5 Things You Should Know About the Shih Tzu (from a groomer's point of view)

After four years working as a dog groomer, I quickly learned personality traits and maintenance tips for Shih Tzu's since we had so many of them as clients! They have big personality and a lot of hair! I want to share a few things I have learned.

1. Your Shih Tzu will probably not have long flowing hair
Out of the hundreds of Shih Tzu's we saw, we only had two that were able to maintain long hair. This is because the hair is very thick and mats extremely easily! You look at it funny and it gets a tangle! While you could brush it every day and keep it long, most pet parents get frustrated and give up. If you do attempt this, I recommend having your groomer shave the arm pits and give a generous sanitary cut. This will cut back on a lot of mats, cut not all of them. Also, do not use a slicker brush if your goal is long hair. This will damage the hair and cause frizz. Just use a regular metal comb and start at the end of the hair and work your way up. Always hold the hair at the root so it does not pull on the dog's skin, otherwise this can be a very painful experience for your fur baby.

2. You will probably cry the first time the groomer says your Shih Tzu needs shaved, but then in a few weeks, you will LOVE it!
I have made a lot of people sad with this, as have many groomers. You will hear people talk bad about grooming salons by saying "They butchered my dogs haircut! They shaved her down to the skin!". This comes from Shih Tzu, Maltese, and Yorkie owners almost exclusively. The truth is, you cannot brush out mats without hurting the dog. It is very cruel to even attempt it. Most times the mats are so dense that they simply cannot be brushed out. This is especially true in high friction spots, such as where the collar sits, behind the ears, and the armpits. So the dog gets shaved and then the owner cries when they pick them up. However, 99% of the time, the come back wanting the same haircut! This cut is called the Puppy Cut with a Teddy Bear Face so these dogs usually come back looking like a little puppy again! So cute! I will admit though, you need a good groomer to pull it off because this cut on a Shih Tzu face can be difficult. In the picture above, the dog in the middle has a good example of a Puppy Cut and Teddy Bear face. If done incorrectly, it will be lopsided and choppy. Mastering the Teddy Bear Face was my biggest grooming accomplishment!

3. She can still wear a bow, even with a puppy cut! 

A Puppy Cut still leaves plenty of hair for a bow! Originally, bows are used to pull a top knot up (as seen in the first dog above). However, having a top knot means lots of eye boogers and a dog who probably can't see anymore. The dog above is an expensive, well bred show dog who has literally lived to have that hair stay up like that; it isn't typical. But that is OK! I like bows in the short hair better because you can do cute ear bows too. You have more bow options too since you don't need an expensive bow that will hold heavy duty amounts of hair. Check out the ones I make! Plus, top knot bows usually cause mats since they HAVE to stay in. To learn more about how to prevent matting and picking the best type of bows, check out my article called "Dog Bows: Rubber Band Vs Clip".

4. Bows for boys do exist

Boy bows are hard to find in the pet stores but you can find them online. I recommend Etsy because you will find ANYTHING on there. If you don't, just e-mail one of the shop owners, like myself and they will most likely take request orders at no extra charge. For boys, I make tiny blue bows or bows with sports themes of some kind. Also, the handmade bows are typically cheaper yet higher quality than the tiny selection at pet store chains. The one below is only $2 yet ones at larger pet chains are more expensive and cheaply made.

5. You will need supplies other dog owners don't

 One word: GloCoat. This is some kind of miracle spray. It use to be hard to find but now Amazon carries on (YAY!) and the price has gone down. Thank goodness because I swear by this stuff and haven't been without it in since the day it was recommended to me. Besides being a detangler, it helps with static, which you will learn all about if you have a Shih Tzu! Also, it is hypoallergenic and smells lovely (a rare combination). You will also need a comb, even if you don't plan on doing your own grooming. Puppies need to be taught about grooming from the day you get them or else they will hate the entire experience every time they go to the groomers. It can be a fun event if they are taught from the beginning that it is not scary!

GloCoat - AKA Most Amazing Thing Ever

You should consider getting a small pair of portable clippers for your home. While you don't need this, it will save you a ton of money in the long run. I highly recommend learning how to shave the hair from the eyes (it is very easy and not as scary as it looks!) and doing a sanitary. I don't recommend trying to learn how to do the whole hair cut because Shih Tzus have one of the most difficult hair types to work with, but the hair in the eyes, belly, and tooshie grow quickly and cause sanitary issues. If you feel comfortable learning how to to this, look online, ask around, see if you can find someone to teach you how to do it. It is very simple and only takes about 5 minutes! Using the clippers is much safer than scissors and it looks a hundred times better. It will save you quite a bit of money since you will only need to get your dog groomed every 6-8 weeks instead of 4 weeks. I know where I worked, this "touch up package" was $20. Also, it is nice to have these to shave the pads of the feet, you wouldn't believe how often dogs step in gum!

$32 on time purchase verses $20 every 4 weeks, it is worth considering!

I hope this blog helped you a little. Shih Tzus are awesome little dogs but they do need more maintenance than most breeds. Please let me know if you have any questions!