Shih Tzu care: coat, eyes, teeth and a short muzzle

Most day-to-day Shih Tzu care comes back to three features of the breed: long hair that mats and grows toward the eyes, prominent eyes that are prone to injury and dryness, and a short muzzle that makes heat harder to shed. Small, crowded jaws add a fourth, gum disease. The American Kennel Club lists adults at 9 to 16 pounds (roughly 4 to 7 kg), with a life expectancy of 10 to 18 years (AKC breed profile).

Grooming the coat

The Shih Tzu coat keeps growing, so it needs regular work at any length. Mats form close to the skin before they show on the surface. Behind the ears, the armpits and the legs are the usual places.

Full coat

• Brushing. Daily, section by section, with a pin brush followed by a metal comb to find tangles the brush skipped. Start at the legs and work upward. Mist the coat lightly first, because brushing bone-dry hair breaks it.
• Bathing. About every three or four weeks, as the AKC suggests, with a mild dog shampoo and a conditioner. Dry the coat completely with a dryer on a cool or low setting, since a coat left damp mats quickly.
• Topknot. Tie up or trim the hair above the eyes so it cannot fall onto the eye surface.

Short trim

A puppy cut of about 2 to 5 cm (1 to 2 in) all over reduces brushing to two or three times a week, with a professional trim every 4 to 6 weeks. The face still needs daily attention. At each session, check between the paw pads. Hair grows thickly there and holds debris, moisture and, in winter, ice; trimming it level with the pads using blunt-tipped scissors keeps the feet clean.

Short muzzle, breathing and heat

The Shih Tzu is brachycephalic, meaning its skull is shortened and the nose and upper airway are compressed. Dogs lose heat mainly by panting, and a narrower airway makes that less efficient.

Exercise, not a hot car, is the usual cause of heatstroke. Among more than 900,000 dogs in UK veterinary records, exertion triggered about three-quarters of heat-related illness events where a trigger was recorded, and brachycephalic dogs had higher odds of exertional, weather-related and car-related heat illness (Hall and colleagues, 2020). The same research group found that dogs heavier than the average for their breed and sex were also at greater risk.

• In warm weather, walk early and late in the day, and keep walks short and slow when it is hot or humid.
• Carry water, and stop at the first signs of trouble: heavy panting, drooling, a dark red tongue or reluctance to keep going.
• A dog that collapses, vomits or becomes unsteady in the heat needs cooling with cool water and an immediate trip to a vet.

Snoring is common in the breed. Other breathing signs are not normal and call for a check for brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS): noisy breathing at rest, struggling for air during mild activity, gasping or waking during sleep, fainting, or pale or bluish gums. Before any sedation or anesthetic, remind the vet or groomer that the dog is short-nosed, because these dogs need closer airway monitoring.

Teeth and gums

Small, short-faced dogs are more likely to develop gum disease. A study of more than 22,000 dogs under primary veterinary care in the UK found that brachycephalic breeds had 1.25 times the odds of periodontal disease of breeds with a moderate skull shape. The odds also fell steadily as adult body weight rose (O'Neill and colleagues, 2021). The Shih Tzu on its own did not have significantly raised odds compared with crossbreds in that study. Crowded teeth in a short jaw trap food and plaque, and baby teeth that stay put after the adult teeth arrive make the crowding worse. Ask the vet to look for retained baby teeth at puppy checks.

• Brushing. Daily, with a dog toothpaste and a small soft brush or finger brush. It remains the most effective home care.
• Chews and dental diets. The Veterinary Oral Health Council does not test products itself; it reviews trial data submitted by manufacturers and awards its seal for plaque control, tartar control or both (VOHC). Sealed products add to brushing rather than replace it. Choose a chew sized for the dog's weight and supervise chewing.
• Professional cleaning. Cleaning below the gum line needs a general anesthetic. The vet can judge how often from what they see at checkups.
• Signs to act on. Bad breath, red or bleeding gums, dropping food, pawing at the mouth or loose teeth.

Eye care

The breed's eyes sit in shallow sockets and are exposed. In a review of 500 Shih Tzus (1,000 eyes) with veterinary eye examinations, only 36 eyes were normal. The most frequent findings were hair at the inner corner of the eye touching its surface, an unstable tear film, an inner eyelid that rolls inward, dry eye, pigment spreading across the cornea, eyelids that do not fully close, and cataract (Veterinary Ophthalmology, 2024). These were dogs with clinic records rather than a random sample, so the share of abnormal eyes is probably higher than in the wider Shih Tzu population. The list is still a useful guide to what to watch.

Corneal ulcers are the most urgent problem. Across more than 100,000 dogs seen at English primary-care practices in 2013, a corneal ulcer was diagnosed in 3.45 percent of Shih Tzus, against 0.80 percent of dogs overall (O'Neill and colleagues, 2017). Squinting, a closed or streaming eye, pawing at the face, cloudiness or a visible spot on the eye all need a vet the same day, because an ulcer can deepen quickly.

• Dry eye (keratoconjunctivitis sicca). Thick, sticky discharge, redness and a dull eye surface. A vet confirms it with a simple tear test, and it is usually managed long term with prescribed drops.
• Tear staining. Reddish-brown staining below the eyes is common. Wipe the area daily with a soft damp cloth. New or heavy staining can mean irritation or a blocked tear duct and is worth having checked.
• Proptosis. With shallow sockets, a knock to the head or strong pressure on the neck can push an eye forward out of its socket. This is an emergency. Clipping the lead to a Y-shaped chest strap instead of a neck collar takes pressure off the neck.

Food and portions

A Shih Tzu has no special nutrient needs beyond a complete, balanced diet for its life stage. The practical questions are portion size, kibble size and appetite.

• Portions. Weigh or measure the day's food and split it into two meals rather than leaving a bowl down. Use the pack's feeding guide as a starting point and adjust to body condition: a visible waist from above, and ribs easy to feel under a thin layer of fat.
• Weight. Staying lean matters more for a short-nosed dog, given the link between above-average body weight and heat-related illness.
• Kibble. Small-breed kibble suits a short jaw. If a food is sold on dental claims, the VOHC seal is the thing to look for.
• Fat and coat. Dietary fats, including omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids, contribute to skin and coat condition. A complete diet already supplies them, so a dull, dry coat on a complete diet is worth raising with a vet before adding supplements.
• Fussy eating. Frequent switches to richer foods tend to encourage pickiness and can upset digestion. A sudden drop in appetite is different, and dental pain is one common cause.

Exercise, play and training

The Shih Tzu sits in the AKC's Toy Group, and the AKC describes it as needing minimal exercise. Two short walks a day in cool weather, plus indoor play, suit most adults. Puzzle feeders, tug toys and short games of fetch in a hallway give mental work without the heat risk of a long walk.

Socialize puppies gradually and with food rewards, so meeting unfamiliar people, dogs and places becomes routine. Keep training sessions to 5 or 10 minutes. The AKC notes that the breed tends to charm owners into letting it have its own way, and advises praise and rewards rather than harsh corrections.

Sources

1. Shih Tzu Dog Breed Information. American Kennel Club.
2. Dogs Don't Die Just in Hot Cars: Exertional Heat-Related Illness (Heatstroke) Is a Greater Threat to UK Dogs. Animals, 2020.
3. Incidence and risk factors for heat-related illness (heatstroke) in UK dogs under primary veterinary care in 2016. Scientific Reports, 2020.
4. Epidemiology of periodontal disease in dogs in the UK primary-care veterinary setting. Journal of Small Animal Practice, 2021.
5. Veterinary Oral Health Council: finding the most effective route to good oral health for your dog or cat. VOHC.
6. The Shih Tzu eye: Ophthalmic findings of 1000 eyes. Veterinary Ophthalmology, 2024.
7. Corneal ulcerative disease in dogs under primary veterinary care in England: epidemiology and clinical management. Canine Genetics and Epidemiology, 2017.