The Current Oldest Living Shih Tzu Dogs

Overview

A lot of dog lovers know that the oldest dog ever documented and recorded was Bobi, a canine in Portugal, who lived until the amazing age of 31 years and 165 days. He took the place of Blue, an Australian Cattle Dog that lived from 1910 to 1939 and passed away at the age of 29 years and 5 months. 

And you may also know that the oldest Shih Tzu documented has since passed. That honor went to Smokey, A Shih Tzu in St. Petersburg, Florida, who lived to the age of 23. But, what about the oldest Shih Tzu dogs current living? To the best of our knowledge and at the time of this writing, no one is currently keeping track. So, we decided that we would start documenting this.   

New Update | Please note: 

This article is now in two sections:

The Oldest Shih Tzu Ever Documented and Verified By Us - We were able to see this sweet Shih Tzu's registration papers and other documentation that showed proof of their birthdate and we have classified them as Verified. 

Self-reported Oldest Shih Tzu Dog - This is the Shih Tzu senior that we know of that reached the oldest age, but is self-reported (aka not verified) via registration papers.

Overview of Aging and Life Expectancy for the Shih Tzu Breed

There is no exact age that a Shih Tzu (or any other dog breed) is declared to be a senior; however, most Shih Tzu dogs are considered to be seniors by the age of 10. Twice-per-year geriatric wellness checks at the vet’s office may begin a bit earlier, around the 8-year mark. 

By the time a Shih Tzu is in their teens, common age-related issues include decreased vision and hearing and some level of osteoarthritis. There is often some tooth loss, though with or without there may be decreased appetite. Older dogs will also have deceased stamina and mobility that typically declines each year. And, most seniors sleep much more than their younger counterparts, though sleep may be restless and interrupted without intervention.   
The average lifespan for the Shih Tzu breed is 13 years. This is very close to the average life span of canines in the US in general, which is 12.67 years for dogs that die of natural causes. Once trauma is factored in, the average life span for dogs in the US is 11.1 years. 

The Oldest Living Shih Tzu Ever Documented and Verified by Us

Below is Bella.

Bella currently holds the record for the oldest Shih Tzu documented and verified by us here at AllShihTzu, via registration records. She lived to the age of 20 years, 2 months and 19 days. She was born July 31, 2003 and passed October 19, 2023. 

Shih Tzu 20 Years, 2 Months, 19 Days Old

Beautiful Bella

July 31, 2003 to October 19, 2023.

RIP

About Bella:

(Summary graciously provided by her humans):


Bella was born on July 31, 2003 and became a permanent part of our family in October of that year, residing in New Rochelle, NY. Leeann and Angelo Acocella were her human parents, and Tara and Michael were her human brother and sister.


Bella lived the most spoiled life any pup could have imagined. We believe that that, along with her love for lots of beauty sleep, contributed to the longevity of her life. She loved treats like string cheese and Greenies, and sometimes even some homemade Italian gravy. Towards the end of her life, her daddy would bake her fresh pumpkin and peanut butter cookies which grew to be her new favorite.


Growing up, Bella was never the most energetic, but did love her toys and played with them until she was about 17 years old. She would have short spurts of energy running around the house or playing tug-o-war. However, her favorite pastime was sitting outside bathing in the sunlight, or inside where she could find a spot of sunlight, and nap for hours. 


Bella was perfectly healthy until around 18 or 19 years old. At this time, she began to slowly lose her eyesight and hearing and suffered some joint issues; however, this didn’t stop her from making her way around the house, eating her treats, and finding her bed to take her well-deserved naps. She particularly loved when everyone was home or cooking because her sense of smell helped guide her.


Bella passed away very peacefully on October 19, 2023 at the age of 20 years, 2 months, and 19 days. She was the most perfect dog we could have ever imagined. Our lives and our home will never be the same without her. She has forever left a small pawprint on our hearts.

AllShihTzu sends many thanks to Leeann and Angelo for allowing us to showcase Bella and for taking the time to provide all the necessary documents for us to verify this sweet Shih Tzu's impressive age. 

Below is Dustin.

Dustin was our previous record holder for the oldest Shih Tzu documented and verified by us here at AllShihTzu, via registration records. He lived to the age of 19 years, 9 months and 20 days. He was born July 14, 2002 and passed May 4, 2022. 

Dustin Oldest Shih Tzu Verified - Age 19 Yr 9 Mo 20 Day
Dustin, oldest living Shih Tzu verified by AllShihTzu
Sweet Dustin
July 14, 2002 to May 4, 2022.
RIP

About Dustin:

(Summary graciously provided by his humans):


Dustin was born July 14, 2002. He became part of our family at the age of 8 weeks. Stephanie and Barry Celaya were his human parents, and his home was in Temecula, California.


Dustin was a rambunctious little guy. He was quite the little guard dog. He could hear a pin drop. His favorite game was chasing his tennis ball up and down the stairs. He also enjoyed wrestling with his Shih Tzu brother, Dominic. They were best buddies! His favorite treat was chicken and he loved taking walks up until the age of 17 years old.


In Dustin’s senior years, around 16 years of age, his hearing and eyesight started to fade but that did not stop him from being able to navigate around the house. Throughout Dustin’s life he did not have any health issues other than some environmental allergies which we were able to remedy with the medication, Apoquel.


In Dustin’s last year of life, he slept a lot in his favorite room which was the family room. On May 4, 2022, at the remarkable age of 19 years, 9 months, and 20 days our little Dustin passed. Dustin’s kidneys began to fail, and we had to make that difficult decision every pet parent dreads and say good-bye to our little guy.


Dustin was the best doggie ever and gave our family loads of love and joy. He will forever be in our hearts.

AllShihTzu sends many thanks to Stephanie and Barry for allowing us to showcase Dustin and for taking the time to provide all the necessary documents for us to verify Dustin's impressive age.

Self-reported Oldest-Living Shih Tzu Dog

Suzie. Passed away at the age of 20 years, 8 months. Pet parent: Gaynor H, from the UK.


Suzie lived with her human since the age of 8 weeks old. At 13 years old, she lost an eye due to an eye ulcer. In her last few years, she became both blind and deaf. She passed over from a neurological condition before her 21st birthday. She lived alongside her Yorkshire Terrier brother, Charlie and was fun, inquisitive and happy until her last day.

Related Article:

How to Help Your Shih Tzu Live a Long Life - After reading about these long-living Shih Tzu dogs, you may be wondering what you can do to help your little guy or gal live a long, quality life. Read these tips to help a Shih Tzu reach their golden years with optimal health and happiness.

Do you have a Shih Tzu older than 20 years, 2 months and 19 days with documented proof?

At this time, we are only accepting submissions for Shih Tzu dogs older than 20 years, 2 months and 19 days if there is documented proof of age, via registration papers / birth records. 


If you do have proof, please feel free to reach out to us and include the following in the message: 


Your Shih Tzu's name, age (current or at time of passing), date of birth, date of passing (if they have passed over), several clear photos, scanned copies of a birth record / registration papers, and your veterinarian's contact information. Please be sure to have all of this information gathered and contained in one message. The Subject Line should be: Oldest Living Verified. And please email all of that to us at: Contact@AllShihTzu.com. Thank you for helping to document long-living Shih Tzu dogs. 

More Articles:

Shih Tzu Physical Comfort: Addressing 5 Concerns - How to address sensitive skin, tummy troubles, cold intolerance, breathing discomfort, and mobility issues in Shih Tzu dogs. Fast, effective remedies to help your Shih Tzu start feeling better today. 

Shih Tzu Feeding Guidelines - Stay up-to-date on food safety and top recommended brands for puppies, adults and seniors. This article covers schedules, wet vs dry, grain vs grain-free, and much more. 

Shih Tzu Do's and Don'ts - A super-helpful, concise list of the most important do's and the most vital don'ts. Have a look and see how many are you following. 

Tips to Keep a Shih Tzu Clean - Shih Tzu puppies and dogs can get really messy, stinky and dirty in between baths. See how to keep your little guy or gal looking tidy and smelling wonderfully fresh. 
Helping a Shih Tzu with Itchiness - This is not an uncommon issue with the Shih Tzu breed. Regardless of whether you know the underlying cause or not, these top tips will help stop itching right away. 
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