Grooming Your Shih-Tzu

"It's HARD to be so beautiful...."

I am not going to attempt to put together a grooming page on how to SHAVE your shih-tzu, as much as it is requested.

After giving it careful thought,

I believe this should be left to the pros.

I know you THINK you will save a bundle, but you won't.

First you need a proper grooming table.

You need proper shears (nothing under $100.), proper scissors and proper blades and a LOT of practice.

You will need a good vet on standby to suture your dog

when you fillet it or cut it with the clippers, particularly around the eyes and under arms.

The razor burns you will cause until you do your first

25 cuts will be painfully excruciating to the poor dog.

I think you should bush your dog every day,

should wash your dog once a week,

and go to a groomer every 3 months.

Nails should be cut as needed.

Recent finding state dogs may live as long as 20 years

with proper diet and having it's teeth cleaned regularly.

To do daily care:

Tools you will need;

* Pin brush-around $15-$25 get a good one with No balls on the tips. Balls on the tips break the hair.
* Metal comb, fine and medium
* Rat tail comb~for making the part down the back and making the top knot
* Slicker brush curved~for brushing undercoat
* Finishing spray or spray conditioner

Lay doggie down on her side, get her used to this at a young age. Lightly spray coat and start brushing with long smooth strokes, start on underside and work up her side to her back in layers. Each layer is gently brushed and little knots are worked out with your fingers. Don't rip through knots or pup will never trust you to brush her like this. After you have gone up her entire side, turn her over and brush the other side same way. Now turn her on her back and brush her tummy, careful attention to armpits where snarls form. I clip mine here to avoid problems later. Next make her stand, and go through her entire coat with the metal combs making sure you did not miss any spots, use medium comb first, then fine metal comb. Next make top knot: Part hair with plastic rat tail comb from eye corner back across ears and then across head to other side. I tie this up with a soft tiny band for everyday. Don't make it too tight or it will make the eyes "bug" out and bother the dog. Ba!

nd it about 1 inch from scalp and then take a few hairs in the middle and holding these, push the top knot down to the scalp. This makes the top knot poof in the front. Next comb face "furnishings" these are the mustache and the beard~use the plastic comb for this, never brush this area or you may injure the eyes. Lastly, take rat tail comb and part the hair down the middle of the back to the tail. You can also use a knitting needle for this. Finish the dog with a light spray again all over avoid eyes, and gently brush the coat down with the pin brush. Poofy feets can be fluffed up with he slicker brush. Sometimes I also use the slicker brush on the undercoat when I am brushing the layers but don't brush too hard or you will scratch your baby. A small reward ends the grooming session. Either a kiss and praise and a small tidbit for being good.

Shampoo your shih tzu once a week if you can. Clean dogs do not matt as fast. Brush her/ groom everyday!!!!!! If she is in long coat you may have to do this 2 times a day. Puppy coats start to "blow" around 6-8 months old, and they get their big doggie fur. Then you have to brush, brush, brush, or you will have a matted dog. The blowing of the puppy coat lasts about 6 weeks...then it gets better. Most people get their shih tzu clipped around this time 7-8 months old because of this.

Good shampoos for shih tzu: My favorite is Pet Silk moisturizing shampoo and conditioner...recently I tried this following shampoo and it was nice for a change. But I still like Pet Silk the best. You can buy it at http://Cherrybrook.com just type in Pet Silk in the search and it will come up.

~Shampoo Tip for Minimizing Mats~

from the Momma of Sugar Bear and Huny B Bear

Does your furbaby tend to get mats easily? This isa great shampoo.

I use it on Sugar Bear and also on Huny who each have different texture coats and it works

equally as well on both dogs. This is a people shampoo and it is a bit expensive, but you don't

have to buy a conditioner so it evens out. The shampoo is called Physique~Shampoo + Conditioner.

It comes in a silver cylinder bottle, you can buy it at stores like KMart or big discount stores.

Wash your shih tzu with this shampoo and do not apply conditioner as it is already in the shampoo.

Gently work in in and let the silky foam work into the hair. Rinse well. I use this shampoo/conditioner

all the time and it tends to build up in the hair. It is a good idea to use a vinegar/water rinse (1/2 cup white vinegar to a quart of water) every third bath and work this into the hair to clean out the build up on the hair shaft. Work this rinse through the hair, rinse well, then shampoo. You will notice that the blow dry is easier and the upkeep on the hair is much easier with less matting and snarls.

Compliments of Lynne The BOW Lady

SHOW BOWS AVAILABLE DIRECTLY FOR SALE By special order on her site

http://www.doggiebowties.com

Karen DeAngelo has been a shih-tzu breeder since 1986 and has won 2006 and 2007 for Best Shih-Tzu pictures on the www from http://DogLovers.com 0 Card Credit Free Gift
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