Puppy feeding charts / Toy group
Shih Tzu puppy feeding chart
A Shih Tzu grows to about 16 lb (the standard's range is 9–16 lb). Puppy calories track the puppy's current weight, not its adult weight: 2 lb of puppy under four months needs about 195 kcal a day, and the daily total keeps rising until adult weight, when the factor drops and the dog needs 495 kcal — fewer calories than it did at 6 lb as a growing puppy (297 kcal).
Chart: calories and cups as the puppy grows
Weigh the puppy, find the nearest row, feed that amount split into three or four meals under four months and two or three after. Re-weigh every two weeks. Cups use 369 kcal/cup (Purina Pro Plan Complete Essentials Shredded Blend Chicken & Rice (adult dry)); puppy foods are often denser, so use the kcal/cup on your bag — the sizer accepts it.
| Share of adult weight | Puppy weighs | Stage | Factor | kcal/day | Cups at 369 | Grams |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15% | 2 lb (0.9 kg) | Puppy, under 4 months | × 3 | 195 | ½ | 48 g |
| 25% | 4 lb (1.8 kg) | Puppy, under 4 months | × 3 | 328 | 1 | 96 g |
| 40% | 6 lb (2.7 kg) | Puppy, 4 months to adult | × 2 | 297 | ¾ | 72 g |
| 55% | 9 lb (4.1 kg) | Puppy, 4 months to adult | × 2 | 402 | 1 | 96 g |
| 70% | 11 lb (5.0 kg) | Puppy, 4 months to adult | × 2 | 467 | 1¼ | 120 g |
| 85% | 14 lb (6.4 kg) | Puppy, 4 months to adult | × 2 | 560 | 1½ | 144 g |
| 100% | 16 lb (7.3 kg) | Adult, neutered | × 1.6 | 495 | 1¼ | 120 g |
RER = 70 × kg0.75; puppy and adult factors from the Merck Veterinary Manual. The age split (four months) is Merck's; the weight shares are evenly spaced points for reading the curve, not growth milestones for this breed. Calorie density: Purina. Checked 2026-10-20.
Where the stages fall for a Shih Tzu
The 3× factor applies while the puppy is under four months, which for a Shih Tzu usually means the rows up to roughly a quarter or a third of adult weight — around 2–4 lb. Between four months and maturity the factor is 2×, covering the 6–14 lb rows. Small breeds reach adult weight early — often by eight to ten months — so the drop to the adult factor comes sooner than owners expect, and continuing the puppy amount is the usual route to a chubby small dog.
The peak of the chart is the surprise for most owners: at 6 lb and 2× RER the puppy eats 297 kcal, but the same dog at its full 16 lb as a neutered adult needs only 495 kcal. Watch for the hand-off and reduce the ration rather than letting the adult food amount "catch up".
Growth to watch in a Shih Tzu
The standard puts an adult Shih Tzu at 8–11 in at the withers, so a puppy at the 9 lb row — a little over half its adult weight — is typically most of the way to full height and still filling out. The standard gives one weight range for both sexes, so a smaller individual simply stops lower on the chart; switch to the adult factor when growth plateaus on the fortnightly weigh-ins, not at a date. The gap between the 14 lb puppy row (560 kcal) and the adult row (495 kcal) is the amount to cut at the switch.
Crate divider positions
The same growth rows are a guide for the divider in the adult-size crate. A Shih Tzu ends up in a 22 in or 24 in crate — see the Shih Tzu crate size page — and the divider should give the puppy only enough room to stand, turn around and lie flat at each stage, moving back roughly every re-weigh.
Compare with similar breeds
A Poodle (Miniature) puppy at 6 lb (40% of its 15 lb adult weight) needs 297 kcal; A Miniature Schnauzer puppy at 7 lb (40% of its 18 lb adult weight) needs 333 kcal; A Dachshund (Miniature) puppy at 4 lb (40% of its 11 lb adult weight) needs 219 kcal.
Adult weight from Wikipedia breed infobox/body, checked 2026-10-20. Maintenance figures for a healthy puppy; your vet's growth-curve advice comes first.