When to Feed Your Shitzu Hard Dog Food

The Shihtzu is a special breed of dog in more ways than one. Their boisterous personalities, silky fur, pug faces and high energy make them bundles of loving fun. They are notoriously slow to develop, however, so it is important to know when it is appropriate to feed them regular hard dog food.

  1. Verify the Age of Your Shihtzu

    • It is important you know the exact age of your Shihtzu puppy when you adopt or purchase him. In most cases, this will not be a problem, but if there is a question, have a veterinarian examine the puppy and give you an age for it. Shihtzu's need to remain on a milk supplement until at least eight weeks.

    Soft Food First

    • When your Shihtzu has been more or less weaned from milk at around eight weeks of age, you can begin to offer them soft canned puppy food, or a puppy dry food moistened with warm water or milk. This will need to be a staple of their diet for the first eight months of their life. After three months, the puppy food can be fed in dry form or only lightly moistened. Keep in mind, food should be available at all times for the puppy, as they are growing and will need to be able to eat on demand.

    Hard Kibble

    • After eight months, the Shihtzu's jaws and teeth will have developed enough that eating a dry kibble should not be a problem. Have a bowl available with a dry kibble dog food in it at all times so the dog can munch whenever he is hungry.