Keep three days of food and water for a Shih Tzu as a minimum and seven days as the sensible target. Because a Shih Tzu is small, owners often assume a single small bag covers any emergency, and for volume that is nearly true. The real problem is different. Shih Tzus are creatures of routine who can refuse unfamiliar food, and their short muzzles make eating and drinking in heat or stress less efficient. A week of the wrong food is worth less than three days of the exact food your dog already eats happily at home.
Measuring a Small Dog's Store Accurately
Measure your Shih Tzu's normal meals for a few days, including the small extras that keep a fussy eater interested, and multiply that true daily total by seven. Do the same with water, then add a margin for warm weather and travel panting, because a flat-faced dog loses moisture quickly when anxious. Portion the food into daily sealed bags labelled with the day and the amount, and add a shallow bowl your Shih Tzu can eat and drink from comfortably, since deep narrow bowls are awkward for a short muzzle. A small bottle of water kept in the handbag or car kit matters too, because the first hours of an evacuation are often spent away from the main store.
Protecting the Shih Tzu's Comfort Alongside the Food
Food and water alone will not settle a Shih Tzu in a strange place. Pack grooming basics for the long coat and facial hair, including a soft brush, wipes for the face folds and tear area, and a spare hair tie or clip if you keep the topknot up, because matted, dirty facial hair around the eyes quickly makes a stressful stay worse. Add a familiar blanket that smells of home and a harness rather than relying only on a collar, since a small dog who panics can back out of a loose collar. Write down feeding times, any foods that upset your dog's stomach, and the name of your vet on a card inside the kit.
Heat, Breathing, and the Shih Tzu in Transit
Plan the water store around heat, not just thirst. A Shih Tzu travelling in a warm car or waiting in a stuffy hall needs shade, airflow, and frequent small drinks, and should never be left in a parked vehicle while you queue or register. If breathing becomes noisy and laboured, the tongue looks very wide and flat with panting, or your dog seems disoriented, treat that as urgent and seek veterinary help rather than simply offering more water. Keep the kit where you can reach it without unpacking the whole car, with the first day's food, water, and bowl in a single grab bag on top.
If the Store Runs Low Away From Home
When supplies stretch thin, feed smaller amounts of the familiar food more often instead of switching abruptly to whatever food is available, because a sudden change commonly causes the stomach upset you can least afford in temporary housing. If a switch is unavoidable, mix increasing amounts of the new food into the old across as many meals as you can manage. Watch for a Shih Tzu who stops eating entirely, cannot keep water down, or becomes unusually quiet and limp, and contact a vet promptly in those cases. Before any emergency, check that the contact details attached to your dog are current, because a tiny, friendly Shih Tzu is easy for a stranger to pick up and carry, and KinsLe's Lost Pet Alert System can send a free alert to nearby members so the person holding your dog can message you directly.