Shih Tzu | Black & White

Thinking about a Shih Tzu? It is a small dog, friendly, and lives around its lifetime. Before anything else, check your week: this breed does well when someone is home to break up the day, and poorly with eleven empty hours.

If that does not describe your household, tell us - we would rather point you at a different dog that fits than sell you this one.

Your Shih Tzu checklist

• Damp: dry it properly in the wet months - skin trouble here starts damp and gets ignored.
• Training: loose-lead walking and reliable recall, both set in the first three months.
• Sleep: one place that is unambiguously its own, away from the main walkway.
• Feeding: portioned to the adult size, with any brand change phased over a week.
• Vet: registered before you need one, not during an emergency.