How much exercise does a Shih Tzu need?
Shih-Tzus are a small breed of dog who do not need very much exercise. 1 Hour a day is more than enough for a Shih-Tzu. They will often prefer nothing more than sitting on your lap and relaxing. They make great pets for people who do not have the time to go on long walks.
This does not mean that they do not like exercise however, but moderation is key. Personally, my dog teasel loves going on walks in the woods, playing in the garden and even dog agility which she goes every week!
This article should help you understand how much exercise does a Shih-Tzu need and what factors can affect this.
Do Shih Tzu need a lot of exercise?
Simply put, no they don’t! As mentioned, Shih-Tzu’s are a very small breed which means a small amount of exercise to us is actually much more to them as you would expect. Around 1 hour a day is a good amount of exercise for an adult Shih-tzu. This can be split up into 4x 15 minute sessions or 3x 20mins sessions. Ideally you would walk your Shih Tzu 3 times a day. Please see ‘How often do Shih Tzu pee’ for more information on walking your Shih-Tzu.
Shih Tzu activity level
Whilst Shih-Tzu’s don’t need much exercise to be healthy and happy, that does not mean that they do not enjoy additional exercise from time to time. Just be careful that you don’t regularly exhaust your Shih-Tzu for their own wellbeing.
My 5 year old female Shih-Tzu ‘Teasel’ loves to play in an evening in addition to her 3 daily walks. Just throwing a toy or chasing her around the living room may not seem like exercise but any time that they raise their heartrate constitutes as exercise. This is just a little more fun. She also loves to play with her Labrador friend Daisy and evening goes to dog agility once a week. At first it impressed me to see how keen she is to run through the tunnels and jump the bars, so do not limit your Shih-Tzu as they will often surprise you.
Your Shih-Tzu is quite happy going on a slightly longer walk from time to time but ideally this walk would not be any longer than 1 hour or so. Their little legs cant take much more than that and it wouldn’t really be fair on them.
The activity Level for a Shih-Tzu puppy is much less than this. Once they are old enough to go outside around 5 minute worth of walks would be fine. Gradually getting longer as they get a bigger and stronger. Too much exercise at a young age can cause health issues such as muscular and joint problems.
A senior Shih-Tzu will start to slow down also. Their walks should be tailored to their energy levels over time. lessening their exercise as to not tire them out too much. This can be done slowly and in correlation with their age. They will often let you know when they have had enough by walking slower or stopping for rests so follow their cues and don’t push them beyond what they feel comfortable.
Benefits of exercise for a Shih Tzu
There are plenty of health benefits for your Shih-Tzu that come from exercise but as well as this there are also mental and psychological benefits that are not to be overlooked. Here are a list of benefits that can be directly attributed to regular daily exercise for your Shih-Tzu
- Aids aerobic health which prevents many health issues such as high blood pressure or weight gain
- Strengthens the heart which again in turn prevents heart related health issues
- Aids digestion and metabolism
- Strengthens their muscles, bones and joints
- Allows them to go outside and get fresh air, sniff things and do other doggy activities
- Lets them release any excess energy and often lets them sleep better
Shih-Tzu Exercise
From walking to playing, there are many ways to exercise a Shih-Tzu but lets have a look at a few of the most common ways to exercise your Shih-Tzu and how best to do so. Remember this is a few of the most common ways to exercise you Shih-Tzu and they will often surprise you with what they are willing to try.
Shih Tzu Walking
Walking your Shih-Tzu will most likely be the most common form of exercise that they receive. Daily walks to pee, poop and have a sniff are a must. If you have a Shih-Tzu you should really be letting them have some form of walk. Even though they do not need as much as other breeds, they still require a little walk daily.
If you are wondering how long I should walk my Shih-Tzu then the ideal situation for an adult Shih-Tzu would be 3x 15 minute walks each day. Once in the morning, Once before bedtime and once more during the day whenever suits your lifestyle the best. By all means you can go for longer walks but this should be the exception and not the rule.
A walk is a great chance to bond with your Shih-Tzu and should be a nice experience for you both. Allowing your Shih-Tzu to have a sniff and smell of its environment is very important to stimulate their doggy senses and natural instincts. You should avoid pulling them whilst they are having a sniff.
Your Shih-Tzu also likes to try different routes and directions for them to see different sights and also potentially meet other doggies. Daily walks should also follow a similar schedule each day and last a similar amount of time. This will aid their understanding of when they will next get chance to go toilet. An extendable lead is a good way to let your Shih-Tzu feel a sense of freedom whilst also being safe.
Shih Tzu Running
If you are wondering how fast can a Shih Tzu run, then I think you would be surprised actually. A healthy Shih-Tzu can run almost as fast as most humans (Usain Bolt aside). This is great when it comes to outdoors play with a toy. Shih-Tzu’s will love to chase their human if they see you have their favourite toy or maybe even a treat which makes for great fun! Both for you and you Shih-tzu.
Whilst I do not suggest that your should go for a run with your Shih-Tzu due to the constant nature of a run, I do think running through play is very important. Playing fetch with their favourite toy, having them chase you or in fact chasing them, is a great way to get their heart rate up and open up their legs. The reason this works better is small bursts rather than a constant fast pace is much better for them and their small muscle and joints.
Shih-Tzu’s will love running after you and vice versa as it is a game to them and will be a great bonding exercise for you both. Just be careful how long you do this for as they are not Labradors and can’t do it for hours! After a good playful running around they are much more likely too sleep or relax at your feet which is a good sign that they are tired and have had a good time.
Shih Tzu Playing
As well as the play mentioned above in the running section of the article there are many other play techniques that would constitute as exercise. Play is the most fun way for a dog to exercise. Whether it being fetch, chasing each other or like me you wear a hand puppet squirrel and play fight with your dog, this is often the best version of exercise.
Play is the best way of forming a bond with you are your Shih-Tzu, and from my experience they are most likely to want to play shortly after they have had their evening meal. You will realise this as they start bringing toy after toy to you until you join in.
Playing with your Shih Tzu will let them get any steam out that they need to and will generally be a release that prevents naughty behaviours.
