"GROOMING YOUR SHIH TZU"
When I was lucky enough to take my first Shih Tzu home. I would go to the dog show and look at the Shih Tzu in the show ring, some times I would ask the other exhibitors how they bathed and groomed their dogs coat, some would tell me what products they used, (everyone seemed to recommend different ones), some would just avoid the question altogether. I would read as much as possible from books on how to groom the Shih Tzu but I was still not getting the results I wanted. Slowly over a period of time I learned from experience.
I learned that every dog’s coat
is not the same texture and because of this they require different products,
even different tap waters can make a difference to the look and feel of the
coat, I have lived in homes where we only have rain water and I found that rain
water is so much better than council water, also a good textured coat is inherited, more important, it is cared for
carefully. You will have to try different products until you find one that suits
your dog’s coat texture.
There are certain basic techniques that need to be learned. The most important thing to remember is to brush your dog often so that mats don’t get the chance to form. Most Shih Tzu “change coat” around the age of nine to twelve months, this means he is changing from his baby coat to his adult coat. At this stage it’s necessary to brush your dog at least twice a day as mats seem to form quicker than you can brush. This is only a temporary stage that your dogs coat is going through it will take about three or four weeks so please be patient and keep on brushing. You will find your Shih Tzu easier to groom once he has gone through the process of changing coats.
Never brush a dry coat as this will cause static electricity and will break the ends of the coat. Always dampen the hair lightly first, by mixing a tablespoon of conditioner in a spray bottle filled with warm water. Using a good quality pin brush, brush the coat in layers, beginning with the feet, legs and belly and work upwards to the back, making sure you brush all the way down to the skin, if you come across any mats use your fingers to separate them (gently pull the mats sideways to separate them) some times it’s a good idea to sprinkle a little baby powder into the mats to loosen them. Remember to brush the powder out of the coat afterwards. Pay special attention to the areas inside the dogs’ legs and also around the ears as this is where mats are most likely to form and sometime these areas are the most overlooked.
You must pay special attention to the face and eyes, combing the moustache and topknot daily, the inside corner of the eyes sometimes get dirty and needs to be cleaned, I do this with a small metal comb, the teeth being very close together (being careful not to get the comb in the eye) comb away the dirt making sure you get it all out, or use a piece of cotton wool soaked in a little warm water. Between shampoos I keep the face clean by sprinkling a little baby powder into the moustache and beard (again being careful not to get any into the eye) combing the powder through the hair first then brushing it all out afterwards.
At about 5 months of age you will have to tie up the topknot, to keep the hair out of his eyes (the topknot is the hair on top of the head), this is done with a latex band, (available at most pet supplies) when you first start to do this you will have to put each band fairly low on the forehead to catch all the loose bits of hair, please don’t pull the hair too tightly with the bands or the dog will rub at it and this will break the hair. You must check the hair between the pads of his feet. This hair will mat if not kept cut short, also it collects cobble pegs and bindy burs which can give your dog sore feet. Comb the hair out and trim level with the pads of his feet and trim the hair around his feet to give him a neater appearance. One more thing to mention is, after you have finished brushing always use a wide toothed metal comb, one with teeth about one and a quarter inches long, and comb through the hair making sure you have not missed any mats.
Bathing your Shih Tzu
Always brush him out thoroughly before bathing making sure he has no mats.
If you bath your dog in the laundry tub or in the sink it is always best to place a rubber shower mat under his feet, this will help to stop your dog from slipping on the wet surface and he will feel more secure. Use lukewarm water and shampoo him twice with a good quality dog shampoo and don’t forget to wash his legs, use a toothbrush to thoroughly clean the hair beneath the eyes and around the mouth as this is where the food and the dirt are hidden.. After shampooing the dog rinse well making sure there is no shampoo left in the coat. To condition the coat, mix two or three tablespoons of conditioner in a jug of lukewarm water, pour this through the coat and leave in for about 3 minutes before rinsing out completely. Never towel a coat dry, I squeeze out any excess water from the coat then I wrap him in a couple of towels and leave him wrapped for about ten or fifteen minutes, this will soak up all the excess moisture from the coat and shorten the amount of time he has to spend under the hair dryer. Using a hair dryer (not on high heat), or a dog blow dryer, (this is the best one because it leaves both hands free to work on the dog) blow dry, while at the same time using a pin brush, brush his coat to separate the hair, this will help speed up the drying process.
For the first couple of months of your Shih Tzu life you will have to keep a check on his rear end. If he keeps sitting down or rubbing his bottom along the floor, his anal passage may have become caked with faecal matter. If this is the case, hold his bottom under warm running water and wash out the faces, then blow dry. Sometimes his anal glands become full, when full (they will feel like two little hard peas on either side of the anus). To clean them (this causes a foul smell and is best done just before giving him a bath) cover the anus with a tissue and squeeze gently outwards until the fluid is extracted. Doing this will prevent any anal abscesses.
If anyone has any problems with bathing or grooming their Shih Tzu please feel free to contact me on any of the contacts below.
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