over weight?

Question
I have two shitzus and one maultiese.(I still can't spell that...)And the shitzus weigh 13, and 14. While the maultiese weighs twelve. I read somewhere that a healthy maultiese weighs up to 9lb. Is that true? And what does a healthy shitzu weigh?
             Thanks in advance!
       -Emily

Answer
Hi Emily, the weight can vary depending on the height & bone structure of the dog.  Shih Tzu's are supposed to weigh between 9-16 pounds.  The best way to judge if a dog is the correct weight is to be able to feel the ribs by gently pushing on the side of the dog, but not see them.  With coated dogs, you don't want to see the ribs when the coat is soaking wet.  Hope this helps,

Dawn