Wondering whether a Shih Tzu will turn your home into a barking zone? Here is the honest picture from a longtime owner. The short answer Shih Tzus are not known as excessive barkers. They are alert barkers. Most are quiet much of the time and then sound off when something gets their attention. In one…
Thinking about a Shih Tzu for your household? Here is an honest look at how they do as family dogs, from someone who has lived with them for years. The short answer: yes Shih Tzus were bred for one job: to be companions. They were the cherished lap dogs of Chinese royalty, and centuries of…
If you are house training a Shih Tzu right now, or thinking about getting one and worried about this part, here is an honest answer from someone who has raised the breed for years. The honest answer You will read both extremes online: that Shih Tzus are nearly impossible to potty train, and that they…
Noticing your Shih Tzu shake, shiver, or tremble can be a little alarming the first time. Most of the time it is completely harmless, but not always, so here is a calm owner’s guide to the usual reasons, and the signs that mean it is time to call the vet. The usual, harmless reasons They…
If your Shih Tzu has those reddish-brown streaks running down from the inner corners of the eyes, you are in very common company. Tear stains are one of the most asked-about things with this breed. Here is what they actually are, what causes them, and what genuinely helps, one owner to another. What tear stains…
This is one of the most common questions I hear from people thinking about getting a Shih Tzu, usually because someone in the house has allergies. Here is the honest answer from someone who has lived with the breed for years, not a brochure. Do Shih Tzus shed? Here is the thing that surprises people:…
One dog owner to another: I have shared my life with Shih Tzus for many years, so when someone asks me how long these little dogs live, the question always lands a little close to home. Here is an honest answer, and more importantly, what you can do to give your Shih Tzu the longest,…
A free, instant tool that predicts your puppy's grown-up weight from the real size-adjusted growth curve — with a chart and a printable keepsake. Nothing leaves your browser.
A free, heartwarming cat game: you play the red laser dot and lead a roomful of kittens on a happy chase. The twist? You score the most by being kind and letting them catch it.
If you have a dog, you know the summer ritual: you stand at the door on a hot afternoon, look at the sidewalk, and try to guess whether it’s too hot for their paws. Maybe you’ve heard the trick: press the back of your hand to the pavement, and if you can’t hold it there…
Skip the made-up times-7 rule. A free, playful calculator that uses a real size-adjusted aging curve to give your dog’s true human-equivalent age and life stage, plus a printable certificate. Runs entirely in your browser.
Here’s a funny thing about writing a blog for sixteen years: you find out exactly which post people actually came for. For me it’s not a dog photo or a storm update — it’s my old raw dog food recipes post. And the question that lands in my inbox more than any other is the…