Brown facial spots are more visible on lighter colored fur.
Caring for a dog with a long, flowing double coat takes dedicated attention to grooming. In the Shih Tzu's case, the trademark hair tied up in a bow brings attention to the dog's face. While your Shih Tzu may carry its head proudly for all to see, you want to remove any tear stains from under its eyes and the brown spots from around its beard so your Shih Tzu can put its best face forward.
Instructions
1. Clean hair around the eyes and beard with a cotton ball soaked in warm water. Brown spots result from the growth of yeast or bacteria on your Shih Tzu's fur. Dab away extra dirt and moisture to inhibit yeast and bacterial growth.
2. Trim and pull back hair from around the eyes. Stray hairs rubbing in your Shih Tzu's eyes will increase tear production. Use care when trimming around the eyes with grooming clippers or round-tip grooming scissors.
3. Avoid dog food with heavy amounts of added coloring. Artificial dyes may discolor your Shih Tzu's beard when food particles come into contact with fur around the mouth.
4. Switch to filtered or bottled water. High mineral content in tap water may cause stains in your Shih Tzu's beard. Add 1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar to drinking water to decrease tear staining.
5. Apply a commercial tear stain removal product. These products chemically change stains to improve fur appearance, but do not remove the cause behind the stains. Use about once per week and apply with care to avoid getting chemicals in the eyes or mouth.
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