Chihuahua vs Shih Tzu — Side by Side

	Chihuahua	Shih Tzu
Lifespan	14-16 years	10-16 years
Size	Toy	Toy
Weight	3-6 lb	9-16 lb
Energy	Moderate	Low
Grooming	Low	High
Shedding	Moderate	Low
With kids	Not ideal for young kids	With supervision

What actually separates them

Less hair on the sofa with the Shih Tzu. More with the Chihuahua.
Less brushing with the Chihuahua. More with the Shih Tzu.
Calmer of the two is the Shih Tzu. The one that needs more exercise is the Chihuahua.

The honest downside of each

Chihuahua

Chihuahuas are genuinely fragile, with thin, easily broken leg bones and, in some dogs, a soft spot in the skull that can persist into adulthood, and despite the tiny, portable image they are one of the most surrendered breeds in American shelters, not a low-commitment accessory.

Shih Tzu

That flat, 'cute' face means a genuinely narrowed airway and shallow eye sockets, so breathing trouble in heat and easily injured, bulging eyes are normal parts of Shih Tzu ownership, not bad luck.

Read the full pages

Chihuahua · Shih Tzu
Health problems, origin and what living with each is actually like.