Shih Tzu: Size, Lifespan and Care Basics
The AKC range for Shih Tzus runs 10 to 18 years, and the AAHA rule places the senior stage at 13 years 6 months. Bred as a palace companion in imperial China, the breed needs little exercise but a good deal of coat care, and it rates 5 out of 5 for adaptability, so a small home suits it well.
Updated
Shih Tzu at a glance
| Size | Small | Source: RKC (opens in a new tab) |
|---|---|---|
| Height at the shoulder | 9–10.5 inches | Source: AKC (opens in a new tab) |
| Adult weight | 9–16 lb (4.1–7.3 kg) | Source: AKC (opens in a new tab) |
| Life expectancy | 10–18 years | Source: AKC (opens in a new tab) |
| Lifespan band (UK) | Over 10 years | Source: RKC (opens in a new tab) |
| Senior from | 13 years 6 months | Source: AAHA rule (opens in a new tab) |
| Exercise | Up to 1 hour per day | Source: RKC (opens in a new tab) |
| Grooming | Every day | Source: RKC (opens in a new tab) |
| Coat | Long coat; does not shed | Source: RKC (opens in a new tab) |
| Shedding level | 1 out of 5 (1 = No Shedding, 5 = Hair Everywhere) | Source: AKC (opens in a new tab) |
| Energy level | 3 out of 5 (1 = Couch Potato, 5 = High Energy) | Source: AKC (opens in a new tab) |
| Home | Flat/ Apartment; small/ medium garden; town or country: either | Source: RKC (opens in a new tab) |
| Breed group (AKC) | Toy Group | Source: AKC (opens in a new tab) |
| Breed group (RKC) | Utility | Source: RKC (opens in a new tab) |
| Country of origin | China | Source: AKC (opens in a new tab) |
| Brachycephalic (short muzzle) | Yes, as listed by the RKC | Source: RKC (opens in a new tab) |
Printable Shih Tzu care sheet
Free PDF, no email or sign-up: these breed facts with their sources, fields for your dog’s details and appointment dates, and a six-week grooming and exercise log. You can fill it in on screen.
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A care plan for your Shih Tzu
Pettify builds a care plan from your dog’s breed and birth date, with the source behind every task, and adjusts it when your dog reaches a new life stage.
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How long do Shih Tzus live?
The American Kennel Club (AKC) gives the Shih Tzu a life expectancy of 10 to 18 years. The Royal Kennel Club (RKC) in the UK puts the breed in its “over 10 years” band.
Both figures describe the breed as a whole. They are ranges for typical dogs of the breed, not a forecast for any one dog.
Of the 30 breeds profiled on Pettify, 0 have a longer upper estimate than the Shih Tzu and 29 a shorter one.
When is a Shih Tzu a senior?
The 2019 AAHA Canine Life Stage Guidelines define the senior stage as the last 25% of a dog’s estimated lifespan. Taking the upper end of the AKC range, 18 years, a Shih Tzu counts as a senior from 13 years 6 months.
| Stage | Age |
|---|---|
| Puppy | until 9 months |
| Adult | 9 months to 13 years 6 months |
| Senior | from 13 years 6 months |
Pettify builds its care plan from your dog’s breed and birth date and uses these stages: for a Shih Tzu, puppy until 9 months and senior from 13 years 6 months. When your dog moves to a new stage, the app adjusts the plan and tells you.
Grooming and shedding
The RKC suggests grooming a Shih Tzu every day and describes the coat as long; it lists the breed as one that does not shed. On the AKC’s scales the breed rates 1 out of 5 for shedding and 4 out of 5 for how often the coat needs care.
A full-length coat means a brush every day. The AKC’s method is a quality wire brush with flexible pins, worked through the coat in layers so that nothing near the base is missed, along with a daily comb of the mustache and topknot. Baths come round every three to four weeks.
Owners who would rather skip the daily session can have a professional groomer clip the dog into a puppy trim, a short cut that the AKC says still looks adorable. Colors vary widely: the RKC’s list runs from gold and white and brindle to liver, solid black and gold with a black mask.
Exercise
The RKC puts the exercise a Shih Tzu needs at up to 1 hour a day. The AKC rates the breed 3 out of 5 for energy and 3 out of 5 for mental stimulation needs.
Exercise is the light part of owning one. Bred as a house companion, the Shih Tzu is satisfied, in the AKC’s view, by a short daily walk with you and some play indoors, and its favorite pastime, the AKC adds, is sitting on your lap.
Playfulness still rates 3 out of 5, and a few short games spread through the day keep a Shih Tzu busy and entertained.
Weight
The AKC gives the adult weight of the Shih Tzu as “9–16 pounds”, which is 4.1–7.3 kg. The height at the shoulder is 9–10.5 inches.
The Waltham growth study placed the Shih Tzu in its small size group. Our small breed puppy weight chart shows the typical weight of puppies in that group, by age and sex, from 12 weeks to 2 years.
Owning a Shih Tzu: what to know
The name means lion, and the AKC ties the breed’s place at the Chinese court to Buddhist belief, which links the lion with the deity. The emperor’s own breeders made it from Tibetan stock; the AKC names the Lhasa Apso and the Pekingese as the likeliest parents, and the RKC agrees the Pekingese may have played a part. Good results paid: emperors are said to have rewarded the breeders of the most beautiful, affectionate dogs with valuable gifts.
Outside China almost nobody knew the breed until the 1930s; through most of the Ming dynasty it had been a house pet. In England it began among the Lhasa Apsos: the first Shih Tzus shown there, in 1933, were exhibited with them, the RKC says, until head type and other features set the two apart. The RKC dates the Shih Tzu Club of England to 1934 and official recognition to the 1940s, and the breed entered the AKC Stud Book in 1969.
Keeping people company is the one job the Shih Tzu was ever bred for, and its score for affection with family is 5 out of 5. It is neither especially noisy nor especially suspicious: the AKC gives it 3 out of 5 for barking and the same for watchdog instinct. Trainability rates 4 out of 5.
The RKC’s suggested home is a flat or apartment with a small or medium garden, in town or country, and the AKC, pointing to the palace upbringing, says an apartment or a small backyard is no obstacle. The clubs group it differently: the RKC places it in the Utility group, the AKC among the toys. It came 21st in AKC registrations for 2025, and its owners have included both Queen Elizabeth II and Miley Cyrus.
Frequently asked questions
How do you pronounce Shih Tzu?
In the West most people say “sheed-zoo” or “sheet-su,” according to the AKC, while in Chinese the name sounds closer to “sher-zer.” It means lion, and the RKC notes that in its early days the breed was known as the Lhasa Lion dog.
Do Shih Tzus shed?
Barely. The AKC gives it 1 out of 5, its lowest shedding score, and the RKC does not count it among breeds that shed. The long coat still needs daily brushing to stay tidy, or a short puppy trim if you would rather spend less time on it.
Are Shih Tzus good with kids?
They are known for it. The AKC rates the breed 5 out of 5 with young children and 5 out of 5 with other dogs, the top of its scale for both, and says Shih Tzus are especially affectionate with children. Its temperament words are playful, affectionate and outgoing.
Why is the Shih Tzu called the chrysanthemum-faced dog?
Because of the hair on the front of its face. The AKC explains that it grows in a haphazard way that rounds out the whole face, which is where the flower comparison comes from.
Sources
- American Kennel Club. Shih Tzu: dog breed information. akc.org (opens in a new tab) (accessed )
- The Royal Kennel Club. Shih Tzu: breed characteristics. royalkennelclub.com (opens in a new tab) (accessed )
- Creevy KE, Grady J, Little SE, et al. Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association. 2019 AAHA Canine Life Stage Guidelines. 2019. doi.org (opens in a new tab) (accessed )