some of the best daily food options for Shih Tzus are Diamonds Naturals, Eukanuba, Hill’s Science Small Dog, Royal Canin (who makes a product specifically for Shih Tzus), Wellness CORE Natural Grain, and Nature’s Variety Instinct Raw Boost. All of these products are dry food options which are always easier on the stomach of your dog, and better for healthy teeth as well which will keep the dog from developing bad breath later in life- always a plus! If your Shih Tzu is adopted, used to wet foods, or just not eating dry foods, some helpful options of convincing your dog are to warm the dry food before serving or sprinkle a bit of chicken broth on top of it. Newman’s Own and Hill’s Science make fine wet food products if your Shih Tzu refuses dry food, but typically dry variations are the best way to go.