My Shih Tzu:
Female Shih Tzu
Male Shih Tzu
Shih Tzu Puppies
WeWe
Imperial and Teacup Shih Tzu
Pekingese
Preparations for your Puppy
Basic Grooming
Puppy fur is generally okay to brush dry, but once the adult coat comes in, you will need to dampen the hair to avoid breakage. If you are growing your Furbaby's hair out long, brush the hair downward and try not to flip the ends outward with your risk. Doing so makes the hair ends fragile and they break easily afterwards which will prevent the hair from growing as long as you'd prefer. The longer the hair is, the more brushing is required. If you cannot devote at least 4 days a week to brush, get a clip. Your Shih Tzu will still look attractive clipped. Most choose the puppy clip in which the back and legs are clipped down to an inch or two and the hair on the face, ears, and tail is allowed to grow. This is a nice clip and is way better than the alternative of long, matted hair if you cannot keep your Furbaby brushed.
When bathing your puppy, be sure to use a tearless shampoo for the eyes and face to avoid eye irratation. It is preferrable not to get water into the eyes and ear cannals to avoid infections. Mineral oil may be placed, a drop into each eye to protect the eyes while bathing. You can also place a cotton ball in each ear to keep excess water out of the ear cannals. You should never use a flea or tick shampoo or dip on the face.
Wet your Furbaby thoroughly and lather up with doggy shampoo. Some use human shampoo, but I do not personally recommend this as fragrances in some may cause a rash on your Shih Tzu's skin. Water should not be hot nor should it be cold. You need to test it on your wrist just as you would check a baby's bottle for temperature. Rinse completely until no soap is left in the coat or running out into the water. Then you can repeat the shampooing process again to get your baby super clean. This is recommended, but we all have days that we are stressed for time, so once is okay too if this is the case. If your Shih Tzu is hard to rinse, rinse with water and then add a tablespoon of vinegar to a little water in the tub and pour it by cup over your Shih Tzu. This will take care of any soap left in there.
After rinsing, apply dog conditioner to your Shih Tzu's coat. This can be purchased at any pet supply store and is great for keeping a soft, shiny coat. Most require diluting in water and then pouring the mixture over the coat. Try to avoid pouring over the face. Allow the conditioner to remain in your Shih Tzu's hair for a couple minutes and then rinse.
Before getting your baby out of the tub, gently squeeze excess water out of the coat. Then wrap your Furbaby in one or two thick bath towels. If you can sit and hold your puppy for a few minutes wrapped in the towels, it will greatly help you as far as drying time goes.
I like to go ahead and trim toenails at this time, while you are letting the towels soak up excess moisture. Just stay away from the pink areas of the nails. This is the quick and if you cut here, your puppy will bleed. For puppies, human nail cutters are quick and easy, but once your Shih Tzu has matured, you will need to invest in a pair of dog nail cutters.
Thoroughly dry your baby. Set the dryer to warm and not hot because you don't want to burn your puppy. If the heat is too much for your hand, it is too much for your puppy. Be sure to dry under the ears and around the neck. Brush gently as you dry. This cuts down drying time and also reduces matting.
Once your puppy is dry, trim the hair on the paws. It should be rounded. Take your time and be careful not to cut your puppy's feet. Also, trim the hair inbetween the foot pads. This keeps mats from forming there and if one should, it can be very painful for your Shih Tzu to walk on. Do this at least once a week and get as close to level with the pads as possible without cutting a pad.
On a side note, it should be said that if your Shih Tzu has a mat, do NOT wash the mat. It will only set in further and become worse. Mats should be taken care of before bathing. You should try to work them out with your fingers. If you can't do this, a careful and gently snip from your scissors may be necessary.
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