What Should You Feed a Shih Tzu Puppy?

By Homestead Acres team · October 13, 2026

Good nutrition in the first year sets your puppy up for a healthy life. The basics are simple: a quality small-breed puppy food, regular meals and careful portions. Here is how to get started.

Start with what your puppy is eating

When you bring your puppy home, ask what food it has been eating and how often. Keeping the same food for the first week prevents tummy upset during an already big change. If you want to switch later, do it gradually.

Choose a small-breed puppy food

Pick a complete and balanced puppy formula made for small breeds. Puppies need more calories and nutrients than adults, and small-breed kibble is sized for tiny mouths. Look for a named meat as a main ingredient and a statement that the food meets AAFCO standards for growth. Your vet can recommend good brands.

How often to feed

Young puppies usually eat three to four small meals a day, because their stomachs are small and their blood sugar can drop quickly. Around six months, most move to two meals a day. Keep mealtimes regular, and pick up the bowl after fifteen to twenty minutes.

How much to feed

Use the feeding chart on the food as a starting point, based on your puppy's weight, and adjust with your vet's help. A healthy Shih Tzu puppy is lean enough to have a visible waist and to let you feel the ribs under a thin layer of padding. Measure meals with a cup instead of guessing, since small dogs gain weight fast.

Switching foods safely

Mix a quarter of the new food with three quarters of the old for a couple of days, then half and half, then three quarters new, and finally all new over about a week. Slow transitions protect your puppy from diarrhea and vomiting.

Treats and training rewards

Use tiny, soft treats and count them in your puppy's daily calories. Pieces the size of a pea are plenty. Many owners use part of the daily kibble for training, which keeps weight in check.

Foods to avoid

Never feed chocolate, grapes, raisins, onions, garlic, macadamia nuts, alcohol or anything sweetened with xylitol. Fatty table scraps and cooked bones can cause serious problems. If your puppy eats something dangerous, call your vet or an animal poison control line right away.

Water and bowls

Keep fresh water available at all times in a low, stable bowl. Wash food and water bowls daily. Short-muzzled dogs can find deep, narrow bowls awkward, so choose a wide, shallow one.

Signs your puppy's diet is working

A shiny coat, steady energy, healthy weight gain and well-formed stools are all good signs. Call your vet if your puppy refuses food for more than a day, has repeated vomiting or diarrhea, or seems unusually tired.

Questions about your puppy?

If you've taken a puppy home from us and have questions about feeding, call or text us. We're glad to help.

A sample feeding day

Morning meal, a short potty trip and a little play. Midday meal and a nap. Afternoon meal, play and training with a few kibbles as rewards. Evening meal at least a couple of hours before bed, then a final potty trip. As your puppy grows, your vet will tell you when to combine meals. Write the times down and keep them the same on weekends.

Common feeding mistakes

Overfeeding because the puppy begs, leaving food out all day, changing foods too quickly, giving table scraps and relying on treats for the bulk of calories are the most common. Most are easy to fix by measuring meals and keeping to a routine. When in doubt, ask your vet, and weigh your puppy regularly to keep growth on track.

Reading a dog food label

Look at the ingredients list and the nutritional adequacy statement. The first ingredient should be a recognizable protein source, such as chicken, lamb or fish. The label should say the food is complete and balanced for growth or for all life stages. Be cautious of foods that depend heavily on fillers or artificial colors. Price doesn't always equal quality, and the best food is one your puppy digests well and your vet approves.

If you're considering home-cooked or raw diets, talk with your vet first. Puppies have precise nutritional needs, and homemade diets can easily miss important nutrients.

More puppy guides