How Much Does a Shih Tzu Cost? (2026 Full Cost Breakdown)

For a Shih Tzu the purchase price is the small part; the recurring costs are where the money goes. As a small dog it eats very little, so food comes to around US$84–168 a year depending on whether you feed a budget or a premium diet. Routine veterinary care, meaning the annual check-up, vaccines, parasite prevention and a dental look-over, adds US$360–540 a year on top of that.

Grooming is the line that sets this breed apart. The long, silky coat has no real shedding cycle and mats quickly, so a full groom every four to six weeks is the norm. That puts professional grooming at US$600–900 a year, on its own more than the food and routine vet bills combined. Owners who learn to clip and bathe at home trade most of that cost for their own time.

Insurance reflects the breed's high health-risk tier. Shih Tzus are brachycephalic, so the flat face brings airway trouble, and they are also prone to eye ulcers and glaucoma, dental disease and liver shunts. Premiums land near US$645–1,204 a year for an adult, starting lower at US$516–963 for a puppy and climbing to US$1,634–2,579 in the senior years, when claims are most likely.

Some costs stay outside the annual and lifetime totals because they are one-off events rather than yearly spending. Airway (BOAS) surgery is quoted at US$500–5,000, a patellar luxation repair at US$1,000–5,000, and treating an ear infection at US$100–500. First-year setup, covering desexing, microchip and starter supplies, adds another US$420–1,675.