{"id":349,"date":"2020-10-12T12:07:30","date_gmt":"2020-10-12T12:07:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/inspiredfur.wpengine.com\/?page_id=349"},"modified":"2021-11-24T23:31:22","modified_gmt":"2021-11-24T23:31:22","slug":"shih-tzu-grooming","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/inspiredfur.com\/shih-tzu-grooming\/","title":{"rendered":"Shih Tzu Grooming Guide: Maintenance & Styling"},"content":{"rendered":"
This guide aims to show you how you can establish a basic Shih Tzu home-grooming routine, as well as provide some advanced tips for owners wanting to get more hands on with the grooming process or amateur stylists looking for more input and ideas.<\/p>\n\n
Here is a basic routine for owners to follow in between grooming or for groomers to do at the beginning of a session.<\/p>\n
Aim to trim or grind the nails<\/a> every four to six weeks. <\/p>\n While it can be intimidating if you\u2019ve never done it before, maintaining the nails is very important for the dog’s overall foot structure.<\/p>\n Shih tzu ears should be cleaned fairly regularly given that ear infections can be common.See here<\/a> for detailed instructions<\/p>\n Go over the body with a comb and feel for any slight knots, try and gently pull them apart with your fingers if you can.. <\/span><\/p>\n Matted hair<\/a> will require a bit more effort to deal with so take note of any problem areas and move onto them after giving the dog a bath.<\/p>\n You will need<\/p>\n Bathing a Shih Tzu should be done once every 12 or so weeks depending on the length of the coat.Shih Tzus with long coats, breed standard for example, will need more attention both in terms of brushing and bathing.<\/p>\n Puppies may also need to bathed more often as they can be prone to soiling their behinds.It\u2019s important to maintain a balance though, bathing too often for example, can remove essential oils which can cause dry skin and other skin related issues. <\/p>\n Here\u2019s a great video from Go Groomer demonstrating how bathing a shih tzu puppy should be done.<\/p>\n Amy Leigh places a lot of emphasis on building trust and understanding when bathing and grooming a young dog.<\/p>\n If you prefer an in-depth written guide or need more information have a look at this wikihow article<\/a> on bathing a shih tzu puppy.<\/p>\n Once the bath is complete pat the dog dry (don’t rub) with a towel. Once the coat is in a semi-dry state and not dripping, move on to blow drying.Using a standing dryer is much easier as it gives you both hands free. This may be possible to achieve with a standard hair dryer if you can position it somewhere close by, on a shelf for example.<\/p>\n Keep the temperature on cool using the lowest wind setting as the noise can be quite scary. <\/p>\n Use one hand to secure the dog and make them feel comfortable, and the other to gently comb through the fur.<\/p>\n As Amy mentions in the video, try and make sure the dog is standing up as much as possible. This may be challenging in the beginning so be patient.<\/p>\n You will need<\/p>\n Using a slicker brush, softly pat the coat with the pad of the brush and pull out and away with each stroke in a light and gentle motion.Start with the lower rear legs working up towards the thigh area. Once you\u2019ve done the legs move on to the body, followed by the neck, head, ears and tail.<\/p>\n Follow the seam line as you brush a small amount of fur with each stroke, after brushing a section be sure to check things using the comb. <\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n As you work, it may be necessary to use your hands to check the density of that coat, anywhere that feels thicker will likely need special attention with the brush. If you notice any static electricity lightly mist the coat with an anti-static electricity product or water as you brush. Only move on to the next section once the brush moves smoothly through the fur and the skin at the seam line is visible.The end result should be as such that each strand of hair floats freely with the dog\u2019s movement.<\/p>\n If the body coat is left to grow long (not clipper trimmed), daily combing and brushing is an absolute must to prevent matting.<\/p>\n Use the narrow teeth comb and gently run it through the moustache area being aware of potential knots as you comb, you don\u2019t want to tug on your dog\u2019s face by accident!<\/p>\n Especially in key areas where the fur is longer, i.e. the ears, sides of the face, and the tail.<\/p>\n If you do come across a relatively knotted area it\u2019s best if you can hold the knot at its base between your fingers or whatever else you can to take the pressure as you comb the hair through. Repeat this process on the ears.<\/p>\n As puppies, Shih Tzus, do not actually need to be groomed that much, some say a quick brush once every 3 days is fine. Additionally, it may be beneficial to allow your dog to become accustomed to the feel of the brush and the idea of grooming at an early age, around 8-9 months.At the age of around 1 year, most Shih Tzu dogs will have grown a longer adult coat, at which time you will want to start doing more detailed and thorough grooming.<\/p>\n As a full routine, maintenance should be done at least every 3 weeks. So that\u2019s brushing, bath, untangling of knots, finally some cleaning and trimming.<\/p>\n Brushing on its own, however, is something you should really do every day depending on the length of your dog\u2019s coat.<\/p>\n Providing you have completed the above section you may now move on to styling the Shih Tzu.While the breed grooming standard for a Shih Tzu is to leave the coat long and flowing. This takes a lot of work to main and is usually not practical for the typical family pet. With that in mind, we will first go over a breed-standard Shih Tzu groom followed by a clipper-trim (the go-to option for most family pets).<\/p>\n Keep in mind there are many styles that suit Shih Tzus<\/a> so feel free to mix it up a bit.<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n Source: American Kennel Club<\/a><\/p>\nEar Hygiene<\/h3>\n
Mat and tangle check<\/h3>\n
Bathing and drying<\/h3>\n
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Drying<\/h4>\n
Brushing and combing<\/h3>\n
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Brushing the face<\/h4>\n
When should I start grooming my Shih Tzu?<\/h3>\n
How often should a Shih Tzu be groomed?<\/h3>\n
Shih Tzu styling<\/h2>\n
Breed standard<\/h3>\n