Shih Tzu Feeding Guide: How Much, How Often & What to Feed (2026)

Feeding a Shih Tzu sounds simple until you try to get the amount exactly right. These small, sturdy dogs usually weigh just 9 to 16 pounds as adults, so even a spoonful too much every day can add up to extra weight over a few months, and extra weight matters more for a flat-faced breed that already has to work harder to breathe. At the same time, feeding too little, or leaving long gaps between meals, can leave a small dog hungry, unsettled, and in puppies, at risk of low blood sugar. This shih tzu feeding guide brings the whole picture together: how much to feed at each age, how often to feed, how many calories to aim for, what kind of food suits this breed, and how to adjust when your dog gains, loses, or simply refuses dinner.

You will find portion tables by age and weight, a sample daily schedule, and practical tips for flat-faced eating, picky phases, and food switches. Use the tables as your starting point, then fine-tune by watching body condition, energy, stool quality, and coat.

Quick Answer: An adult Shih Tzu eats 1/2 to 1 cup of small-breed kibble a day, split into two meals, about 280 to 480 calories. Puppies need 3 to 4 meals a day, and seniors do best on 2 meals. Pick a food with a named animal protein first, keep treats under 10% of daily calories, and use a wide, shallow bowl.

In This Guide

• Key Takeaways
• Shih Tzu Feeding at a Glance
• How Much Should a Shih Tzu Eat?
• How Often Should You Feed a Shih Tzu?
• Feeding a Shih Tzu Puppy
• Feeding an Adult Shih Tzu
• Feeding a Senior Shih Tzu
• What to Look for in a Shih Tzu’s Food
• Feeding a Flat-Faced Dog: Bowls, Pace, and Timing
• What to Avoid
• How to Switch Foods Safely
• A Sample Day of Shih Tzu Feeding
• Picky Eating: When Your Shih Tzu Refuses Food
• When to Talk to Your Vet About Feeding
• Pros and Cons
• Conclusion
• When Everyone in the House Feeds the Shih Tzu
• Can You Feed a Shih Tzu Homemade Food?

Key Takeaways

• Most adult Shih Tzus need about 1/2 to 1 cup of small-breed kibble per day, split into two meals, roughly 280 to 480 calories, depending on weight and activity.
• Feed puppies 3 to 4 small meals a day, adults twice a day, and seniors twice a day with a smaller, easily digested portion if appetite or digestion changes.
• Measure every meal with a cup or kitchen scale, count treats inside the daily total, and keep treats under 10% of daily calories.
• Use a wide, shallow bowl, feed at the same times each day, and never free-feed. An always-full bowl is the fastest route to weight gain in this breed.
• Adjust by body condition, not just the bag: you should be able to feel the ribs with light pressure and see a waist behind the ribcage.

Shih Tzu Feeding at a Glance

The table below is the quick version of this guide. The sections that follow explain each row, including why puppies need more frequent meals and why seniors often need fewer calories even when they seem just as hungry.

Life stage	Meals per day	Daily calories (approx.)	Dry food (approx.)
Puppy, 2 to 4 months	3 to 4	200 to 350 kcal	1/4 to 1/2 cup
Puppy, 4 to 8 months	3	300 to 450 kcal	1/3 to 2/3 cup
Junior, 8 to 12 months	2 to 3	300 to 420 kcal	1/3 to 2/3 cup
Adult, 1 to 7 years	2	280 to 480 kcal	1/2 to 1 cup
Senior, 8+ years	2	240 to 400 kcal	1/3 to 3/4 cup

These amounts assume a typical dry food of around 350 calories per cup. If your food is denser (many small-breed formulas are 380 to 420 calories per cup), your Shih Tzu will need fewer cups for the same calories. Always convert the calorie target first, then work out the cups. That one habit prevents most accidental overfeeding.

How Much Should a Shih Tzu Eat?

Start with weight, not age alone. A 9-pound Shih Tzu and a 16-pound Shih Tzu are both within the healthy adult range, but the heavier dog may need nearly twice as much food. The table below gives a practical range for adults; puppies and seniors are covered in their own sections.

Adult weight	Daily calories (approx.)	Dry food at ~350 kcal/cup
9 to 11 lbs	280 to 350 kcal	1/2 to 3/4 cup
12 to 14 lbs	330 to 420 kcal	2/3 to 1 cup
15 to 16 lbs	380 to 480 kcal	3/4 to 1 cup

Activity moves the number within that range. A Shih Tzu who gets two short walks and plenty of indoor play sits toward the middle or upper end; a true lap dog who mostly naps sits toward the lower end. Spayed and neutered dogs also tend to need about 10 to 20% fewer calories than intact dogs of the same weight, because their metabolism slows after surgery. If your dog was recently spayed or neutered and the portions have not changed, that is often the first place weight creeps on.

The most reliable check is the hands-on body condition test, because a thick double coat hides weight changes from the eye. Run your fingers lightly over your dog’s ribs: you should feel them easily under a thin layer of fat. Look down from above for a gentle waist behind the ribs, and from the side for a slight upward tuck of the belly. If the ribs are hard to find, reduce the daily portion by about 10% and recheck in two weeks; if ribs and hip bones are sharp, increase by about 10% for the same period.

Weigh your Shih Tzu once a month: weigh yourself holding your dog, then subtract your own weight. A change of half a pound in a week, without a diet change, is worth a vet visit. For breed-specific food options, see our guide to the best dog food for Shih Tzus.

How Often Should You Feed a Shih Tzu?

Meal frequency matters as much as portion size for this breed. Small stomachs and fast metabolisms mean long gaps can cause nausea, hunger, and in young puppies, dangerous drops in blood sugar. Two measured meals a day is the standard for healthy adults, and it also makes house-training easier, because bathroom breaks become predictable.

Age	Meals per day	Suggested times
8 to 12 weeks	4	7:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m., 3:00 p.m., 7:00 p.m.
3 to 8 months	3	7:00 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 6:00 p.m.
9 months and older	2	7:00 to 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 to 6:00 p.m.

Keep the two adult meals roughly 10 to 12 hours apart. A very early breakfast and a very late dinner, or the reverse, leaves one gap much longer than the other, and that long gap is when some Shih Tzus vomit yellow foam in the morning: bile on an empty stomach. A small, plain bedtime biscuit can help in that situation, but if morning vomiting happens more than occasionally, talk to your vet rather than just adding snacks.

Do not leave food down all day. Free-feeding removes your best measuring tool, makes picky eating worse (why eat now when food is always there?), and hides changes in appetite that could be an early sign of illness. Put the bowl down for 20 to 30 minutes, then pick up whatever is left. Most healthy dogs learn the routine within a few days.

Feeding a Shih Tzu Puppy

Shih Tzu puppies grow fast. They approach their adult weight by 10 to 12 months, with the fastest gains in the first six months, roughly a pound a month in that early stretch. That growth needs steady fuel, delivered in small, frequent meals so a tiny stomach is never overloaded and blood sugar stays stable.

Start with a puppy formula made for small breeds, with small kibble your puppy can actually pick up and chew. Soften the kibble with a little warm water for very young puppies, and reduce the soaking gradually as they learn to crunch dry food. Feed three to four meals a day until about four months, then three meals until around eight or nine months, then move to two meals. The switch to adult food usually happens around 10 to 12 months, when growth has slowed, earlier than in large breeds, which keep growing for much longer.

Watch growth, not just the chart. A puppy gaining steadily, with good energy, firm stools, and a shiny coat, is on track even if the exact cup amount differs slightly from the table. A puppy who is suddenly ravenous all the time, or who stops eating, needs a closer look. For a broader puppy schedule that covers other small breeds too, see our puppy feeding schedule, and for food choices, our best puppy food for Shih Tzus.

Feeding an Adult Shih Tzu

Adult feeding is mostly about consistency: the same food, the same amount, the same times, adjusted slowly when weight or activity changes. That boring routine is exactly what keeps a Shih Tzu lean, because this breed gains weight quietly. A few extra treats from different family members, a slightly heaped cup instead of a level one, and a shorter walk in winter can together add up to a pound or two before anyone notices under that coat.

Choose a small-breed adult formula with a named animal protein first on the ingredient list (chicken, lamb, salmon, or beef) and a kibble size suited to a small mouth. Small-breed formulas are usually more calorie-dense than standard adult food, which is why the cup amounts here look small; that density is a feature, not a mistake, as long as you measure. Look for an AAFCO statement on the bag confirming the food is complete and balanced for adult maintenance, and avoid foods where the first ingredients are fillers such as corn, wheat, or soy, or where the protein source is vague (“meat meal” with no animal named).

Wet food can help picky dogs, dogs who drink little water, and dogs with dental trouble, but it is much lower in calories per volume than kibble, so do not swap cup-for-cup. A common approach is mostly kibble with a spoonful or two of wet food as a topper, counted inside the daily calories. If you feed wet food alone, check the label: many cans are 150 to 250 calories, so a dog may need more than one can a day.

Feeding a Senior Shih Tzu

Shih Tzus are long-lived, often reaching 10 to 18 years, and senior feeding is about protecting joints, digestion, and weight at once. Most seniors need fewer calories (roughly 240 to 400 a day) because they move less, but they still need good-quality protein to maintain muscle. Do not cut protein sharply in old age unless your vet advises it; instead, look for a senior formula with moderate fat, added fiber, and joint-supporting ingredients such as glucosamine.

Softer food helps many seniors. Teeth and gum problems are common in small breeds, and a dog who drops kibble or suddenly eats slowly may be in dental discomfort rather than going off food. Soaking kibble in warm water or mixing in wet food can help, and a dental check is worth booking if eating behavior changes. Keep a small between-meal snack inside the daily total. For senior-specific picks, see our best senior dog food guide.

What to Look for in a Shih Tzu’s Food

When you compare bags, focus on five things. A named animal protein as the first ingredient. A calorie density you can work with: the kcal per cup figure, printed on the bag, is what turns a calorie target into a real portion. An AAFCO complete-and-balanced statement for your dog’s life stage. A fat level that fits your dog: most healthy adults do well on a moderate-fat food, while overweight dogs benefit from a lower-fat, higher-fiber formula that lets them feel full on fewer calories. A kibble size your dog can manage comfortably, since flat faces and crowded small-breed teeth make large, hard kibble a real struggle.

Fiber deserves a special mention for Shih Tzus. A moderate fiber level helps firm up stools and keeps a small dog feeling satisfied between meals, which is useful for a breed prone to begging. Probiotics and easily digested ingredients such as rice, oatmeal, and pumpkin can help dogs with sensitive stomachs, though they are not a substitute for veterinary advice if digestive problems persist. Omega fatty acids from fish oil or flaxseed support the long, dense coat this breed is known for, and that coat is often the first place a poor diet shows up, looking dull or dry.

Feeding a Flat-Faced Dog: Bowls, Pace, and Timing

Shih Tzus are brachycephalic (flat-faced), and that changes the practical side of feeding. A deep, narrow bowl forces a flat face into the food, smearing the muzzle, staining the facial fur, and making breathing while eating harder. A wide, shallow bowl, or a flat plate, lets your dog eat without pushing its face into the sides. Ceramic or stainless steel bowls are easy to clean and less likely to irritate the chin than plastic, which can also harbor bacteria in scratches.

Fast eaters benefit from a slow-feeder bowl or lick mat, which spreads food out and forces a slower pace. Eating too fast can cause gulping and vomiting shortly after meals. Feed in a calm spot, away from other pets if competition speeds your dog up, and avoid vigorous play immediately before or after meals. In hot weather, feed during cooler parts of the day: Shih Tzus overheat more easily than longer-nosed breeds.

A healthy adult drinks roughly half an ounce to one ounce of water per pound of body weight per day, about 8 to 15 ounces for a typical adult. Wash the water bowl daily, and watch for sudden increases in thirst or urination, which are worth raising with your vet.

What to Avoid

• Free-feeding: food left down all day leads to overeating, picky habits, and unpredictable bathroom breaks.
• Guessing portions: a heaped cup can be 20% more than a level cup. On a 300-calorie diet, that is 60 extra calories a day.
• Uncounted treats and table scraps: treats should stay under 10% of daily calories, and fatty scraps can upset small stomachs.
• Toxic foods: chocolate, grapes and raisins, onions, garlic, xylitol (birch sugar, common in sugar-free products), cooked bones, and macadamia nuts are all dangerous for dogs.
• One meal a day for adults: a single large meal leaves a long fasting gap and encourages gorging in a breed already prone to nausea on an empty stomach.
• Sudden food changes: switching bags overnight commonly causes diarrhea and vomiting. Transition over 7 to 10 days instead.
• “Teacup” or “imperial” marketing as a feeding rule: undersized Shih Tzus are not a separate breed standard, and their feeding still follows weight, body condition, and vet advice, not a label on a bag.

How to Switch Foods Safely

Whether you are moving from puppy to adult food, changing brands, or shifting to a senior formula, do it gradually over 7 to 10 days. Mix a quarter new food with three-quarters old food for two to three days, then move to half and half, then three-quarters new, then fully new. Watch stools during the switch: mild softness for a day or two is common, but persistent diarrhea, vomiting, or refusal to eat means slow down, step back a stage, or check with your vet. Keep the total daily calories the same during the switch, even if the new food has a different calorie density, recalculate the cups on day one, not after a week of guessing. Our step-by-step guide to changing dog food safely covers the full schedule.

A Sample Day of Shih Tzu Feeding

Here is what a typical day looks like for a healthy 12-pound adult Shih Tzu eating about 350 calories a day, including treats:

Time	What	Amount
7:30 a.m.	Breakfast, small-breed kibble, wide shallow bowl	1/3 cup
10:00 a.m.	Short walk and a training treat or two	~15 kcal
5:30 p.m.	Dinner, small-breed kibble, plus a spoonful of wet food topper if used	1/3 cup + topper
8:30 p.m.	Small bedtime biscuit (optional, only if morning bile vomiting is an issue)	~15 kcal

For a puppy, split the same daily total across three or four meals instead, with the last meal no later than early evening so the final bathroom break falls before bedtime. For a senior, keep the two-meal structure but use a senior formula and, if appetite fades, warm the food slightly to release more aroma. Never microwave it hot, just take the chill off.

Picky Eating: When Your Shih Tzu Refuses Food

Shih Tzus have a reputation for pickiness, and free-feeding usually makes it worse. Before assuming fussiness, rule out the simple causes: a new bag that tastes different, a dirty bowl, dental pain, a recent food switch, or a treat-heavy day that left no appetite for dinner. A healthy dog who skips one meal is rarely an emergency; a dog who refuses food for more than a day, or who refuses food along with vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, or drinking changes, needs a vet visit.

For genuine fussiness, consistency works better than negotiation. Offer the meal for 20 to 30 minutes, then remove it until the next scheduled meal, with no replacement treats in between. Warming the food slightly or adding a spoonful of wet food can make a meal more appealing without changing the diet, but never let begging rewrite the portion plan: the daily total still counts.

When to Talk to Your Vet About Feeding

Book a vet conversation if your Shih Tzu gains or loses more than half a pound in a week without a diet change, refuses food for over 24 hours, vomits or has diarrhea for more than a day or two, drinks or urinates noticeably more than usual, or shows breathing difficulty that worsens with weight. The same applies if your dog has a diagnosed condition: kidney disease, pancreatitis, diabetes, or allergies all change the feeding rules, and a generic chart cannot replace a diet tailored to that condition. Bring the food bag, or a photo of its label, to the appointment: the calorie density and ingredient list let your vet give a precise portion instead of a guess.

This guide is for information only. Check with your vet for your dog’s specific needs.

Pros and Cons

Feeding a Shih Tzu well comes down to measuring, not guessing. Here is the honest balance.

Pros

• Two measured meals a day keep a small, weight-prone breed from overeating.
• Portion charts by age and weight take the guesswork out of feeding.
• Small-breed kibble suits a small mouth and a flat face.
• A set schedule calms begging and makes house training easier.

Cons

• A thick coat hides weight gain, so extra pounds are easy to miss.
• Family treats and table scraps add up fast on a 300-calorie diet.
• Picky phases and sensitive stomachs can make food changes tricky.
• Flat faces and crowded teeth make large, hard kibble a real struggle.

Conclusion

The best Shih Tzu feeding routine is a measured, predictable one: two meals a day for adults, three to four for puppies, portions based on calories and body condition rather than the scoop’s guess, treats counted inside the daily total, and a wide, shallow bowl that suits a flat face. Start with the tables in this guide (about 1/2 to 1 cup a day and 280 to 480 calories for most adults), then adjust by 10% at a time until your dog holds a steady weight with good energy and a healthy coat.

When Everyone in the House Feeds the Shih Tzu

The portion tables in this guide only work if everyone follows them, and in a family home, that is the hard part. A Shih Tzu that begs prettily will collect a biscuit from one person, a piece of cheese from another, and a training treat from a third, and by dinner the dog has eaten a fifth of its daily calories before the bowl is even filled. The fix is a system, not willpower: put the day’s treats in one jar each morning (a small, measured amount of the dog’s own kibble, plus two or three tiny training treats), and when the jar is empty, the treats are finished for the day, whoever is asking. Everyone in the house, including visitors, feeds from that jar and nothing else.

Use the dog’s own kibble as the default treat. It is already counted inside the daily total, it is the right size for a small mouth, and it stops the “just one biscuit” habit that quietly adds weight. Keep table scraps out of the routine entirely: fatty or seasoned human food upsets a small stomach fast, and a dog that learns to beg at the table will do it at every meal. If one person in the house keeps breaking the rule, make them the keeper of the jar: people follow a system they own. And if the weight still creeps up despite the jar, weigh the dog monthly as this guide suggests and cut the daily portion by about 10% for two weeks before blaming the food.

How do I stop family members overfeeding my Shih Tzu?

Give the household one system instead of a rule to remember: a single treat jar filled each morning with the day’s measured treats, and nothing else. When the jar is empty, treats are finished for the day. Using the dog’s own kibble as treats keeps everything inside the daily calories, and making one person the keeper of the jar makes the system stick.

Can I use my Shih Tzu’s kibble as treats instead of buying treats?

Yes, it is one of the best options for this breed. The kibble is already counted inside the daily total, it is the right size for a small mouth, and it avoids the extra calories that come with biscuits and chews. Keep a small portion of the day’s food aside for training and rewards, so treat time never adds food on top of meals.

Can You Feed a Shih Tzu Homemade Food?

Homemade food can work for a Shih Tzu, but only if the recipe is complete and balanced, and that takes more care than most owners expect. A bowl of plain chicken and rice may look healthy, yet on its own it misses calcium, key vitamins, and the right balance of fats, so it should not replace a full diet for long. If you want to cook for your dog, ask your vet or a veterinary nutritionist to check the recipe first, and keep the meals plain with no salt, spices, onion, or garlic. Measure the portions the same way you would kibble, because a home-cooked meal can carry just as many calories as a bowl of dry food, and treats and toppers still count inside the daily total. For most owners, the simpler choice is a complete and balanced commercial food as the base, with small amounts of plain cooked chicken, vegetables, or pumpkin as toppers. That way your Shih Tzu gets the nutrition it needs without the guesswork, and you still get to add a home-cooked touch to the bowl.