How to groom a Shih is really easy, but it takes time and patience, because when they are puppies, grooming a Shih Tzu needs to be done daily, or at least every other day, but as they get older, you will be able to can drop the grooming to maybe 3 times a week.
They need this grooming to keep them healthy and to keep their coats shiny and mat free, but like most long haired dogs, it can and will get everywhere. So if you aren’t willing to put up with this, and don’t want to spend the time grooming, then don’t buy this particular breed.
A Shih Tzu’s hair can be clipped short, or you can keep it full coat, this depends totally on you, and how much time you like to spend grooming. Some people purchase them as show dogs, and some just prefer to keep the full coat, so I will touch briefly on Shih Tzu grooming for full coat.
A few things to remember about these dogs is that they can be fun, but temperamental, bossy and arrogant, but they are also very smart and easy to train. The best time to train them for grooming however, is when they are puppies, but like all dogs, your training will have to be consistent and persistent, because they will try your patience.
I found the best time to start grooming a Shih Tzu is after their morning walk, their breakfast and a little play time. Once they have calmed down, your grooming can begin. When you get use to grooming, you will find that it’s a breeze and can be rather therapeutic.
Grooming Items You Will Need:
• Straight Metal Comb • Grooming Liquid • Warm Wet Cloth • Pet Nail Filer • Toothbrush
• Toothpaste for Dogs • Trimming Scissors • Dog Shampoo • Dog Conditioner • Blow Dryer
How To Groom A Shih Tzu Eyes, Mouth, Ears And Face
It’s important to always check your dogs eyes, mouth, ears and face for irritation or inflammation, and while in the process of doing this, use a warm wet cloth to wipe your Shih Tzu’s face and make sure you clean the eyes of any matter or residue that has formed in the corners. If you don’t, sometimes it has a tendency to get onto the eye itself and cause irritation.
Now check the gums and teeth for the same signs. Brushing your dog’s teeth daily will eliminate any problems with tartar forming that can cause periodontitis or gingivitis. When you brush their teeth, use a toothpaste made especially for dogs. Since they can’t spit out toothpaste like humans can, you need to use a toothpaste that doesn’t need to be spit out.
Brushing their teeth daily will prevent all sorts of problems and in the process will give them a great smelling breath. To me, this is the best time to receive all their licks and kisses.
Check their ears to make sure they are clean and free of any dirt or debris they might have picked up during their outside walk. Just give their face a wipe of the warm damp cloth, and make sure all food residue is removed. If their eyebrows or mustache is getting too long, then you can use your trimming scissors to trim both back a little. If the hair around their eyes get too long, it will interfere with their sight.
Grooming The Shih Tzu Anal Area
As disgusting as this may be for you, this part has to be done. It will make your dog happy and you too. Check the anal area and make sure it is clean and free of any and all fecal matter. Now is a good time to take the warm damp cloth and a little dog shampoo and clean the area throughly, then wipe with a cloth dipped in warm clean water.
If the area is over-grown with hair, take your scissors and clip it. If you do this, you won’t have to worry about fecal matter matting into the hair and getting on your carpet, sofa or bed. In fact, each time they go outside, you should clean them right then, and you will know that this area is always clean.
Grooming A Shih Tzu With Comb And Bristle Brush
Combing and brushing your Shih Tzu is easy. Just comb and brush going with the flow and fall of the hair. I generally start on the face using a small soft bristle toothbrush. This makes it easier than waving a larger brush in your dogs face. The toothbrush can gently brush around their eyes, mouth, nose and their moustaches, removing any food particles you didn’t get with the warm damp cloth.
You can also use either the toothbrush or regular bristle brush on their ears. However, I prefer to use the toothbrush. While your Shih Tzu is sitting, now is the time to brush and comb under the chin and down onto their throat and the front of their front legs.
Next you can start brushing the top of the head and the top knot. I prefer leaving the top knot lose because he’s a boy, but the choice is yours on how you handle the top knot. After gently brushing the top of the head, just continue on back down the body, going with the flow and fall of the hair.
Stand your dog up and continue brushing and combing down the sides of the body. Then brush the top side and underside of the tail, while continuing on down to the bottom and the back of the back two legs.
Dogs love having their bellies rubbed, so it won’t be a problem to get them to lie on their back while you brush and comb their stomach, chest, and the inside of the front legs and back legs. When you’re finished, stand your dog up and just give his coat one more quick brush to make sure its smooth and tangle free.
How To Groom A Shih Tzu Nails And Paws
Dog grooming isn’t complete without clipping the nails, and unless you want to be scratched or have your flooring and furniture scratched up, then you need to clip their nails. Maybe I should say file their nails, because clipping improperly can cause pain and even cause an infection.
So use one of the special nail files for dogs and file the nails down so they aren’t so sharp. You aren’t trying to clip their nails like you clip yours, all you want to do is take away the sharpness. So file them until the tip is rounded and dull.
While clipping the nails, you also want to pay attention to the hair growing between the paws. Just take your trimming scissors and clip away all the excess hair. If your dog lays on his/her side, this will make the job easier for both of you.
Bathing As Part Of The Shih Tzu Grooming
How regularly you bathe your dog will depend on where your dog goes, and what they do when they are outside. Bandit had to be bathed three times a week, only because he loved wallowing in the morning dew, wallowing in the grass anytime he went outside, as well as the flower beds and the mulch.
If your dog loves to wallow, then come inside and plop on your sofa or bed, then you may want to consider bathing them at least two times a week., but generally, once a week or every two weeks is okay. However, if your Shih Tzu has a full coat, you will have to bathe them more than that. I always washed Bandit in a plastic foot soak tub, inside the bathtub. This way I could use the shower extender hose to wet and rinse him.
When bathing, keep the water and shampoo away from their eyes and nose, and for puppies, use a mild puppy shampoo, and for adult dogs you can use a regular strength dog shampoo. Just wet their coat from the top of their head and down to the their back and belly. Then lather the shampoo on the top of their head, the face, on down their back, chest, stomach, legs, paws, tail and bottom.
When you’re finished shampooing, rinse and apply a conditioner. The conditioner will help with any tangles you might encounter. After conditioning, rinse again and wrap them in a big soft towel and begin to pat them dry.
The best way to dry your dog is by using the brush and the hair dryer. Be sure the dryer isn’t too hot, put it on the warmest cycle it has, and use a combination of the hair dryer, gentle brush and finger strokes to dry the hair, and remove any tangles.
How To Groom A Shih Tzu With A Full Coat
Grooming a Shih Tzu with a full coat is basically the same as grooming one that has been clipped. The only difference is taking care and grooming all that hair! And to keep that hair healthy, shiny and tangle free takes patience and regular, DAILY grooming.
If you let up on the grooming, it will take more time to get tangles out of matted hair, and could possible cause your dog a lot of pain, if you’re not careful when combing out all those tangles. So you would groom the face, mouth, eyes, ears and anal area the same as for a clipped dog.
You would even shampoo the same and condition the same. But when you finish drying the hair, apply a grooming liquid that makes combing easier, and eliminates the static electricity that can be caused by brushing and combing dry hair. If you don’t use this, your Shih Tzu’s hair will fly all over the place.
Anyone who has show dogs already know the best ways to go about dog grooming, and they probably have many more ways than was discussed here. This was just a basic outline for Shih Tzu grooming for your dog.
If you need more information, please check into purchasing books or going on line and doing research for what you need. Grooming a Shih Tzu is easy, and if you keep at it, and set up a regular routine, your dog will get use to it, and their coat and health should see a long life.
Points To Remember…
• File their nails, don’t clip
• Keep the anal area cleaned and clipped
• Check mouth, eyes and ears
• Keep hair out of their eyes
• Don’t let shampoo or conditioner get in their eyes, nose or ears
• Use a grooming liquid to prevent static electricity
• Groom regularly to prevent tangles
