Feeding by breed and weight / Toy group
How much to feed a Shih Tzu
A neutered adult Shih Tzu at 16 lb needs about 495 kcal a day, which is 1¼ cups of a 369 kcal/cup food; at the 9 lb end of the breed's range it is 322 kcal, or ¾ cups. That is the maintenance figure before treats, from the resting energy requirement formula and the Merck Veterinary Manual's factor of 1.6 for a neutered adult.
Shih Tzu feeding table by weight and life stage
Each row is a Shih Tzu at that weight. Columns are the Merck factors: a neutered adult (×1.6), an intact adult (×1.8) and a dog that is inactive or gains weight easily (×1.4). Cups assume 369 kcal per cup, the label figure for Purina Pro Plan Complete Essentials Shredded Blend Chicken & Rice (adult dry); change it to your bag's number on the sizer.
| Weight | RER | Neutered adult | Cups | Intact adult | Cups | Inactive / weight-prone | Cups |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 lb (4.1 kg) | 201 | 322 kcal | ¾ | 362 kcal | 1 | 281 kcal | ¾ |
| 11 lb (5.0 kg) | 234 | 374 kcal | 1 | 421 kcal | 1¼ | 327 kcal | 1 |
| 13 lb (5.9 kg) | 265 | 424 kcal | 1¼ | 477 kcal | 1¼ | 371 kcal | 1 |
| 14 lb (6.4 kg) | 280 | 448 kcal | 1¼ | 504 kcal | 1¼ | 392 kcal | 1 |
| 16 lb (7.3 kg) | 310 | 495 kcal | 1¼ | 557 kcal | 1½ | 433 kcal | 1¼ |
RER = 70 × kg0.75; factors from the Merck Veterinary Manual. Calorie density from the Purina product page (3790 kcal/kg, 369 kcal per 8 oz cup, about 96 g). Checked 2026-10-20.
Why the number is lower than the bag says
Bag feeding guides are written for an active, intact adult and often run above the neutered-maintenance figure; for a 16 lb Shih Tzu the gap between the intact and neutered columns is 62 kcal a day, roughly 0.2 cups. A dog that is already carrying extra weight should start from the inactive column (433 kcal at 16 lb) and be weighed every two weeks. Treats and chews count: a single dental chew can be 70–100 kcal, a sizeable share of a small dog's day.
Formulas get a healthy adult into the right range; body condition keeps it there. Ribs should be easy to feel under a thin layer of fat, and the dog should have a visible waist from above. If that is not the case after four weeks, adjust by about 10% and re-check — and ask your vet before changing a dog with a medical condition, a pregnant or nursing female, or a working dog in season.
Grams and meals
At 16 lb and 495 kcal, 1¼ cups is about 120 g a day of a 96 g/cup kibble — a kitchen scale is more repeatable than a scoop. Split into two meals for an adult. Puppies eat more per pound and more often: see the Shih Tzu puppy feeding chart.
How the Shih Tzu compares
Calories per pound fall as dogs get bigger, because RER scales with weight to the 0.75 power rather than linearly. A 16 lb Shih Tzu needs 31 kcal per pound; a 15 lb Poodle (Miniature) needs 472 kcal (31 per lb), a 18 lb Miniature Schnauzer needs 541 kcal (30 per lb), a 11 lb Dachshund (Miniature) needs 374 kcal (34 per lb). The breed ranks 9 of 49 by weight on this site.
Adult weight from Wikipedia breed infobox/body, checked 2026-10-20. Figures are maintenance starting points for a healthy adult; they are not veterinary advice.