Shih Tzus are a rather small dog breed. Therefore, when choosing treats for these canines, you have to choose smaller treats they can actually consume. If you’re trying to select training treats, you have to choose even smaller treats. Otherwise, your dog could consume too many calories in dog treats, not leaving enough room for their regular diet.
Luckily, there are many dog treats out there suitable for Shih Tzus. It is best to choose options that are either designed for cleaner teeth (since these dogs have teeth problems) or softer treats that are easier for them to consume.
We’ve reviewed some of our favorite dog treats for Shih Tzus on the market today. We included a wide variety of options, so you should be able to find one that you like below.
A Glance at Our Winners in 2024
| Image | Product | Details | ||
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Best Overall
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SmartBones SmartSticks Chews |
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Best Value
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Milk Bone Soft & Chewy Dog Treats |
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Premium Choice
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American Journey Biscuit Dog Treats |
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| Best for Puppies |
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Newman’s Own Snack Sticks Dog Treats |
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Good ‘n’ Fun Kabobs Dog Treats |
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The 10 Best Dog Treats for Shih Tzus
1. SmartBones SmartSticks Chews – Best Overall
| Main Ingredients: | Corn, Chicken |
| Protein: | 9% |
| Fat: | 0.2% |
| Calories: | 55 kcal/chew |
Out of all the chews on the market, we prefer the SmartBones SmartSticks Peanut Butter Chews over most others. These treats are sizable, so they aren’t suitable for training purposes. However, if you’re just looking for a reward for your pooch, these treats are a great option. Many dogs seem to like them, even those that are a bit pickier.
They are made with real chicken and a variety of other ingredients. The primary ingredient is corn, which helps them maintain their shape. Despite being a grain, corn is actually quite nutritious for most dogs.
These treats are 100% rawhide free and extremely digestible. Plus, these sticks are enriched with nutrients of various kinds, making them a bit better for your dog than other treats. For all of these reasons, they’re easily the best dog treats for Shih Tzus.
2. Milk Bone Soft & Chewy Dog Treats – Best Value
| Main Ingredients: | Beef, Chicken, Soy Grits, Sugar |
| Protein: | 18% |
| Fat: | 8% |
| Calories: | 24 kcal/piece |
If you’re looking for something a bit cheaper, we recommend considering the Milk Bone Soft & Chewy Filet Mignon Dog Treats. These chews are much cheaper than most of the competitors, which makes them a good choice for those on a budget.
These treats are crafted with beef and chicken as the primary ingredients. Therefore, they are also quite high in protein, despite being largely for budget purposes. They are soft and chewy, so the average Shih Tzu shouldn’t have any issue eating them. Plus, they are also fortified to provide extra nutrients.
We find that dogs really like these treats. However, they do contain sugar, which is likely one reason why they are so tasty. Despite this, we still recommend them as the best dog treats for Shih Tzu for the money.
3. American Journey Biscuit Dog Treats – Premium Choice
| Main Ingredients: | Chickpeas, Peas, Peanut Butter |
| Protein: | 16% |
| Fat: | 9% |
| Calories: | 13 kcal/biscuit |
If you have a bit more money to spend, you may be interested in the American Journey Peanut Butter Recipe Biscuit Dog Treats. These dog treats are made with mostly chickpeas and peanut butter. The roasted peanut butter flavor makes many dogs love these treats (even dogs that are incredibly picky). During our testing, even dogs that would reliably not eat most treats enjoyed these.
These treats are completely grain-free, which works well for dogs with allergies. Furthermore, these treats can be given to dogs with a variety of allergies, too. They are also pretty high in protein, though all of this protein does come from plants.
The treats are small and portable. However, they aren’t quite small enough for us to claim they are “training treats” for Shih Tzus.
4. Newman’s Own Snack Sticks – Best for Puppies
| Main Ingredients: | Chicken, Chickpeas, Molasses |
| Protein: | 26% |
| Fat: | 14% |
| Calories: | 24 kcal/treat |
The Newman’s Own Snack Sticks Chicken Recipe is made mostly with chicken. They contain a high amount of protein for this reason—more than most of the other recipes we’ve reviewed. Therefore, they are a great option for growing puppies that need a bit of extra protein in their diet so they develop strong muscles. However, due to the inclusion of chickpeas, these treats do contain some carbs.
However, these treats are completely grain-free. They don’t contain any wheat, soy, or artificial preservatives. Plus, all the proceeds go to charity.
5. Good ‘n’ Fun Kabobs Dog Treats
| Main Ingredients: | Rawhide, Pork Hide, Chicken, Chicken Liver, Duck |
| Protein: | 55% |
| Fat: | 0.05% |
| Calories: | Not Listed |
As you can likely tell, the Good ‘n’ Fun Triple Flavor Kabob contains rawhide. However, they are also extremely cheap and yummy. Therefore, if you’re just looking for a fun, occasional treat for your Shih Tzu, you may want to try these. Furthermore, Shih Tzus aren’t likely to swallow rawhide whole.
These treats are wrapped in three different flavors. Therefore, there are more ingredients for your dog to like and try, making these treats especially useful for picky dogs. These treats are also extremely high protein, making them suitable for dogs that need the added protein or can’t have huge amounts of carbohydrates.
We like that these treats may help combat poor dental hygiene.
6. Blue Buffalo Health Bars Dog Treats
| Main Ingredients: | Oatmeal, Oat Flour, Barley, Rye, Chicken Meal, Apples, Yogurt, Dried Egg Product |
| Protein: | 17% |
| Fat: | 7% |
| Calories: | 70 kcal/bar |
You’ve likely heard of the brand Blue Buffalo. Therefore, it isn’t a surprise that the Blue Buffalo Health Bars Baked with Apples & Yogurt Dog Treats are popular. These treats contain mostly oatmeal. However, they also include chicken meal, dried egg, and apples for flavor purposes. They are also pretty high in protein and fat.
While these treats do contain yogurt, the baking process destroys most of the probiotics. Therefore, these treats won’t help with your dog’s stomach despite the yogurt inclusion.
These treats contain high amounts of antioxidants and omega fatty acids.
7. Premium Pork Chomps Munchy Sticks Dog Treats
| Main Ingredients: | Pig skin, Beef Hide, Rice Flour, Natural Beef Flavoring |
| Protein: | 30% |
| Fat: | 2% |
| Calories: | 48 kcal/oz |
These sticks are designed for your dog to chew on. For a Shih Tzu, the Premium Pork Chomps Munchy Sticks Dog Treats should last quite a long time. They are crunchy, which many dogs prefer. However, they may be a bit too long for Shih Tzus. If your dog has trouble chewing anyway, then these treats probably won’t work very well.
These treats are extremely low in fat. However, they are pretty high in protein. Therefore, these are great for dogs that don’t need many extra calories.
Furthermore, these treats aren’t very messy. Therefore, they are great if you have white carpets and have been disappointed by other dog treats.
8. Pup-peroni Dog Treats
| Main Ingredients: | Beef, Meat By-Products, Soy Grits |
| Protein: | 24% |
| Fat: | 12% |
| Calories: | 30 kcal/piece |
These dog treats start with beef as the primary ingredient. However, the Pup-peroni Original Beef Flavor Dog Treats also contain meat by-products. This ingredient isn’t the best because it is primarily mystery meat. By-products are any ingredient that isn’t usually eaten or collected for human consumption. Sometimes, these are high-quality organ meats. Other times, they aren’t. Furthermore, because “meat” is the only indicator, we don’t know what animal these treats are from.
Therefore, these treats aren’t very suitable for dogs with allergies. It is impossible to know if the treats contain your dog’s allergen.
However, many dogs do like these treats, and they are pretty high in omega fatty acids. Therefore, they work well for dogs in need of high-protein treats.
9. Blue Buffalo Blue Bits Soft-Moist Training Treats for Dogs
| Main Ingredients: | Beef, Oatmeal, Brown Rice, Cane Sugar, Potatoes |
| Protein: | 10% |
| Fat: | 7% |
| Calories | 4 kcal/bit |
For those needing training treats, the Blue Buffalo Blue Bits Tender Beef Recipe may be a good option. They are small training treats designed for smaller dogs. Therefore, they work well for small Shih Tzus that you’re currently training. There are very few calories per treat, mainly because they are so small.
The primary ingredient is beef, followed by various kinds of grain. For instance, oatmeal and brown rice are also included. Cane sugar is added for flavor, but many people may not like to add sugar to their dog’s diet.
These treats are not grain-free. However, they are extremely expensive, especially for the small amount you’re getting.
10. Purina Beggin’ Strips Dog Treats
| Main Ingredients: | Pork, Barley, Rice, Ground Wheat, Oat Meal |
| Protein: | 15% |
| Fat: | 3.5% |
| Calories: | 35 kcal/piece |
The Purina Beggin’ Strips Real Meat Bacon & Beef Flavor are very popular. This treat brand is known to be very yummy and inexpensive. Therefore, it works well when you’re looking for something tasty for your canine. However, they are large, so they don’t work well as training treats unless you break them apart.
These treats are made with pork as the first ingredient. However, they are mostly made up of grains. Therefore, the protein content is lower than similar treats.
These soft dog treats are pretty easy for dogs to eat, though they don’t offer any dental benefits. They also contain artificial coloring to produce their very red color. While food colors aren’t a huge problem, they can be troublesome for some dogs.
Buyer’s Guide: How to Select the Best Treats for Your Shih Tzu
Shih Tzus can usually eat whatever treats they like. However, because they are smaller, they typically need to eat smaller treats, as well. Therefore, we highly recommend taking the time to ensure the treats you choose are small enough (or can at least be broken up into smaller bites).
Treats that are designed for smaller dogs work best. Here are some other issues you may want to pay attention to.
Ingredients
Preferably, you should choose treats that are mostly made out of meat and protein. While this isn’t necessary, it is preferable for most dogs. You should also avoid ingredients that your dog is sensitive to. If your dog is allergic to chicken, they don’t need to eat chicken treats, either.
Grains aren’t a huge deal, especially if they are whole grains. Grains can be healthy for dogs as they contain a wide variety of nutrients and tons of fiber. Fiber can be extremely helpful for your dog’s gut, and it is often overlooked in dog food.
Size
Of course, Shih Tzus need smaller treats to eat them properly. However, that doesn’t mean there aren’t different sizes for them to eat. You’ll find larger treats that can work as chews for Shih Tzus. These work well for dogs that need something to entertain themselves for a while or as special treats. Next, there are extremely small training treats.
Because you give so many training treats, they must be very small. Otherwise, your dog won’t be able to gobble them efficiently, and they may fill up on them instead of their usual diet. In this way, it is usually best to choose very small treats for training purposes.
Price
You can easily find pretty expensive treats, as well as very inexpensive treats. Therefore, you can find plenty of options inside most price ranges. Less expensive treats aren’t always worse for dogs, either. In some cases, they can be just as healthy as more expensive treats. Usually, the brand has a lot to do with the price.
Therefore, don’t feel you have to buy cut-rate treats because your price range is minimal. You may just have to look a little harder.
Conclusion
There are many dog treats out there for Shih Tzus. We prefer the SmartBones SmartSticks Peanut Butter Chews. It contains pretty high-quality ingredients and isn’t expensive. Therefore, they work well for many owners.
We also like Milk Bone Soft & Chewy Filet Mignon Dog Treats, as they are less expensive than other options. Furthermore, they have a lot of protein, as well. They don’t include many poor ingredients, especially when you consider the price.
Hopefully, one of the treats on this list will work for you and your adorable canine.
Featured Image Credit: Orawan Pattarawimonchai, Shutterstock
