The Shih Tzu is one of those dogs which isn’t known for as ferocity, but rather for its cute nature, happy mood, and behavior.Its behavior is contrary to its name ‘Shih Tzu’ which literally translates into ’little lion’. Although it does look small in size, it doesn’t match the intensity or the prowess of a lion.Shih Tzu is an ancient dog breed, and tales say that it used to be carried around by the then emperors as their companion. Even until recently that was all that a Shih Tzu was thought to be, a show dog or a companion to their owner. With their small body size and beautiful features, Shih Tzus are the perfect pet to steal the show. If you are walking into a pet shop with the plan of getting a pup which can stay in an apartment, give you some company and is adorable, well, go ahead and adopt a Shih Tzu. Nowadays, there are some dog owners who have started to take their Shih Tzus into dog training for participating in dog rallies and agility competitions. Additionally, if you have children in your house who are keen on getting a pet dog, a Shih Tzu might just be the perfect fit. It has been seen over the years that Shih Tzus are great when it comes to getting along with people, and especially children, keeping in mind that they take care of it properly. However, there still must be some doubts in your mind regarding the Shih Tzu lifespan and for how long it will be a part of your family. Let us get to it now.If you enjoyed this article, why not also read about how long do Boxers live? and how long do Bulldogs live here on Kidadl?The Average Lifespan Of A Shih TzuShih Tzus have a relatively long lifespan when compared to the average lifespan of dogs. The primary reason behind this being its small size which prevents a Shih Tzu from aging at a fast rate. Additionally, as a Shih Tzu isn’t involved in a lot of outdoor activities, it does not tend to get injured as much as other big dogs. The average lifespan of a Shih Tzu is around 10-16 years, within this range the age of 13 years is considered to be the average life expectancy of Shih Tzus. Although many Shih Tzus continue to live a long life even beyond this point if they can maintain a good health and stay disease free.Interestingly, in some areas, this small breed isn’t very different from the other dog breeds. A female Shih Tzu, just like female dogs of most other dog breeds, live longer than their male counterparts. The average life expectancy of a Shih Tzu of 13 years is not very far from that of a dog which stands at 12.5 years if it doesn’t suffer from any trauma, but usually with good care Shih Tzus can easily live until a mid-teen age. When we compare the average lifespan of a Shih Tzu dog with dog breeds of great variety, we will see a pattern that dogs of larger size such as a Newfoundland live a significantly shorter lifespan. On the other hand, there are dogs which have a longer average lifespan than that of a Shih Tzu dog. A Bullmastiff lives for nine years on average, a Great Dane for eight years, a Saint Bernard for nine years, and a Rottweiler for nine years. The common point among all these dog breeds is their body size. All these dog breeds have a bigger body size than that of a Shih Tzu dog, and thus, live around four to four and a half years less than Shih Tzu dogs on average.Now if we look towards dogs smaller in size than Shih Tzu dogs, we will find that a Beagle lives for 15 years, a Toy Poodle for 16 years, a Dachshund for 17 years and a Jack Russell Terrier for 16 years. All these dogs usually live three to four years longer than Shih Tzu dogs, owing to their smaller body size. Although Shih Tzus can live normally even beyond 13 or 14 years, they are known to be senior when they cross the 10 year mark. Moreover, if we compare the lifespan of Shih Tzu dogs with some other animals such as horses, hamsters, parakeets, rabbits, cats, dolphins, ferrets and guinea pigs, we will see that a Shih Tzu dog lives longer than most of them. Among these animals, only dolphins and horses have a significantly longer lifespan than a Shih Tzu’s with 30-50 years and 25-30 years, respectively.How to improve the lifespan of a Shih Tzu?Look at how cute these small dogs are, Shih Tzus being no exceptions. No owner wants their dogs to pass away early, they wish that their dogs live a long and healthy life. So there are in fact a few ways your Shih Tzu could live a relatively long life. It all comes down to how well you can take care of its health.The very first thing you must do is adopt the dog from a good breeder who knows all about the dog, and its parents. Always ask about your Shih Tzu’s parents and if there is anything to be noted, this can be helpful in treating a Shih Tzu’s genetic issues. If your vet has an idea about the Shih Tzu’s medical history, it can narrow down the health issues it’s facing fairly quickly. The next important thing to do when you adopt a puppy is to contact a vet and get your Shih Tzu vaccinated. There are a number of vaccinations a Shih Tzu must take at a young age in order to avoid health issues in the future and also minimize the danger of infections when in contact with some other dog. If your dog has some existing health problems, consult with your vet to have health check ups in regular intervals. This can prevent the health from deteriorating. It is better to proactive about the health issue.It is also important to feed your Shih Tzu a good diet. This breed is infamous for its fussy eating habits but it is your responsibility to take care of its health and feed it what is necessary. Do not give your dog a lot of treats if it isn’t eating its regular food as frequent treats can make it overweight which can lead to hip dysplasia. Additionally, the thick fur of a Shih Tzu requires timely grooming in order to keep its body free from parasites and prevent heat stroke. Exercise is another important step towards improving a dog’s quality of life. Exercise has a great impact on a Shih Tzu lifespan as it keeps it healthy and prevents any health problems. Moreover, many dog owners might not be aware but even a healthy living Shih Tzu can have issues during toilet training due to a small bladder. The Shih Tzu breed has to urinate frequently owing to its small bladder size and you need to be aware of this.The Longest Living Shih TzuWe have discussed earlier about how Shih Tzus live for around 10-16 years with most Shih Tzus passing away when 13 or 14 years old. However, one Shih Tzu passed away when it was 23 years old!The oldest Shih Tzu ever recorded was a dog named Smokey, and it lived in Florida, USA. The owners of the dog are Joe and Mary Slatton and it is due to their combined efforts which prevented their dog from any grave health issues and allowed it to live for so many years. We do not see cases like this every now and then, a Shih Tzu can hardly live for 17 or 18 years, let alone 20 years. But, there always are exceptions and Smokey was one of them.Health Problems That Impact Shih Tzu Life ExpectancyThere are various health issues which can potentially affect a dog’s life expectancy. Breathing issues, dental problems, and hip dysplasia are some of the most common diseases or issues which can have a grave affect on the life of a Shih Tzu. Let us take a deeper look at these health problems.A dog’s small mouth size often prevents teeth from growing properly because they might not be able to line up as they should. This can lead to gum diseases which can further affect the internal organs of a Shih Tzu. Shih Tzus live on average for 13-14 years but this can be lowered if their teeth are not brushed on a daily basis. An issue in the mouth of a Shih Tzu can cause infection which can spread through the blood stream to the heart, kidney, or liver in no time leading to a dangerous heart disease at times. Shih Tzus could often develop breathing problems due to a collapsed trachea, if you hear your pup making sounds, do not assume it to be snores. Contact a veterinarian immediately for treatment. Cancer is one of the main diseases which prohibit the dogs of this breed to be 15 or 16 years old. Almost 15% Shih Tzus every year succumb to death due to cancer. However, on a positive note, it may not affect a Shih Tzu if it is detected at an early stage and treated properly by a veterinarian. Moreover, this breed is especially prone to issues like hip dysplasia and sadly it can cause a lot of pain to a Shih Tzu for many years if not treated properly.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for how long do Shih Tzu live, then why not take a look at how long do pugs live or Shih Tzu facts.
The Shih Tzu is one of those dogs which isn’t known for as ferocity, but rather for its cute nature, happy mood, and behavior.
