Shih Tzus first originated in Tibet as royal pets.
The Shih Tzu is a small, friendly dog first bred to serve as a royal pet in Tibet. After World War II, these dogs were brought into many western homes as house pets. They are small, portable and require little exercise. However, Shih Tzus do have long, flowing hair which requires daily grooming.
Washing
Place your dog in a small tub with a couple of inches of warm water. Shih Tzus are small enough that you could actually wash one in the laundry room sink. A handheld water spray is useful for rinsing hard to reach areas. To give your dog a sleek, shiny coat, apply a spray-on conditioner before washing. Use a conditioner especially created for dogs. This detangles long hair and makes washing easier. Use a doggy approved shampoo to wash the dog after thoroughly wetting it down. Rinse and repeat. Apply doggy conditioning cream and let sit for three to five minutes. Rinse and towel dry.
Drying
After washing a Shih Tzu, towel dry the dog to remove most of the excess water. Use a blow dryer on low to finish drying the hair. Keep moving the blow dryer to avoid burning the dog's skin. Brush the dog's hair with a wide tooth comb or bristled brush as you dry to keep tangles from forming. A little of the spray-on conditioner spritzed on the hair as it's drying also keeps tangles away.
Trimming
Shih Tzus have naturally long hair, which requires regular grooming. Keep the Shih Tzu's hair on the shorter side to reduce grooming time and keep the dog happy when playing outside. It's recommended that a groomer give the dog its actual haircut. Maintain a cut with some regular trimming. Use sharp, straight handled scissors when cutting. Position the blades vertically to the hair and trim with a slow, consistent motion. This helps prevent a chunky look to the dog's haircut. Trim small 1-inch sections at a time and start from the bottom of the hair and work your way up to the desired length. Shih Tzus also need close cuts on their bottoms and sometimes their feet. Smaller scissors work to carefully trim excess hair from the feet and a pair of clippers can shave hair on the dog's rear end.
Brushing
Brush out the dog's hair after a bath and after trimming. Wide tooth combs and soft, round bristled Nylon mixture brushes work best. Start brushing the dog's head first and work your way back. Brush the dog's hair out of its eyes. If necessary secure it on top with a small bow or have it trimmed to keep the hair away from the dog's face. This is also a good time to wipe any discharge from the dog's eyes with a soft, damp towel. Use the bristle brush first, then follow with the comb.
Related posts
An unclipped shih tzu's coat will quickly become unmanageable.The shih tzu breed of dog requires extensive grooming, due to its long, flowing coat. If left unclipped, the shih tzu's hair will grow...
Top knots help keep the Shih Tzu's hair pulled back from its sensitive eyes.Shih Tzus often look as though they have just walked out of a grooming salon. With their long double coat flowing gracef...
Shih tzus have long, thick hair that needs to be groomed daily.Shih tzus have thick coats that require a certain amount of grooming. This task can seem intimidating if you don't know where or star...
Shih Tzus are friendly with children, other dogs, other animals and even strangers.The Shih Tzu is called the "lion dog." Though roaring lions may not come to mind when you look at a 16-...
A Shih Tzu's soft hair should be combed gently and frequently.The Shih Tzu is a small dog breed that originated in Tibet and was brought to the United States around 1958. The Shih Tzu's long coat...
