Shih Tzus are quite high maintenance when it comes to keeping their coats looking sleek and their skin in good condition. Their coats are long, luxurious and silky and if not regularly trimmed, their hair grows right down to the ground. With this said, daily grooming sessions are a must to keep a Shih Tzu's coat tangle-free. As such it's essential for puppies to be groomed from a young age so they get used to all the tools and having their ears, paws and other parts of their bodies touched. It’s important for the experience to be good right from the start so a dog looks forward to a grooming session rather than be afraid of being brushed.
The hair on the bridge of a Shih Tzu's nose grows upwards which owners often tie up in a knot top adding a lot of appeal to their already cute looks. They also need to have their faces washed every day because food often gets lodged in the hair around their mouths which not only gets smelly, but it can cause a skin irritation which can be really hard to clear up.
Shih Tzus really need to be professionally groomed on a regular basis which means their coats can be trimmed to the right shape which makes it that much easier to keep on top of things between visits to a parlour. These little dogs tend to shed more in the Spring and then in the Autumn, much like other breeds which means more frequent brushing at these times of the year are necessary.
Shih Tzus love going out for walks, but they are not high energy dogs which means 30 to 40 minutes would be fine to keep them happy which is why they have always been such a popular choice with people who lead quieter more stay at home lives. A short walk in the morning and then a longer, more interesting one in the afternoon, would keep these little dogs happy, fit and healthy.
Because they are so playful by nature, Shih Tzus love getting involved in lots of interactive games and really do benefit from being given as much stimulation as possible to prevent boredom from setting in. If a dog gets bored, being so intelligent they will look for other ways to amuse themselves which results in dogs developing some unwanted behaviours around the home and this includes excessive barking as well as separation anxiety.
Young Shih Tzu puppies should not be given too much exercise because their joints and bones are still growing and too much pressure on them could result in causing a dog a few problems later on in their lives. Puppies should not be allowed to jump up and down off the furniture nor should they be allowed to run up and down the stairs as both of these things put a lot of strain on their growing bones.
If you get a Shih Tzu puppy from a breeder, they would give you a feeding schedule and it's important to stick to the same routine, feeding the same puppy food to avoid any tummy upsets. You can change a puppy's diet, but this needs to be done very gradually always making sure they don't develop any digestive upsets and if they do, it's best to put them back on their original diet and to discuss things with the vet before attempting to change it again.
Older dogs are not known to be fussy or finicky eaters, but this does not mean you can feed them a lower quality diet. It's best to feed a mature dog twice a day, once in the morning and then again in the evening, making sure it's good quality food that meets all their nutritional requirements. It's also important that dogs be given the right amount of exercise so they burn off any excess calories or they might gain too much weight which can lead to all sorts of health issues. Obesity can shorten a dog's life by several years so it's important to keep an eye on their waistline from the word go.
