Best treats for a Shih Tzu in a flat

Living in a small flat with a senior Shih Tzu means treat choice actually matters beyond just nutrition — strong-smelling fish skins or greasy chews will linger in a small space, and crumbly treats make a mess on furniture and carpets. The best treats are high in protein, low in additives, and sized for small mouths — and most heavily marketed treats are nutritionally poor despite what the packaging suggests. Single-ingredient dried meats are usually the gold standard, but for a flat setting we need to factor in odour and mess too. To narrow it down: does your Shih Tzu have any allergies or sensitivities, and are the treats mainly for rewarding good behaviour, just day-to-day snacking, or something else — dental health, for example?

That's the ideal brief — a clean, low-odour treat she can eat neatly without you regretting it. One thing worth checking at her age: has she had any dental issues or difficulty chewing harder treats? Shih Tzus are prone to dental problems as they get older, and that affects how firm the treat should be.

Perfect, that settles it. Go with Lily's Kitchen Bedtime Biscuits — they're a small, soft-baked biscuit sized right for a small dog, made with proper ingredients (oats, chamomile, passionflower), virtually no smell, and they don't crumble or grease up your hands. They're gentle enough for a dog who's missing teeth, and because they're baked rather than dried meat, there's no fishy or meaty odour at all. They're not a single-ingredient treat, but the ingredient list is clean, they're free from artificial additives, and for a flat-dwelling senior dog being rewarded on the sofa, they're genuinely the best fit. You'll find them on Amazon UK — the 100g bag is a good starting size to try. One or two a day is plenty for a Shih Tzu her size.

It's not just marketing in this case — the formulation genuinely suits older dogs. The soft texture avoids stress on worn or missing teeth, the calorie count is low (important since senior dogs need fewer calories), and the herbs are mild and well-tolerated. There's nothing in there that would aggravate a sensitive older stomach either. For a calm 10-year-old who doesn't need high-value training treats, they're a solid everyday option without any of the downsides you'd get from meat-based chews in a small space.