Dog breed guide
Shih Tzu
The Shih Tzu is a small, friendly and independent companion with a long, dense coat. The coat needs daily brushing and mats easily, and the breed needs only light exercise. Sources describe it as affectionate with children and well suited to apartment living.
Also searched as Shih Tzu, Shitzu.
Shih Tzu at a glance
- Adult weight, male
- 4 to 7 kg
- Adult weight, female
- 4 to 7 kg
- Size
- Small, under 10 kg
- Height
- 20 to 28 cm
- Lifespan
- 10 to 18 years
- Coat
- long, dense, not curly, with moderate undercoat, slight wave permitted
Ratings
Petboost editorial ratings from 1 to 5, drawn from the breed standard text under Sources. A breed with no basis in the sources for a rating shows none.
- Shedding
- Grooming effort
- Energy
- Trainability
- Good with children
- Suits an apartment
5 means it sheds heavily
5 means it needs the most grooming
5 means it needs a lot of exercise
5 means it learns quickly and eagerly
5 means it suits a family best
5 means it copes best in a small home
Next steps
- Find a local groomer or daycarePet businesses near you that take bookings online.
- Check a Shih Tzu puppy's weightWhere a puppy sits against the breed's adult range.
- Dog age in human yearsFrom a formula, not the seven-to-one rule.
Sources
- Petboost breed reference data, adult weight ranges (breed list snapshot).
- Dogs Australia, Shih Tzu Breed Standard, https://dogsaustralia.org.au/members/breeds/breed-standards/Shih-Tzu, read 2026-10-05
- American Kennel Club, Is the Shih Tzu the Right Breed for Your Lifestyle?, https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/dog-breeds/shih-tzu-right-for-you/, read 2026-10-05
- American Kennel Club, Lhasa Apso vs. Shih Tzu: Similarities and Differences, https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/dog-breeds/lhasa-apso-versus-shih-tzu-how-to-tell-the-difference/, read 2026-10-05
- Dogs NSW, Shih Tzu, https://www.dogsnsw.org.au/breeds/browse-all-breeds/shih-tzu/, read 2026-10-05
- The Royal Kennel Club, Shih Tzu, https://www.royalkennelclub.com/search/breeds-a-to-z/breeds/utility/shih-tzu/, read 2026-10-05
General information about the breed, not veterinary advice. Speak with your vet about your own pet.