Owning a Shih Tzu is like having a fluffy, judgmental roommate who somehow manages to be both high-maintenance and impossible to stay mad at. They’re tiny in size but large in personality, and they come with a very specific set of quirks that only their loyal humans truly get.

1. The Velcro Shadow Effect

Forget privacy. If you own a Shih Tzu, you’ll never walk alone again — not to the kitchen, not to the bathroom, not even across the room for a charger. Your Shih Tzu will follow you like you’re the last celebrity on Earth, always just close enough to trip you if you turn suddenly.

2. The Selective Hearing Olympics

Say the word “treat” from two rooms away and they’ll appear like a furry ninja. Call their name when you want them off the couch and suddenly they’re deaf, gazing into the distance like they’re pondering the meaning of life.

3. The “I’m Not Dirty” Denial

A Shih Tzu after a muddy walk looks like a mop that’s been through a crime scene, but they will sit there proudly, blinking at you like they’re royalty and you’re overreacting.

4. The Disproportionate Bark-to-Size Ratio

For a dog that weighs less than a bowling ball, they bark with the authority of a security guard who’s been waiting all week for action. The delivery driver is obviously a threat to national security.

5. The “I Meant to Do That” Stumble

Shih Tzus have this charming way of tripping over their own paws, then looking around as if to say, “The floor moved. That wasn’t me.” You’re expected to play along with the cover-up.

6. The Mystery Stare Sessions

Sometimes they’ll just sit and stare at you for an unsettling amount of time. Is it love? Hunger? A plot? You may never know, but you’ll still end up giving them a snack.

7. The Hair Drama

Owning a Shih Tzu means living in a constant cycle of brushing, trimming, and questioning how a dog so small can shed enough hair to knit an entire winter wardrobe. They don’t care — they just know they look fabulous.

Life with a Shih Tzu isn’t about convenience. It’s about embracing the ridiculous, the stubborn, and the heart-melting moments that make you forget every chewed slipper and every bark at 2 a.m. And honestly? We wouldn’t trade them for the world.