American Water Spaniel has average risk of obesity, needs daily walks and quality diet to maintain healthy weight.

Shih Tzu has high obesity risk, needs regular exercise and food control to maintain healthy weight.

Unfortunately, the American Water Spaniel is not hypoallergenic, making it not a good choice for a dog lover who suffers from pet allergies.

While no dogs are truly 100% hypoallergenic, Shih Tzus are about as close as it gets, making them an ideal pet if you are an allergy sufferer.

Energetic
Intelligent
Protective
Friendly
Obedient
Trainable

Active
Friendly
Happy
Lively
Playful
Courageous
Gentle
Intelligent
Outgoing

American Water Spaniels make excellent watchdogs - they're vocal and protective of their territory.

Shih Tzus are decent watchdogs - they'll alert their owner if something seems amiss.

United States

Tibet
China

spaniel, retriever

Lhasa Apso, Pekingese, Tibetan Mountain Dog

American Canine Registry
American Kennel Club
America's Pet Registry
Canadian Kennel Club
Dog Registry of America Inc.
Federation Cynologique Internationale
North American Purebred Registry, Inc.
American Canine Association, Inc.
Continental Kennel Club
National Kennel Club
United Kennel Club

American Canine Registry
American Kennel Club
America's Pet Registry
Canadian Kennel Club
Dog Registry of America Inc.
Federation Cynologique Internationale
Kennel Club of Great Britain
North American Purebred Registry, Inc.
American Canine Association, Inc.
Australian National Kennel Council
Continental Kennel Club
National Kennel Club
New Zealand Kennel Club
United Kennel Club
Canadian Canine Registry

1800s

Ancient Times

Sporting (AKC:1940)
Gun Dog (UKC)

Toy (AKC:1969)
Companion Dog (UKC)

Hazel
Brown
Amber

Brown

Black
Brown

Black
Brown

Black
Brown
Red
Sable

Black
Gray
Brown
Red
Silver
White
Brindle

American Water Spaniels have medium-length coats.

Shih Tzus are known for their coat length.

Wavy

Straight

An American Water Spaniel can have a litter of 10-13 puppies on average. However, it's worth noting that the size of the litters can vary greatly. Factors that can influence litter size include the health of the mother, breeding history, and genetics.

A Shih Tzu can have a litter of 10-16 puppies on average. However, it's worth noting that the size of the litters can vary greatly. Factors that can influence litter size include the health of the mother, breeding history, and genetics.

Mitral Valve Disease
Degenerative Myelopathy

Intervertebral Disc Disease
Eye Problems
Brachycephalic Syndrome

Distichiasis
Lenticular Opacities
Hip Dysplasia
Heart Disease

Otitis Externa
Urolithiasis
Eye Disease
Cleft Lip or Palate

Hip X-Rays
Heart
Eye Examination

Eye
Blood And Urine Protein Screens
Skeletal
X-Rays
Eye Examination
Physical Examination

American Water Spaniels thrive on an active lifestyle due to their high-energy nature.

Shih Tzus are a good choice for a low-key lifestyle due to their low energy levels.

American Water Spaniels need high physical activity and are ideal for active individuals, but not suitable for sedentary lifestyles or small apartments.

Shih Tzus need only a small amount of physical activity, ideal for busy or elderly people or those with limited space.

American Water Spaniels are active and require sufficient sleep to stay healthy.

Shih Tzus are known for their relaxed and calm nature and enjoy long periods of sleep.

American Water Spaniels bark moderately when necessary and may also bark due to certain triggers like fear, alarm, boredom, greeting, separation anxiety and compulsive barking.

Shih Tzu dogs bark and howl frequently and are not recommended for quiet homes.

American Water Spaniel dogs are highly protective and make excellent guard dogs due to their strong instinct to defend their territory and owners, and their high level of vigilance.

Shih Tzu dogs have a strong protective nature and territorial instinct. They are highly vigilant and will fiercely defend their home and family.

Swim, Walk, Run

Walk, Bike ride, Brushing, Running, Sleeping, Resting, Short walks, Play, Play with lea, Sniffing, Dog Parks, Go to Park, Being pet, Sit, Eating Snacks, Fetch, Walking, Snuggling, Run, Treats, Petting, Scenting, Marking, Runnig, Watching tv, Playing, Cuddling, Trick training, Shopping, Training

There's really no limit to how far you walk your dog as long as they're comfortable. For American Water Spaniel, it's at least 8 miles / week. Just remember to build distance and stamina gradually over time.

There's really no limit to how far you walk your dog as long as they're comfortable. For Shih Tzu, it's at least 6 miles / week. Just remember to build distance and stamina gradually over time.

In general most American Water Spaniels usually need at least 60 minutes of exercise daily. This can be spread across the day and include all sorts of high-energy activities, like walking, running and playing.

In general most Shih Tzus usually need at least 30 minutes of exercise daily. This can be spread across the day and include all sorts of high-energy activities, like walking, running and playing.

The American Water Spaniel requires an average amount of grooming compared to other breeds.

Shih Tzus have high grooming needs, requiring regular trims and professional grooming assistance to keep their coat healthy.

Pin Brush
Slicker Brush
Dematter
Comb
Deshedder
Clipper
Nail Clipper

Pin Brush
Comb
Nail Clipper

For an average 30-45 pound (14 - 20 kg) American Water Spaniel feed 2.5 cups daily. But, keep in mind, the amount you feed is going to be dependent on the quality of the food you are feeding.

For an average 9-16 pound (4 - 7 kg) Shih Tzu feed 1 cups daily. But, keep in mind, the amount you feed is going to be dependent on the quality of the food you are feeding.

The average cost of an American Water Spaniel is somewhere $2.50 - $3.20 per day.

The average cost of a Shih Tzu is somewhere $1.10 - $1.40 per day.

The average per month expenses of an American Water Spaniel is between $74 - $95. This makes an average of $888 - $1140 per year. It will be on the higher side when the dog is still small because it will need more frequent visits to the vet, shots.

The average per month expenses of a Shih Tzu is between $28 - $42. This makes an average of $336 - $504 per year. It will be on the higher side when the dog is still small because it will need more frequent visits to the vet, shots.

American Water Spaniels are average in obedience intelligence but have a high IQ and may cause trouble if left unsupervised.

Shih Tzu is an independent and stubborn breed with low obedience intelligence, making training a test of patience.

This breed is sensitive to its environment and best suited for patient and understanding families with a consistent routine.

Shih Tzus have average emotions and adapt well to different situations.

American Water Spaniels make excellent family pets for kids due to their gentle, protective nature and calm temperament.

Shih Tzus are not the best choice for families with kids.

American Water Spaniels are average in their friendliness toward cats and tend to do well with them, especially if raised together.

Shih Tzus are very friendly with cats and make great companions for them.

American Water Spaniels are less friendly towards other dogs, but can improve with socialization.

Shih Tzus are generally very friendly towards other dogs, with a happy and affectionate temperament.

American Water Spaniels are highly friendly around strangers.

Shih Tzus are averagely friendly around strangers but benefit from early socialisation.

American Water Spaniels are very playful, so adopting an older one might be a better option for a more relaxed experience.

Shih Tzus are not known for being a highly playful breed.

American Water Spaniels are popular for their ease of training and quick learning ability.

Shih Tzus are usually easy to train but require consistency to fully obey commands.