The maths, with your numbers
No guesswork and no brand chart. This is the same calculation a vet does on paper, so you can check it.
A healthy adult Shih Tzu weighs 9–16 lb (AKC official breed standard). Below are daily amounts for that range, for a typical dry dog food (382 kcal per cup, the middle of the dog foods in our list). For your own food, use the calculator above: it is already set to a Shih Tzu weight.
| Weight | Couch potato | Spayed or neutered | Very active |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 lb 4.1 kg | ⅝ cup66 g · 241 kcal | ⅞ cup88 g · 322 kcal | 1 cup110 g · 402 kcal |
| 16 lb 7.3 kg | 1 cup102 g · 371 kcal | 1 ¼ cups136 g · 495 kcal | 1 ⅝ cups169 g · 619 kcal |
Daily totals with no treats. Worked out from resting energy (70 × kg0.75) and the AAHA 2021 life-stage factors. Weight source note: Ideally, weight of mature dogs 9 to 16 pounds.
Good to know
The AKC sums up the Shih Tzu in three words: affectionate, playful, outgoing. How active yours really is matters more for the bowl than the breed name, so pick the column that fits your own dog.