What to feed a Shih Tzu |
| Written by shihtzuplanet.com | |
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Here is a very interesting article that talks about the dietary requirements of the Shih Tzu. The author writes that we really need to look at the origins of the dog and try to feed them a diet closely resembling the type of diet the dog would have had in the area it originated from. I must admit this does make a lot of sense. He encourages that their food be prepared from non processed ingredients at home rather then feeding them the highly processed dog foods on the market. Each breed of dog has its own unique set of nutritional requirements. Their unique set of nutritional requirements have been passed on from generation to generation just like the breed's unique coat, body size and temperament. We have found that we can not change the genetic makeup of the animals we are feeding just by exposing them to a different diet for a small amount of time (1,000 to 2,000 years) any more than we can change any of their other genetically predetermined characteristics by taking them to a different climate. Therefore, I suggest that Shih Tzu owners try to feed their present companion pets with foods that contain what this breed requires. The food should contain: (#1) nutrient sources that are similar to those found in the native environment of the breed's ancestors (sources which are not foreign to the digestive and glandular systems of today's Shih Tzu and which are easy for them to assimilate) and (#2) the proper balance of protein, carbohydrates, fatty acids, vitamins and minerals that match the breed specific nutritional requirements - those which have been passed on by their ancestors. Pet owners who feed their companion pets correctly can save a lot of money. Many dogs are taken to the vet, suffering from nutritionally related problems, and the vet bills can be huge. i.e. dry/itchy/flaky skin, hot spots, yeast infections in the ear, thyroid - liver - kidney problems, just to name a few, cost the average dog owner hundreds of dollars every year. That is why I recommend that pet owners learn about the nutritional needs of the animal they are feeding before deciding on what they are going to feed their dog. When we first learn what our companion pet needs and then choose a diet that is correct for the animal being fed, it is a win-win situation: the dogs are healthier and the owners save money. PLEASE DO NOT E-MAIL ME AND ASK . . .There is NO commercial all-breed, any-breed dog food on the market today that I would recommend feeding to any Shih Tzu. The reasons why are MANY and explained in full in the articles at this web site. I personally believe that the best diet for a Shih Tzu is one that the owner makes fresh, using quality ingredients, without preservatives. It only takes about one to two hours a week to cook for a Shih Tzu so that both #1 & #2 are met and preparing home cooked meals for a dog can be less expensive than buying the average all-breed, any-breed commercial pet food. I hope that you will consider using this option to feed your companion pets correctly. In my books (published in 1990 and 1997) on breed specific canine nutrition, I listed food sources to use and food sources to avoid when feeding a Shih Tzu. The idea was to provide pet owners (both those who wanted to cook for their companion pets or those who wanted to buy an all-breed/any-breed preservative filled food for their pets) information about food sources to use or avoid. So that you can have that same information, below is the text from the page "Shih Tzu" that was in one of my books on canine nutrition.
SHIH TZU The Shih Tzu, the "lion dog", originated in Tibet. The forefathers of today's Shih Tzu were presented as a tribute gift of state to the Chinese emperor over 2000 years ago. At that time the emperor resided in an area now known as Peking. The exports of this breed to the rest of the world have come from this area of China. Therefore most people have forgotten its Tibetan origins and have given the people of Peking credit for both naming and developing this breed. Today's Shih Tzu requires a high animal and poultry fat diet at all stages of its life cycle. This is due to the original dietary sources for the Shih Tzu (both Tibet and Peking, China) being high in their fat-to-protein ratios. The Shih Tzu does not store this fat but converts it into energy within hours. For this reason it is best to feed this breed small quantities of foods with a high fat to protein ratio at frequent intervals daily. In its development the Shih Tzu enjoyed a diet consisting of poultry, pork, barley, rice, soy, and the castles' rodents. A blend of these nutrients would be best for the Shih Tzu today. I recommend a blend of poultry, soy, rice, and wheat. Conversely, I believe the least desirable blend for the Shih Tzu would consist of beef, yellow corn, or oats.
At this web site I have already documented how it has been PROVEN that one breed can require ten times what a different breed requires - PER KILOGRAM OF BODY WEIGHT - of fat soluble vitamin "D" and thus a product formulated for the breed with the higher requirements would be toxic to the breed with lower requirements. I am also providing you with information about which sources of vitamins and minerals are best for a Shih Tzu because it has also been proven that different breeds will assimilate different sources of vitamins and minerals in different ways. i.e. There are over 170 different molecular forms of the mineral "calcium." The source of the mineral calcium that a Shih Tzu can easily assimilate can be hard for a different breed to assimilate and thus that other breed can develop kidney stones on the best source of calcium for a Shih Tzu. The reverse of this is also true. Below you will find a list of the best sources of vitamins and minerals for the dietary requirements of a Shih Tzu. The balance or amounts are not listed because each individual animal can have different requirements depending on: the sex of the animal; the age (a puppy will have different needs than an adolescent, who even though it may be the same size as an adult will have different requirements than an adult); the activity level (if a dog is very active the dog will need more of the B complex than a couch potato of the same breed); stress levels; medical conditions; and other dietary factors (i.e. does the water supply contain high amounts of minerals). There are many factors come into play when considering the proper amount of each nutrient in an individual dogs diet. PLEASE NOTE: Some breeds, because of their breed specific set of nutritional requirements, should have very low amounts of some vitamins or minerals in their diet. The amount that some breeds require may have already been exceeded by the amount that is in most all-breed/any-breed commercial foods (i.e. copper - Bedlington Terrier or zinc - Siberian Husky). This is another reason that I have not listed any amounts here - I do not want dog owners to supplement what may already be TOO MUCH in an all breed food with additional vitamins or minerals just because I listed an amount here. The list below is for SOURCE information only.
Vitamin & Best Source
Mineral & Best Source Please do not feed this breed of dog any supplemental vitamin C (ascorbic acid, sodium ascorbate, calcium ascorbate or ascorbal palmitate) because of the kidney and liver damage it can do.
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