Who Is the Oldest Maltese Shih Tzu?

Many dog owners think of their dogs as part of the family. It’s understandable that we as dog owners want to be reassured that our pooch will live a long and happy life. We love our pets, and many of us simply cannot imagine life without them. 

Dog lifespans vary to a large degree – some breeds are long-lived, especially smaller breeds, while others are expected to live less than a decade. The health and wellbeing of the dog plays a large role in how old they will get, and breeds with fewer health problems tend to live longer. 

Who Is the Oldest Maltese Shih Tzu?

Hybrid breeds such as the Maltese Shih Tzu may be able to live a very long life if they do not develop major health issues. So who is the oldest Maltese Shih Tzu that we know of? For accurate measurement, the date of birth should be verified by a veterinarian. 

Sadly, there are very few verifiable records of extremely long-lived Maltese Shih Tzus. Suffice to say that nobody seems to know of Maltese Shih Tzus that have gone past the 20-year-old mark, though it’s entirely possible that there are a few of them out there. The breed only became popular fairly recently, so it’s likely that one of the Maltese Shih Tzus living now will become the first super-senior Maltese Shih Tzu eventually. 

What Is the Average Lifespan of the Maltese Shih Tzu?

Because the Maltese Shih Tzu is a cross between the Maltese and the Shih Tzu, it’s best to look at the individual life expectancy of both breeds, as this will determine the average lifespan of the Maltese Shih Tzu. 

Maltese

The Maltese is an ancient dog breed and is generally considered to be a very healthy breed. They generally don’t have many health problems, and most of the health issues they deal with are treatable or manageable. They’re a small breed, so they tend to live longer than their larger cousins. Most Maltese will have a lifespan of 12 to 15 years.  

Shih Tzu

The Shih Tzu is also considered to be a fairly healthy breed, despite most Shih Tzus being able to trace their lineage back to only a handful of dogs fairly recently. Like the Maltese, they don’t suffer from many inheritable health issues, and a good breeding program will turn out Shih Tzu puppies that are very healthy. Most Shih Tzus will have a lifespan of 12 to 15 years as well. 

Since the average lifespans of both breeds match up so well, it’s safe to say that the Maltese Shih Tzu can be expected to live to be 12 to 15 years old. There are verifiable records of Shih Tzus reaching 23 years old, so it’s possible that the oldest Maltese Shih Tzu will be able to match that someday.