08/05/2026
Is my Shih Tzu actually a Shih Tzu?
I adopted Cookie from an elderly neighbor in November of 2024. My neighbor said she had just adopted this sweet girl but she was too hyper and too strong for my neighbor. She didn't have any records on Cookie, but thought she was around 2 years old, and she was 17 pounds at the time. Now, she's 21 pounds but her chest is so broad and she's much more muscular than I thought she'd be. We go on plenty of potty walks each day and she's pretty calm at home most of the time. She has playtime every now and then, but she also sleeps quite a bit. The vet always says she's healthy. We just had an exam last week. She's a very social dog. Very happy.
But I'm wondering why she's so big. Is 21 pounds normal for a Shih Tzu? I assume she's mixed with something. But she looks like 2 different breeds when she's long and fluffy compared to her short cuts. All of these pictures are from the last month. Can anyone weigh in on this? I'm just really curious. Everyone says she's fat, but I defend her constantly
