Shih Tzu

A Shih Tzu typically lives 10-16 years, which is long for a dog and a genuine strength of the breed. The factors that move that range are mostly manageable: keeping the dog lean to protect the airway and back, staying ahead of dental and eye disease, and buying from a breeder who screens for renal dysplasia and severe BOAS. A well-bred, lean, well-maintained Shih Tzu commonly reaches the top of that range; an overweight dog from unscreened lines with untreated airway or dental disease does not.

On the coat and the flat face, yes — and prospective owners should hear that plainly. The long double coat mats within days without daily brushing, so most owners commit to professional grooming every 4-8 weeks at $50-$90 a visit. The brachycephalic build means lifelong attention to breathing, heat, eyes, and teeth, plus a realistic vet budget above that of a typical small mixed-breed. On exercise and temperament, however, they are easy: modest walks and lap time suit them. Budget time and money for grooming and vet care, not for exercise.

Because the breed is brachycephalic — the short skull crowds the soft palate and narrows the airway, so snoring, snorting, and noisy breathing are common. Mild noise at rest can be normal for the breed, but it exists on a spectrum with BOAS. The line that matters: occasional snoring is breed-typical, but loud breathing at rest, blue or grey gums, gagging, exercise intolerance, or collapse are signs of significant obstruction and warrant a veterinary airway assessment, not reassurance that 'all Shih Tzus do that.'

Yes to both, with caveats. Shih Tzu are affectionate, adaptable, low-exercise dogs that do well in apartments and are generally good with respectful children and other pets when socialized. The specific cautions are physical, not temperamental: their shallow-set eyes are vulnerable to injury from rough handling, and their backs are prone to IVDD, so children must be taught not to grab the face or let the dog jump from heights. Supervise interactions and the breed is one of the better companion choices for small homes.

Ask three concrete things. First, what the breeding dogs' airways are like — a responsible breeder will discuss BOAS honestly rather than dismiss snoring as cute. Second, whether there is any history of renal dysplasia in the line, since it is congenital and inherited. Third, eye and patella evaluations on the parents. A breeder who treats the flat face purely as a selling point and cannot speak to airway, kidney, or eye health is selling the look without managing the cost — in this breed that is the difference between a manageable companion and an expensive one.

No — and this is a safety issue, not a preference. As a brachycephalic breed, the Shih Tzu cannot cool itself efficiently by panting and is at real risk of heatstroke. Avoid hard exercise in warm weather, never leave one in a parked car even briefly, and stick to short walks in the cool parts of the day. Heavy distressed panting, brick-red or blue gums, stumbling, or collapse in heat is a veterinary emergency requiring immediate cooling and a same-hour vet visit, because brachycephalic heatstroke escalates fast.