In order to ensure that you are giving your Shih Tzu the right food, you must prepare it at home as it is the ideal way to treat your Shih Tzu. In this way, you can select the ingredients healthily for Shih Tzu, and the quantities for that food can also be set according to your Shih Tzu’s requirements.
To cook food at home, you need to be aware of your Shih Tzu metabolism. Sometimes, you cook food by calculating all the important factors and ingredients, but still, Shih Tzu doesn’t like it or is feeling low.
The main reason behind it is your Shih Tzu’s metabolism. Some people serve their own food to their Shih Tzu without having any knowledge about its metabolism.
Whenever you are preparing homemade food for Shih Tzu, prepare it in small quantities so that you don’t have to store it for long. Because most things are not healthy if stored for more than two days.
Shih Tzu has a very acidic digestive system which helps them digest proteins easily.
However, that doesn’t mean you can serve them proteins in big chunks because Shih Tzu never chews food.
They tear it and swallow it in little amounts.
Best Homemade Food For Shih Tzu
Foods like beef stew, rice, canine pumpkin biscuits, turkey and fresh veggies,fiber-filled for Fido, frozen strawberry and banana smoothies, etc., are good for Shih Tzu, and these can be made at home.
Table of Contents
What Is Good Food For Shih Tzu?
As living beings, Shih Tzu also has taste buds that get bored of eating the same thing.
Just like you would too. To help your Shih Tzu, you can alter or modify the food by adding chicken, ground beef, egg, rice, yogurt, and sweet potatoes.
But remember to add a very small quantity of these food items in the meal because you don’t want to empower the entire meal with these ingredients.
When cooking food, you can add kidneys and red liver as they are a good source of protein for Shih Tzu.
But always remember to cook it in minced form.
The best carbohydrates for Shih Tzu are rice, soy or corn, flour (wheat), and pasta as well. These proteins, carbohydrates, and vegetables will complete Shih Tzu’s diet.
A perfect Shih Tzu diet should have 75% carbohydrates and a 25% protein ratio.
It will create a very nutritious diet for Shih Tzu. But even after this ratio, if your Shih Tzu is having a problem with its meal, you must consult a veterinary nutritionist.
What Vegetables Are Good For Shih Tzu?
You must also include vegetables, such as broccoli, spinach, carrots, etc.
These are a good fiber source and rich in vitamins like vitamins C, K, A, iron, potassium, etc.
What Is The Best Meat For Shih Tzu?
Muscle meat and organs meat (including heart, liver, kidneys, etc.) have a high source of protein and are best for Shih Tzu. You can also serve Shih Tzu with a cooked steak, but that should only be an occasional treat. Avoid trying new meats on your Shih Tzu and stop experimenting with its health.
Can Shih Tzu Eat Apples Every Day?
You can always treat your Shih Tzu with apples because apples have vitamins A and C. Apples work as antioxidants and dietary fiber.
The only thing you need to take care of while feeding apples is to separate the apple’s core.
The core can be harmful because it has seeds containing cyanide, which is not good.
If your Shih Tzu was okay when you fed it the entire apple, that doesn’t mean it will be okay with digesting those seeds every time. It is always best to avoid the risk by removing the core.
Can Shih Tzu Eat Bananas?
Banana is good for Shih Tzu in many ways, and the most beneficial reason is that bananas help prevent infections in the bladder and boost the immune system of Shih Tzu. Bananas can also help in the bone formation of Shih Tzu at a young age.
How Often Should A Shih Tzu Eat?
When Shih Tzu is babies of about two to three months, they are free to eat whenever, how much, and what they want to eat.
At that age, they have four to six meals a day. But as they grow up, you need to set a routine for your Shih Tzu. You must feed Shih Tzu three times a day.
You have to decide when your Shih Tzu will eat and how much it will eat because Shih Tzu has a very good metabolism and cannot hold the energy for long.
They tend to have hypoglycemia. So, dividing the meals can help maintain energy levels throughout the day.
Can Shih Tzu Eat Yogurt?
Yes, Shih Tzu can eat yogurt. But just like other dogs, it can also have a problem digesting it because it contains lactose in it.
But if your Shih Tzu is not lactose intolerant, then yogurt is good for it. However, avoid giving it flavored yogurt because it contains artificial ingredients that are not good for Shih Tzu.
Can Shih Tzu Have Coconut Water?
Yes, Shih Tzu can have coconut water. It can always be served as an alternative to water. You can also treat your Shih Tzu with coconut water. Coconut water will help your Shih Tzu stay hydrated and give it a boost of energy throughout the day because it has all the essential nutrients.
Can Shih Tzu Eat Rice Every Day?
Rice is good for Shih Tzu and their digestive system. Apart from the daily routine, if Shih Tzu ever gets sick, you can make some rice to make its stomach feel better because it is easy to prepare and digest.
Serving rice as a complete meal is not okay for Shih Tzu. Rice should always be a part of the meal along with other essential ingredients, not a complete meal.
Can Shih Tzu Eat Boiled Eggs?
Eggs are good for Shih Tzu because they are also rich in protein and vitamins. However, feeding your Shih Tzu eggs every day is not recommended. Eggs should be fed at occasional times as a treat.
What Kind Of Fruit Can Shih Tzu Eat?
Shih Tzu can eat apples, pears, raspberries, watermelons, kiwis, cranberries, pumpkins, and blueberries. To create the best meal for your Shih Tzu, especially at home, you must avoid using raisins, fruit seeds like apple seeds and watermelon seeds, and fruits like grapes, pineapple, avocado, star fruit, orange, etc.
Can Shih Tzu Eat Cheese?
Cheese is really good for training your Shih Tzu. Mozzarella and cottage cheese are preferable as they are low in fat compared to other types of cheese.
But that doesn’t mean Shih Tzu cannot eat other cheese. Every type of cheese is good except for blue-veined cheese, such as Roquefort, Gorgonzola, Dutch blue, Stilton, etc., because they are toxic for Shih Tzu.
Categories For A Balanced Diet
There are four categories of food that create a balanced diet for Shih Tzu, which include; protein (35%), Carbohydrates (30%), Vegetables (30%), and Offal (5%).
Recipes
Beef Stew
Sauté 1 kg of ground meat in a large pan till it changes its color from pink. Let the fat sit in the pan because it is good for Shih Tzu. Adding a few tablespoons of coconut oil will make it fattier.
After that, add 1 potato, 1 medium carrot, and a cup of beans, along with some water. After adding the water, cover the pan with a lid and bring it to a boil.
As the stew comes to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes so that the vegetables can cook properly. Adding a pinch of salt will enhance its flavor. It is ready to serve. You can freeze the leftovers for later use.
Rice
Take a large pot and add 3 cups of water to it. Add 1 ½ cups of brown rice and cook as usual or according to package instructions. After that, take a separate pan and add 1 tablespoon of oil in it at medium heat.
Add the 2 kg of ground turkey or chicken breast and cook till it turns golden. It usually takes 3 to 5 minutes.
After that, add 2 chopped carrots, 1 chopped zucchini, and 3 cups of chopped spinach and stir them until the mixture is heated throughout. It also takes 3 to 5 minutes. When it’s done, set it aside and let it cool. It is now ready to serve.
Canine Pumpkin Biscuits
Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
Place parchment paper on the baking tray so that the biscuits won’t stick together.
Mix 1 large egg and 2/3 cup pumpkin puree together until they both become smooth.
Add 2 ½ flaxseed oil and 2 cups of brown rice flour together in a large bowl.
After that, add the pumpkin mixture to these dry ingredients and mix by slowly adding water to it.
After mixing, take 2 small spoons and put the quantity on parchment paper that comes in two spoons.
When all the little balls are placed on parchment paper, place the tray in the oven for about 35 to 40 minutes.
When the top becomes completely dry, the biscuits are ready.
Let the biscuits cool at room temperature and store them in dry glass or plastic containers to serve later.
Turkey and Fresh Vegetables
Take a large saucepan and add 3 cups of water to it—Cook 1 ½ cups of rice according to the usual routine or as written on the packaging.
When cooked, set aside. After that, heat one tbsp olive oil in a pan and add 3 pounds of ground turkey. Cook it till it turns brown. It takes about 3 to 5 minutes.
Keep on crumbling the turkey as it cooks.
After that, stir three measuring cups of baby spinach, make sure it is chopped, two carrots that must be shredded, one zucchini that must be shredded, and a half cup of peas that can be canned as well as frozen with brown rice.
After 3 to 5 minutes of stirring, it is ready to serve.
Fiber Filled For Fido
Boil 1 lb. ground turkey and 1 lb. chicken in 3 cups of water at medium heat for about 20 minutes.
After that, separate the water from the meat and set it aside.
Add 2 cups of brown rice, ½ cup of lentils, and 1 medium sweet potato in water and make it boil.
Keep cooking for 15 minutes. Add 1 cup chopped spinach, 2 tsp.
Olive oil and 2 tbsp of pumpkin puree and cook till all the liquid gets absorbed.
Mix the cooked meat with it and serve warm. The unused part can be stored to eat later.
Homemade Food Tips For Shih Tzu
- Create a consistent meal schedule
- Feed Shih Tzu 3 times a day
- Control and measure the portion size according to your Shih Tzu calorie needs.
- Prepare food in bulk if you can store it for a longer time
- Foods that cannot be stored and eaten after 2 days should be prepared in very small quantities.
- Increase food proportion as your Shih Tzu growth level increases.
- Keep monitoring Shih Tzu and its weight to make changes in its diet.
Conclusion
The best homemade food for Shih Tzu is the one that has all the essential ingredients in it in small quantities.
You should not focus on one meal and on one ingredient, as abundant quantities lead to problems with digestion.
Even if some ingredients mentioned above do not suit Shih Tzu, that doesn’t mean there cannot be more things that are not good for it.
Keeping track of your Shih Tzu’s health can help you modify your meals accordingly.
Setting proportions and routine will help your Shih Tzu digest its food easily and prepare for the next meal on time. In case of any difficulties, it is always best to visit a veterinary nutritionist to help you guide the homemade routine of your Shih Tzu.