Grooming cost reference
Shih Tzu grooming prices
What it actually costs to groom, board, and train a Shih Tzu - a small-sized breed with a long coat, groomed weekly.
- $52–$85
- Full groom Below-average cost
- $33–$52
- Bath & brush Below-average cost
- $13–$20
- Nail trim Below-average cost
- 9–16 lb
- small · long coat
AKC coat cost desk
Sheet SHIH-TZU · Shih Tzu
- FREQ-WEEK Weekly cadence
- RANK-UPPER #20/140 AKC
- PHOTO-FINISH ±0.00× Golden Retriever
- ANNUAL-$3549 ~$3,549/yr groom
- BOOK-FULL 7/7 fields
Nearest coat/cost peer: Golden Retriever (+ 0 coat-complexity points)
Quieter AKC sheet: size and coat come first here; the stamps are the only booking checks.
Coat/cost neighbourhood around Shih Tzu
Shih Tzu care affordability score
Shih Tzu is scored 0-100 by combining how it stands nationally on 4 of 4 tracked measures: grooming cost, boarding cost, training cost, and coat & care complexity. A measure that's missing data is dropped and its weight redistributed across the rest, not treated as a zero -- though for Shih Tzu every measure is present, so nothing gets redistributed here.
45/100
Percentile-weighted across 4 of 4 measures
- Grooming cost
- C $68
71st percentile nationwide (higher = more affordable/easier care)
- Boarding cost
- C $40/night
69th percentile nationwide (higher = more affordable/easier care)
- Training cost
- F $75/session
ranks at the 0th percentile across all tracked breeds (higher = more affordable/easier care)
- Coat & care complexity
- F 1.30×
ranks at the 11th percentile across all tracked breeds (higher = more affordable/easier care)
The benchmark pool is every breed with data for that measure in PlainPetCare's live price model. PlainPetCare sets the weights (grooming 35%, boarding 25%, coat/care complexity 25%, training 15%); this reflects cost and complexity only, never a veterinary or health verdict.
What this means: Shih Tzu sits in the 21st percentile of modelled grooming cost depth across published breeds. This reflects coat complexity and service scope, not a quality or virtue ranking.
Shih Tzu vs all breeds by full-groom midpoint
Where this breed's modelled full-groom midpoint sits among every published breed (price depth, not a virtue ranking)
$68 111th of 140 higher than 29 of 140 breeds
Breeds, banded by modelled full-groom midpoint
Each bar is a $0.001K-wide band; taller bars hold more breeds. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source PlainPetCare grooming price model · 2026
Shih Tzu on the budget-pole service lines ($68 mid)
| Service | Price Range |
|---|---|
| Bath & Brush | $33-$52 |
| Overnight Boarding | $30-$50 |
| De-shedding Treatment | $39-$65 |
| Flea Bath & Treatment | $33-$52 |
| Full Groom | $52-$85 |
| Nail Trim | $13-$20 |
| Teeth Brushing | $10-$16 |
| Training Session | $50-$100 |
Grooming guide: Shih Tzu
Long, flowing coat needs daily brushing if kept long. Most owners prefer a shorter puppy cut.
In practice that means a weekly grooming cadence for most Shih Tzu owners - the long coat sheds or mats fast enough that spacing sessions further apart lets tangles or loose fur build up between visits.
Shih Tzu and the budget-pole groom mid
Shih Tzu is #25 by weight and #6 by AKC popularity among 44 small breeds. The coat multiplier is 1.30× against a band average of 1.19, about 0.11 above peers, so finishing time and de-matting risk sit on the expensive side of this size band.
Continue with the breed cost guide or the grooming-price walkthrough when you need cadence context beyond this AKC sheet.
Frequently asked questions
Where does Shih Tzu rank among PlainPetCare breeds?
According to the American Kennel Club popularity rankings used on /breeds, Shih Tzu ranks #20 of 140 published breeds (most popular first). The /breeds table (sorted popularity_rank ASC) uses the same ordering; see methodology for how corpus placement works.
How much does it cost to groom a Shih Tzu?
A full groom for a Shih Tzu typically costs $52-$85. Pricing depends on coat condition, location, and the groomer. Shih Tzu dogs are small-sized with a long coat.
How often should a Shih Tzu be groomed?
Shih Tzu dogs should be groomed weekly. They have a long coat. Long, flowing coat needs daily brushing if kept long.
What grooming services does a Shih Tzu need?
A Shih Tzu typically needs Bath & Brush, Overnight Boarding, De-shedding Treatment, Flea Bath & Treatment, Full Groom, Nail Trim, Teeth Brushing, Training Session. As a small-sized breed weighing 9-16 lbs with a long coat, routine professional grooming helps keep the coat healthy and manageable.
How much is a bath for a Shih Tzu?
A bath for a Shih Tzu typically costs $33-$52. Shampooing, drying, and a basic brush-out are typically included; groomer and location move the price.
Related breeds
Nationwide breeds with similar coat work or AKC rank
Budget-pole coat peers · 1.30× here
Similar AKC popularity · #20 here
Every figure on PlainPetCare is rendered directly from AKC breed data and industry pet-service pricing surveys, no number is typed in by an editor. Shih Tzu's sheet models size/coat against national grooming-rate tiers (#20 of 140 · long), not metro BLS indexes. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.
Sources: AKC breed standards for Shih Tzu; BLS regional cost-of-living (verify →); published national grooming-chain surveys. Methodology · grooming-price guide.
Disclaimer: Shih Tzu figures are modelled national estimates for budgeting only, not a salon quote or veterinary advice. Confirm with a local provider before booking.