Shih Tzu Looking Sad
Personality and Traits

My Shih Tzu Seems Sad: Why?

Jamie 

If your little bundle of joy suddenly starts displaying signs that they may not not be 100 percent happy then it can be a very heart-breaking situation to find yourself in. Shih-Tzu’s are dogs with such loving and happy personalities when everything is going well and the thought that they are sad can be very upsetting as they can’t exactly tell you what is wrong, but there are often tell-tale signs…

If you have noticed a change in your Shih-Tzu’s happiness and are wondering why my Shih Tzu seems sad then there are a few things that it could be. From illness and pain to stress, anxiety or even the mistreatment of your Shih-Tzu, these things can all affect the general happiness and make your Shih-Tzu sad. In this article we aim to take a look at the most common reasons why ‘My Shih Tzu Seems Sad’ and what we can do to identify the reason and find solutions to any of these issues.

Sleeping Shih Tzu

Sad Shih Tzu

A sad Shih-Tzu is a very upsetting sight to see, especially when it is your own. A sad Shih-Tzu can leave you feeling distraught that perhaps its is something your have done or maybe that your Shih-Tzu does not like you. Don’t worry, if you are a responsible owner and you haven’t done anything to mistreat your Shih-Tzu then it will likely not be this case.

It can often be very confusing as it is not always immediately obvious what is wrong with them. Did I do something? Are they unwell? How do I know what is wrong? Many of these types of questions may go through your head. This is very normal as our pets are like part of the family.

If you have a sad Shih-Tzu it is very important to find out the reason for this and take steps to fix their unhappiness quickly. A stressed or depressed Shih-Tzu that is left to feel like that for a long time may develop serious behavioural problems, mental issues or even health problems that can derive from stress.

Signs a Shih Tzu is Sad

There are quite a few signs that something is wrong with your Shih-Tzu, some of which are very obvious and some that are much less so. Here is a list of a few of these signs…

Your Shih-Tzu Wants to be Alone

If your Shih-Tzu is not spending anytime with or near you as they normally would then this is usually a tell-tale sign that there could be something wrong with them. As a loyal lapdog a Shih-Tzu rarely strays to far away from their owner so it would be very strange if they all of a sudden took them selves away to spend time alone on a regular occasion then it should ring alarm bells that they are unhappy. By all means they may do this from time to time but not regularly.

Sleeping Much More Than Usual

If you Shih-Tzu is sleeping more than usual (although they do sleep a lot anyway) then this can be another sign of your Shih-Tzu’s sadness. It is often a sign of boredom and a lack of stimulus. Makes sense right? An adult Shih-Tzu will likely sleep half of the day anyway but watch out if they are sleeping way beyond this.

Licking Paws Excessively

This may sound a bit strange but if your Shih-Tzu has started licking their paws a lot more than before then this can often be a sign of boredom or stress and anxiety. This kind of obsessive behaviour is something that should be looked into further if noticed.

Shih Tzu Crying

Whimpering, crying or whining regularly is often one of the most obvious ways to know that your Shih-Tzu is sad. If your Shih-Tzu has a real problem with crying then there could be a multitude of issues. It could mean that they are missing someone, they may need attention or even they haven’t been fed at the correct time.

Loss of Appetite

When a Shih-Tzu stops eating their food then this is another very obvious sign that something is wrong. This could be anything from feeling unwell to feeling stress or anxious. Shih-Tzu’s have quite a large appetite for a small dog breed and if they all of a sudden decide that they are not interested in food then there could easily be a problem.

Lowering of Tail

A happy Shih-Tzu will usually wag their tail quite regularly and even if its not wagging then it will likely be raised. If the tail is low and tucked closer to their body then this is another sign of an issue. This is the case with many dog breeds and Shih-Tzu is no different. This submissive stance often symbolises that the dog is scared or anxious. Another reason it is so low could be injury so its worth checking their is no pain before concluding that your Shih-Tzu is scared.

Shying Away

If your Shih-Tzu shies away from contact, lowers its stance and generally avoids being touched then again this is a sign that they are likely scared. This is likely due to a previous traumatic experience or lack of trust in people. A lot of shelter dogs that have not been shown love, have been abused or seen violence show this trait so this can be a very serious sign that something is very much wrong.

Reasons Why Your Shih-Tzu Seems Sad

Now that we have established the signs that something could be wrong with your Shih-Tzu, we can now delve in to some of the common reasons why your Shih-Tzu seems sad and hopefully provide solutions. There could be more reasons as to why a Shih-Tzu may feel sad but here are the most common and likely cover 99 percent of cases. Lets take a look…

Your Shih-Tzu is Sick

As a Shih-Tzu owner myself I have definitely had experience in this area. After noticing that Teasel (that’s my dogs name) was acting a little sheepish and took herself off to be by herself, I must admit I was a little worried. Had I done something wrong to upset her? It turned out that she was just unwell and was soon sick and unfortunately had diarrhoea.

If you suspect that your Shih-Tzu is sick or unwell then it is always worth reassuring them that they are ok. A calming voice and a gentle touch can help alleviate a little of the stress they may be feeling. If they do not show any signs of getting better over a few hours then it is worth calling a vet to get further advice. Most likely they just have a little stomach upset but it could be something more serious.

Your Shih-Tzu is Injured

Similar to being sick, if your Shih-Tzu has an injury or a sore they are likely to feel sad or not themselves. If you suspect that they could have an injury it is worth having a gentle feel around their body to see if you get any reaction. This will pinpoint any injury they may have. They may also have a limp that could give clues to any injury they may have

If you are sure that they have an injury, you should get in touch with a vet if it seems serious. This should be evident from the level of distress your Shih-Tzu is in. Getting your Shih-Tzu into a comfortable position and showing them that they are not alone by giving them verbal reassurance and stroking them will also help them.

Your Shih-Tzu is Stressed

This one is a little bit more vague as there could be tens of reasons for them being stressed. Loud noises, fireworks, kids running and shouting, a new pet in the house, strange new people in the house, arguments between owners and many other reasons.

Your Shih-Tzu doesn’t always understand what is happening in every situation. For instance, If there are workers at your house doing work on a kitchen extension then your Shih-Tzu may be worried. They may not understand that these workers are not a threat.

The best way to combat your Shih-Tzu being stressed is to find when they started showing these signals and what it was that changed around then to cause it. Then either remove this problem or show your Shih-Tzu that there is nothing to be afraid of, using the workers in the home example you could show your Shih-Tzu to the workers and get them all to make a nice fuss over your Shih-Tzu.

Other issues will need different solutions but once you know what is wrong, you should be able to find the best solution using common sense.

Your Shih-Tzu Needs Stimulation

This is a very common problem for Shih-Tzu’s. They need to be stimulated so that they do not get bored. If you have a hectic lifestyle ad struggle to give your Shih-Tzu the attention that they need, whether this be through exercise, through play or through cuddles and company then they will likely feel like they need more stimulus.

A simple fix for this is to make sure they get more time and attention. This can be an extra daily walk or simply letting them follow you around the house and talking to them. Making sure that they have toys and being willing to play with them will also help. If you struggle due to having a busy lifestyle, working long hours or other commitments then perhaps consider getting a dog walker so that they get the attention and stimulus they need.

Shih-Tzu Separation Anxiety

When leaving the house your Shih-Tzu can often worry about whether you will return. As Shih-Tzu’s are so close to their owners they often struggle with separation anxiety. They will likely whimper or whine whilst you are leaving and whilst you are out, they can scratch at doors and bark at the window when they see any movement or hear anything outside.

You can practice leaving the house and returning at varying stretches of time, from 5 minutes to an hour without making a fuss about it. Doing this regularly and not fussing over your Shih-Tzu as you leave or enter will normalise this for them. Over time it should help with the anxiety and calm them.

Another way to combat this is to have another dog or pet companion that can keep your Shih-Tzu company whilst you are out. If this does not seem to work then it is a good idea to contact a doggy behaviour expert for further advice.

Is Your Shih-Tzu Being Mistreated?

Whilst I am not for one moment suggesting that you are purposefully mistreating your Shih-Tzu and I know this could be quite offensive for me to propose this but please understand that I do not mean any offense. This may not even be what is bothering your Shih-Tzu but its worth reading ahead to see if any of these situations seem familiar.

It is very easy to do things to your Shih-tzu that you may not realise is mistreating them but could be upsetting them or causing them to be afraid or anxious. Shih-Tzu are very emotional animals so here is a list of things that could be causing your Shih-Tzu’s unhappiness.

  1. Locking them away all day – Shih-Tzu’s need to feel free within the home.
  2. Shouting at them or arguing around them – This breaks their heart as your are their world so feeling they have upset you causes them great sadness.
  3. Varying feeding times – Shih-Tzu’s need routine and going away from it causes doubt in their mind. Regularly varying feeding times stresses them out.
  4. Varying walking times – Similar to above this causes stress, Shih-Tzu’s need to know when they can do a peep or a poop and the pressure of holding it in, or being shouted at for an accident causes stress.
  5. Telling them to get down all the time – Shih-Tzu’s need to be close to you, they are known as lapdogs for a reason and like nothing more than human contact. Constantly pushing them away makes them feel unloved and unwanted.
  6. Lack of Exercise – Your Shih-Tzu needs to walk daily and play. not allowing this is detrimental for their mental wellbeing.
  7. Physical Hitting – This goes without saying, you should never hit your Shih-Tzu under any circumstances. They are much smaller than you and will be very afraid of it happening again.

Thank you for reading this article and if it has helped at all to alleviate any stress or sadness that a dog you know is feeling then I am so happy I could help.

Recommended Posts

Shih Tzu Looking Sad
Personality and Traits

My Shih Tzu Seems Sad: Why?

If your little bundle of joy suddenly starts displaying signs that they may not not be 100 percent happy then it can be a very heart-breaking situation to find yourself in. Shih-Tzu’s are dogs with such loving and happy personalities when everything is going well and the thought that they are sad can be very […]

Jamie 

Leave A Comment