Shih Tzu's are a good family pet dog, but are also very good choice for older people. They tend to mellow at a very young age and do not demand a lot of your time to play with them. They can get enough exercise in a small yard. They are nice dogs to take for a walk as they are not really pullers. But you need to keep in mind they are high maintenance you need to keep the hair from around their eye's and rear end. And they need to have a full groom about every 6 to 12 weeks. The cost for this can range from $30 to $75.