Chihuahuas are usually easier to train than Shih Tzus. Both of these dogs can be similar in some ways but are quite different in many others. Their outgoing and friendly personality makes them a great choice for families. We know that these numbers might be too abstract, so we made a tool to help you visualize these numbers. Check our heatstroke article on prevention and symptoms to learn more. If you notice your dog shivering, acting anxious, whining, slowing down, searching out warm locations, or holding up one or more paws, its time to head inside. Chihuahuas' fur is simply not designed for low temperatures, so you might consider getting them some kind of dog wear coat. Depending on where you live, you should choose a dog that tolerates hot or cold weather well. Both Chihuahua and Shih Tzu have a low exercise needs. Our vet experts provide dog owners with advice that help our four-legged friends lead the life they deserve. Both Chihuahua and Shih Tzu love children - they are usually gentle and patient with kids, but as we mentioned, temperaments can vary based on the individual dog. To further explore their personality, overall health, temperament, and much more, read their full breed profile. Read on to the following sections to better understand in detail how Chihuahua and Shih Tzu compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you. Check the table below to see how Chihuahuas and Shih Tzus tolerate being left alone. To learn more, read our list of dogs that can be left alone. Each dog has a different temperament, and there are a lot of factors that affect its behavior. We've created a list of the 15 best dogs for kids and family, so read it next if this is important for you. Click here to learn how to minimize the shedding. All dogs are great but not all dogs are great for or geared toward apartment living. To keep your dog healthy, calm, and happy, you have to provide it with enough physical activities. Not only your dog will be healthier and happier when it's active, but you'll also reduce or completely eliminate destructive behavior. The following chart compares the average breeds height with the average height of an American man and woman. From left, average heights of Chihuahua, Shih Tzu, American female, and American male. article has more information on this topic. The best way to monitor dogs when its cold is to keep a close eye on their behavior. Barking Royalty does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Both Chihuahua and Shih Tzu are members of the Companion Group. Hills Science Diet Sensitive Vs Purina Pro Plan Sensitive. Read on and find out which of these popular breeds is the perfect pup for your lifestyle! heatstroke article on prevention and symptoms, 30 Small Hypoallergenic Dogs That Dont Shed, Chihuahua vs Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Shih Tzu vs Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, 30 Small Hypoallergenic Dogs That Dont Shed , 13 Dog Breeds Commonly Mistaken For Pitbulls , 7 Chihuahua Types Learn The Difference , 20 Cutest Puppies That Will Melt Your Heart , 15 Dogs That Look Like Foxes aka Fox Dogs , 10 Dogs That Look Like Lions aka Lion Dogs , 15 Facts You Should Know About Sheepadoodles . Note: Barking Royalty isnt a veterinary provider. Recommended article: 30 Small Hypoallergenic Dogs That Dont Shed. No doubt, the quality of care provided to the dog is one of the main factors when it comes to canines life longevity, however, there are also other factors, especially the dog's breed. Also, some breeds are prone to obesity, which could cause other health conditions. If you're looking for a companion dog, you won't go wrong with Chihuahua and Shih Tzu. Shih Tzu tolerates cold weather better than Chihuahua. Speaking of friendliness toward strangers, Chihuahuas and Shih Tzus are the complete opposite. These breeds have low drooling potential. Trying to decide between the Chihuahua and the Shih Tzu? Founded in 2015, we want to be the first resource you come to for all your dog-related concerns. Before getting a puppy, you should be sure that the breed you're doing to buy or rescue is a good fit for your lifestyle and home. When we say "dog adaptability", most people think about apartment living adaptability, so let's start with that. With a life expectancy of 10 to 18 years, Chihuahuas usually live longer than Shih Tzus. Shih Tzu shed less than Chihuahua do, but don't forget - preventing shedding is impossible, but regular brushing is necessary. It means they will probably require only light to moderate excercises to keep these breeds healthy and prevent them from becoming overweight and bored. Our "How Cold Is Too Cold For Dogs?" While most dogs can be left home alone for 6 to 8 hours, some will do better. Check the table below to see the general health rating for these two canines, and read full breed profile articles to read in-depth information on their health. Our website services, content, and products are for informational purposes only. Be sure to check that information as well, if the breed is prone to obesity, keep a close eye on labels and feed your dog according to the food labels. When temperatures fall below 32 F, owners of small breed dogs, dogs with thin coats, and/or very young, old, or sick dogs should pay close attention to their pets well-being. So be sure to take this into your consideration when choosing the right breed for you. Both are highly affectionate with family, they will immediately become a family member. Keep in mind that most breeds will benefit from aerobic exercises - think of aerobic exercise as anything that makes your dog pant. Finally, if you think you aren't capable of training your dog on your own, you might also consider getting professional help. Dog guarding behavior is welcome for some owners, while others prefer a dog that's friendly towards strangers. Although these breeds are members of the same breed group, they have some differences and not only similarities so keep reading to learn more. Cold temperatures are not a problem for most dogs until they fall below 45 F, at which point some cold-averse dogs might begin to feel uncomfortable. Once temperatures drop under 20 F, all owners need to be aware that their dogs could potentially develop cold-associated health problems like hypothermia and frostbite. Well, we have good news. Speaking of Chihuahua and Shih Tzu, these breeds don't tolerate hot weather well, so you need to be very cautious, especially when it's really hot. Dog - Scottish Terrier Scottie (medium coat), Dog - Pomeranian / Chihuahua / Mixed (medium coat), Dog - Yorkshire Terrier Yorkie (long coat), Dog - Papillon / Poodle (Toy) / Mixed (long coat), Dog - Terrier / Chihuahua / Mixed (medium coat), Dog - Boxer / American Staffordshire Terrier / Mixed (short coat), Dog - Miniature Pinscher / Chihuahua / Mixed (short coat), Dog - Shetland Sheepdog Sheltie (long coat), Dog - Labrador Retriever / Mixed (short coat), Dog - Toy Fox Terrier / Chihuahua (short coat), Dog - Beagle / Cavalier King Charles Spaniel / Mixed (short coat), Dog - Chihuahua / Jack Russell Terrier / Mixed (short coat), Dog - West Highland White Terrier Westie / Poodle (unknown type) / Mixed (medium coat), Dog - Yorkshire Terrier Yorkie / Mixed (medium coat), Dog - Cairn Terrier / Shih Tzu / Mixed (medium coat), Dog - Boxer / Pit Bull Terrier (short coat), Dog - English Bulldog / Mixed (short coat), Dog - Black Labrador Retriever / Border Collie / Mixed (short coat), Dog - Chihuahua / Terrier / Mixed (short coat), Dog - Boxer / Retriever / Mixed (short coat), Dog - Pit Bull Terrier / Labrador Retriever / Mixed (short coat), Dog - Dachshund / Chihuahua / Mixed (short coat), Dog - Chihuahua / Rat Terrier / Mixed (short coat), Dog - Cairn Terrier / Mixed (medium coat), Dog - Yorkshire Terrier Yorkie / Shih Tzu / Mixed (long coat), Dog - Miniature Pinscher / Mixed (short coat), Dog - Boxer / Pit Bull Terrier / Mixed (short coat), Dog - Poodle (unknown type) / Mixed (long coat), Dog - Corgi / Chihuahua / Mixed (short coat), Dog - Poodle (Miniature) / Miniature Schnauzer (long coat), Dog - Schnauzer / Poodle (Miniature) / Mixed (long coat), Dog - Bichon Frise / Poodle (unknown type) / Mixed (long coat), Dog - Pit Bull Terrier / Boxer / Mixed (short coat), Dog - Papillon / Pomeranian / Mixed (medium coat), Dog - Terrier / Shih Tzu / Mixed (long coat), Dog - Miniature Pinscher / Pug / Mixed (short coat), Dog - Terrier / Yorkshire Terrier Yorkie / Mixed (long coat), Dog - Pomeranian / Chihuahua / Mixed (short coat), Dog - Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen / Terrier / Mixed (medium coat), Dog - Miniature Schnauzer / West Highland White Terrier Westie (long coat), Dog - Dachshund / Yorkshire Terrier Yorkie / Mixed (long coat), Dog - Boxer / Dalmatian / Mixed (short coat), Dog - Maltese / West Highland White Terrier Westie / Mixed (long coat), Dog - Labrador Retriever / Cocker Spaniel / Mixed, Dog - Chihuahua / Pug / Mixed (short coat), Dog - Shih Tzu / Poodle (Miniature) / Mixed (long coat), Dog - Silky Terrier / Lhasa Apso / Mixed (long coat), Dog - Dachshund / Terrier / Mixed (medium coat), Dog - Poodle (unknown type) / Terrier / Mixed (long coat), Dog - Shih Tzu / Cairn Terrier / Mixed (medium coat), Dog - Chihuahua / Corgi / Mixed (short coat), Dog - Bichon Frise / Poodle (Miniature) / Mixed (long coat), Dog - Bichon Frise / Shih Tzu / Mixed (long coat), Dog - Retriever / Dachshund / Mixed (short coat), Dog - Cairn Terrier / Chihuahua / Mixed (medium coat), Dog - Norwich Terrier / Mixed (medium coat), Dog - Poodle (unknown type) / Silky Terrier / Mixed (medium coat), Dog - Chihuahua / Italian Greyhound / Mixed (short coat), Dog - Shih Tzu / Chinese Crested-Powder Puff / Mixed (long coat), Dog - French Bulldog / American Staffordshire Terrier / Mixed (short coat), Dog - American Staffordshire Terrier / Mixed (short coat), Dog - West Highland White Terrier Westie (long coat), Dog - Chinese Crested-Powder Puff / Mixed (medium coat), Dog - Boston Terrier / Boxer / Mixed (short coat), Dog - Maltese / Poodle (Miniature) / Mixed (long coat), Dog - English Bulldog / Beagle / Mixed (short coat), Dog - Maltese / Yorkshire Terrier Yorkie / Mixed (long coat), Dog - Yorkshire Terrier Yorkie / Mixed (long coat), Dog - Great Dane / Poodle (Standard) / Mixed (short coat), Dog - Boxer / Labrador Retriever / Mixed (short coat), Dog - Toy Fox Terrier / Shetland Sheepdog Sheltie / Mixed (short coat), Dog - Toy Fox Terrier / Mixed (short coat), Dog - Jack Russell Terrier (Parson Russell Terrier) / Terrier / Mixed (short coat), Dog - Dachshund / Terrier / Mixed (short coat), Dog - Pit Bull Terrier / Mixed (short coat), Dog - Chihuahua / Brussels Griffon / Mixed (medium coat), Dog - Chihuahua / Boston Terrier / Mixed (short coat), Dog - Chihuahua / Yorkshire Terrier Yorkie / Mixed (medium coat), Dog - Australian Shepherd / Mixed (medium coat), Dog - Lhasa Apso / Maltese / Mixed (medium coat), Dog - American Staffordshire Terrier / American Pit Bull Terrier / Mixed (short coat), Dog - Pointer / Rat Terrier / Mixed (short coat), Dog - Shih Tzu / Poodle (unknown type) / Mixed (long coat), Dog - Yorkshire Terrier Yorkie / Chihuahua / Mixed (medium coat), Dog - Pomeranian / Chihuahua / Mixed (long coat), Dog - Maltese / Poodle (Toy) / Mixed (long coat), Dog - Chinese Crested-Powder Puff / Poodle (unknown type) / Mixed (medium coat), Dog - Pekingese / Shih Tzu / Mixed (long coat), Dog - Chihuahua / Dachshund / Mixed (short coat), Dog - West Highland White Terrier Westie / Poodle (Toy) / Mixed (medium coat), Dog - Labrador Retriever / Pit Bull Terrier / Mixed (short coat), Dog - Papillon / Chihuahua / Mixed (medium coat), Dog - Fox Terrier / Rat Terrier / Mixed (short coat), Dog - Cocker Spaniel / Mixed (short coat), Dog - Shih Tzu / Lhasa Apso / Mixed (long coat), Dog - Pug / Chihuahua / Mixed (short coat), Dog - Boxer / Terrier / Mixed (short coat), Dog - Chihuahua / Miniature Pinscher / Mixed (short coat), Dog - Pekingese / Chihuahua / Mixed (medium coat), Dog - Italian Greyhound / Chihuahua / Mixed (short coat), Dog - Chihuahua / Terrier / Mixed (medium coat), Dog - Jack Russell Terrier / Chihuahua / Mixed (short coat), Dog - Affenpinscher / Shih Tzu / Mixed (long coat), Dog - Maltese / Havanese / Mixed (long coat), Dog - Pug / Manchester Terrier / Mixed (short coat), Dog - Pomeranian / Terrier / Mixed (medium coat), Dog - English Springer Spaniel / Cocker Spaniel / Mixed (long coat), Dog - Chihuahua / Shih Tzu / Mixed (medium coat), Dog - Boston Terrier / American Staffordshire Terrier / Mixed, Dog - Cocker Spaniel / Labrador Retriever / Mixed (short coat), Dog - Lhasa Apso / Pekingese / Mixed (long coat), Dog - Dachshund / Pug / Mixed (short coat), Dog - Maltese / Shih Tzu / Mixed (long coat), Dog - Jack Russell Terrier (Parson Russell Terrier) (medium coat), Dog - Yorkshire Terrier Yorkie / Terrier / Mixed (medium coat), Dog - Shih Tzu / Poodle (Miniature) / Mixed (medium coat), Dog - Border Terrier / Poodle (Miniature) / Mixed (long coat), Dog - Bichon Frise / Poodle (Toy) / Mixed (long coat), Dog - Maltese / Poodle (T-Cup) / Mixed (long coat), Dog - Wirehaired Fox Terrier / Jack Russell Terrier (Parson Russell Terrier) / Mixed (short coat), Dog - Manchester Terrier / Mixed (short coat), Dog - Poodle (Miniature) / Mixed (long coat), Dog - Chihuahua / Pomeranian / Mixed (medium coat), Dog - Poodle (T-Cup) / Shih Tzu / Mixed (long coat), Dog - Jack Russell Terrier (Parson Russell Terrier) (short coat), Dog - Wheaten Terrier / Mixed (medium coat), Dog - Yorkshire Terrier Yorkie / Toy Fox Terrier / Mixed (long coat), Dog - Brussels Griffon / Border Terrier / Mixed (medium coat), Dog - Yorkshire Terrier Yorkie / Poodle (Toy) / Mixed (long coat), Dog - Poodle (unknown type) / Yorkshire Terrier Yorkie / Mixed (long coat), Dog - Poodle (unknown type) / Bichon Frise / Mixed (long coat), Dog - Dandie Dinmont Terrier / Shih Tzu / Mixed (long coat). All rights reserved. Factors such as excessive growth rate, types of exercise, and improper weight and nutrition can magnify this genetic predisposition. The best way to optimize your pups health is to research reputable breeders, and then when you meet them ask to see the parents and their health certificates as described above and to see the conditions in which all the dogs are living. In this article, we tried to give you an idea of what you can expect from Chihuahuas and Shih Tzus. 2015 - 2022 Barking Royalty. Dog size comparison to a human. During warm weather, Also, avoid pavements - if the ground is too hot to touch for your hand for a few seconds, it's too hot for paws. For example, hip dysplasia is hereditary and is especially common in larger dogs. Always relay any questions you have regarding your pets medical condition to your veterinarian, local animal hospital or other qualified veterinary provider. According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data, the average height of a man is 69 inches, and the height of a woman is 63.5 inches. Some people don't think about this when selecting a breed, so we have dedicated a whole chapter to physical needs. Or, use the tool below to read the next comparison. Shih Tzus are larger, with a typical height of 9 to 10 inches and weight of 9 to 16 pounds, while the typical height of Chihuahua is 6 to 9 inches and they usually weigh 3 to 6 pounds. Each dog needs some kind of obedience training, but some of them are easier to train, while others are more stubborn. What Does The Male Dog Owner Get When Breeding? When it comes to behavior around children, Chihuahua simply tends to do better. If you choose one of these dogs, remember three pillars of dog training - Patience, persistence, and consistency play a huge role in successfully training your dog. A dog may be considered the worst dog breed for apartments for a few reasons including size, energy level, noise, smell, shedding Luckily, Chihuahuas and Shih Tzus are considered to be good apartment living dogs. One of the bad parts of having a dog is definitely shedding. It's always hard to make a general statement about the whole breed's temperament. While Shih Tzus are super friendly toward strangers, Chihuahuas are naturally suspicious toward strangers, so you can expect they will act protective. Be sure to provide shade and water and head out in the morning or late evening when it's cooler.