A breed-specific Shih Tzu feeding calculator with daily calorie and portion charts by weight.
Shih Tzu feeding calculator
Enter a weight to get personalised daily portions. The calculator is preset for you — just add the weight and details.
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Pet Feeding Calculator
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What type of pet do you have?
Choose from the popular picks below, or search all 30+ species in the dropdown.
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Breed affects metabolic rate. A Greyhound burns more calories than a Bulldog of the same weight.
How much does your pet weigh?
Use your most recent weigh-in. Your vet's records are the most accurate source.
Very thin5/9Obese
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BCS adjusts the calorie target up or down based on your pet's current body condition. 5 = ideal weight.
What's their daily life like?
Pick the description that sounds most like your pet right now. These are written in plain English — no jargon.
What do you feed them?
Choose from our food database or enter the calorie number from your bag or can label.
How this works for aquatic pets: We use a percentage-of-body-weight method — no calorie counting needed. Just tell us the food type and number of animals.
For a whole tank, enter the total number of fish. We'll divide the daily portion.
These are typical average values. Use "Enter from label" to match your exact product.
Look for "Calorie Content" or "Metabolizable Energy (ME)" — usually near the ingredients list on the back or side of the bag or can. It reads something like "3,500 kcal/kg" or "350 kcal/cup". Match the toggle above to whichever unit your label shows. Can't find it? Use the list option — it's accurate enough for most foods.
We'll subtract this from the daily food portion.
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Daily feeding guide
These figures are estimates based on NRC/AAFCO veterinary nutrition formulas. Individual animals vary by up to ±20%. Adjust based on your pet's body condition over 4–6 weeks. Always consult your vet for medical dietary needs.
About the Shih Tzu
Affectionate flat-faced companion dogs bred for the lap. A typical adult Shih Tzu weighs around 4–8 kg (Small).
How many calories does a Shih Tzu need?
Calorie needs use the veterinary formula 70 × weight(kg)0.75 (the Resting Energy Requirement), multiplied by a lifestyle factor of ×1.2 for a typical dog at the life stage shown. Enter your own animal's details in the calculator for an exact figure.
Body weight
Daily calories
Dry kibble ~3,500 kcal/kg
Wet ~1,050 kcal/kg
4 kg
238 kcal
68 g
226 g
4.571 kg
263 kcal
75 g
250 g
5.143 kg
287 kcal
82 g
273 g
5.714 kg
310 kcal
89 g
296 g
6.286 kg
333 kcal
95 g
318 g
6.857 kg
356 kcal
102 g
339 g
7.429 kg
378 kcal
108 g
360 g
8 kg
400 kcal
114 g
381 g
Feeding a Shih Tzu for a healthy weight
Shih Tzus are low-energy and brachycephalic, so they gain weight easily and extra weight worsens breathing. Lean feeding and dental care are priorities.
What to feed a Shih Tzu
Dogs are facultative carnivores: they thrive on meat-forward diets but can use carbohydrate and plant matter. A complete-and-balanced food (dry, wet, fresh, or properly-formulated raw) meeting AAFCO or FEDIAF standards should make up the vast majority of intake, with treats capped at 10% of daily calories.
Most adult dogs do best on two meals a day. Puppies under four months need three to four smaller meals; large-breed puppies should be fed a large-breed-specific formula to slow bone growth and protect their joints.
Frequently asked questions
How much should I feed a Shih Tzu?
A 6 kg Shih Tzu at low activity needs roughly 350-420 kcal a day. Their laid-back nature means they need fewer calories than more active dogs of the same size.
How much should I feed my dog per day?
A 10 kg neutered adult dog at a healthy weight needs roughly 500-560 kcal per day — about 150-165 g of standard dry kibble split over two meals. Scale up or down with weight, activity and life stage using the calculator above.
Should I feed my dog once or twice a day?
Twice a day suits most adult dogs and helps regulate appetite and blood sugar. Puppies need three or more meals; some giant breeds prone to bloat also do better with smaller, more frequent meals.