Is One Meal Enough For A Shih Tzu?
Many of you are asking, “How much food should a Shih Tzu eat?”, it’s not quite as simple as that. It’s not complicated either but there are other factors to take into account to discover what is right for your dog. Many factors also go into this. The other question to ask yourself, “How much exercise does your Shih Tzu need?”.
I have seen plenty of dogs that overeat and have no exercise.
A large dog can usually meet all of its nutritional needs on just one large meal per day. It’s not so for a small dog like a Shih Tzu. A Shih Tzu, with its tiny stomach, cannot eat all it needs to in one day in one sitting. Think of their stomach about the size of your thumb or smaller. That is how big a Shih Tzu stomach is.
It’s best to distribute a Shih Tzu’s daily food allowance over three equally portioned meals, ideally breakfast, lunch, and supper.
Of course, if you are out at work or at school all day and cannot get home for lunch, this creates a problem. You will either need to have someone come in, or perhaps another household member feeds your dog at lunchtime or, alternatively, buy a commercially available automatic treat and water dispenser that you can load with dry food. You can also use a treat-dispensing toy for this; this attention-grabbing toy is also good for relieving separation anxiety. Make sure you buy the correct size toy, XS for puppies, S for adults.
If your Shih Tzu is still a puppy, he will need feeding four times a day. This is because his stomach is smaller still and with him being at the growing stage will need more food than an adult. On top of this, puppies are prone to hyperglycemia if they go too long between meals. Four meals a day, evenly spaced out, help to prevent this condition from happening.
Some experts say that puppies should be “free fed”, that is you put their food into a bowl and let them come and go as they please to eat the contents. I and others say that this is not a good thing as it allows your puppy to get into bad habits and eventually he will be telling you when and what to feed him.
To place yourself as pack leader, and therefore in control of your dog, it needs to be you dictating the menu and what is eaten. In an article I’ll be posting in the near future I’ll be delving deeper into an effective way of training your Shih Tzu to eat on demand.
But for now, if you just show your puppy where the food and water bowls are at feeding times until he remembers for himself, that will suffice.
How Much Food Should A Shih Tzu Eat?
Assuming your Shih Tzu is fit and healthy and you are going to feed him quality, grain-free food consisting of at least 25% lean protein and 10% healthy, omega fats, here are the guidelines of how much to feed him per day. Don’t forget to divide these quantities evenly between three servings. Pay attention to the calories in the food and if unsure consult with your veterinarian.
| Weight/ Activity |
4.5 – 6.5lbs (2 – 3kg) |
6.5 – 11lbs (3 – 5kg) |
11 – 15.5lbs (5 – 7kg) |
| Low Activity |
2 – 2.1oz (55 – 60g) |
2.1 – 3oz (60 – 85g) |
3 – 3.3oz (85 – 95g) |
| Medium Activity |
2.1 – 2.5oz (60 – 70g) |
2.5 – 3.5oz (70 – 100g) |
3.5 – 3.9oz (100 – 110g) |
| High Activity |
2.5 – 2.8oz (70 – 80g) |
2.8 – 3.9oz (80 – 110g) |
3.9 – 4.2oz (110 – 120g) |
Take into account the serving instructions on the packaging as these have been thoroughly researched and are usually very accurate. If there is a conflict between these figures and the manufacturer’s directions, go with the latter.
Measuring Portions For Your Shih Tzu – Importance Portion Control
It is very important for your Shih Tzu’s health to give him the correct portions as it is to give him the right quality of food. When you come to measure out a portion from the above tables you may think that it’s too tiny to satisfy your Shih Tzu but don’t forget also that his stomach is tiny.
The main causes of obesity in dogs is oversized meals and too many treats. It is hard when they give you the eyes but you must resist and be a responsible pet owner. With obesity comes the related health problems. Breathing difficulties, heart problems, joint problems and the increased possibility of contracting diabetes are the main diseases that can arise if your Shih Tzu overeats.
If you are following any of my training advice you are probably giving treats to your Shih Tzu. There is no problem with this as long as the treats are deducted from the daily allowance and constitute no more than 10% of his total daily food intake.
The chances are that when you are eating at the dining table your Shih Tzu will beg for scraps. Many foods we eat can be harmful if not fatal for your Shih Tzu. Check out our article on “What Shih Tzus Can’t Eat“. However much it hurts you not to and however much he begs it’s imperative that you don’t give him anything. Again, you must make feeding him your decision for you to stay in control and to avoid your Shih Tzu overeating. When he realizes that the begging will get him nowhere, he will stop. What we do is give our Shih Tzus a treat after dinner when we have left the table.
Equally important is to give your Shih Tzu sufficient quality food to eat. Seriously underfeeding will lead to malnutrition and growth problems. If your Shih Tzu doesn’t want to eat at all, it’s time to take him to see the veterinarian find out what the problem is.
Shih Tzu Food And What You Need To Know: Common Mistakes Dog Owners Make
Here is my list of the 10 most common mistake that dog owners make when choosing food and feeding their dog.
Failing to:
- Read the Food Label
- Know What Foods Dogs Shouldn’t Eat
- Pick a Diet Right for You Too
- Choose Healthy Snacks
- Choose a Healthy Diet
- Consider Timing Issues
- Monitor Weight Gain/Loss
- Feed the Proper Amount
- Slowly make Changes in Diet
- Consider the Unique Needs of the Breed/Life Stage/Activity Level
5. Read the Food Label
Before one can find the ideal Shih Tzu food, you must know what is in the food. Some ingredients are far superior to others, but unless you know what to look for, you may be misled by fancy dog food manufacturers that claim what they can’t deliver. For a basic understanding of reading food labels, start here.
Good Ingredients in Healthy Foods
- Specifically named meat or protein source such as chicken
- Named meat or named meat meal as the first ingredient
- Meat meals are a high-quality protein source
- Vegetables and Fruits except for corn
- Grains such as brown rice, oatmeal, barley, and quinoa
- Foods preserved with vitamins E and C often called tocopherols.
- More things to look for in a healthy dog food
- Organic is better
- Ingredients sourced in North America, many dog foods made overseas can not be trusted.
- Human Grade Ingredients
You shouldn’t have any problems as long as you follow the guidelines I have written down above and follow the feeding instructions that come with the quality dog food products as I have previously suggested.
I hope you have enjoyed this article and that you have found it helpful.
