Grooming your Shih Tzu




	Sign our guestbook The information on this page is provided to you as a tool to find what works for you. These are tools and products I use to take care of my Shih Tzu. The tips on this page are mainly for Shih Tzu that are not in show coat. Taking care of a show coat is much more involved with so many what if's. If you want to grow your Shih Tzu coat long and want tips just drop me an email. SHAMPOO I will normally use Pantene or Dove shampoo. about every fifth shampoo I will use a clarifying shampoo to get all the build up out. I always use #1 All Systems White Lightening shampoo on white faces.. I wet the face first and lather the white lightening on their face. Be careful, do not get in their eyes. I let the white lightening sit wash and rinse the rest of the Shih Tzu. The face is the last thing I rinse. My very favorite dog shampoo is Crown Royal biovite shampoo and conditioner. I use this off and on just to mix things up a little. It smells so good and does a really nice job on coats. Some Shih Tzu need a conditioner to keep their coats nice and soft and unmated. My conditioner of choice for cut downs is Infusium 23 Some dogs will get flea bites, seborrea, hot spots or just dry itchy skin. If your dogs seems to get itchy a lot or seems to get stinky before bath time rolls around again, you might need to use a medicated shampoo. My choices are Micro-Tek shampoo by Eqyss Label description: The fastest acting, most effective shampoo ever developed! It aids in the control of problems upon contact, using a trademarked formula developed from NASA research on the decontamination of astronauts. Combines ingredients to create the healthiest environment for healing. Nova Pearls Coal Tar shampoo. Label Description: Controls advanced seborrhea and the itching of flea-bite dermatitis. The Coal Tar medication removes the flakes and stabilizes cell production while de-greasing and reducing the itchiness. I bathe once a week. I always dry my Shih Tzu after their bath. Brushing and drying your Shih Tzu will cut down on mats later and prevents them from catching a chill. If a dog has tangles or mats you need to brush first and then bathe. If you put water on mats or tangles it will "set" them or make them much worse, getting them out after the fact is very painful for your Shih Tzu. For problem areas you can use Chris Christensen Peace and Kindness Skin Spray Label Description: Peace & Kindness is a completely natural antibiotic that is just as effective as it's synthetic counterparts BUT CAUSES NO SIDE EFFECTS OF ANY KIND. Unknown to most of us, the medical community has been aware of the anti-microbial power of SILVER since the early 1900's. As a matter of fact SILVER has been medically proven to be one of the best infection fighting agents ever discovered. To Whiten Faces #1 All Systems super whitening gel, follow instructions on jar. This is very effective getting stains off the face furnishings. petedge.com item #AL68008 You can mix 50/50 boric acid powder and baby cornstarch and apply to the face furnishings with a cosmetic brush, This will whiten the face and keep it fresh. The boric acid helps dry, whiten, and kill bacteria. Show Off is a rinseless shampoo. Some Shih Tzu need a good face washing every day to help keep their face white. Show off whitens as it cleans. Spray on, paper towel off the dirt and dry. COMBS & BRUSHES Teflon Anti Static pet comb Use this to brush though the hair to check for mats and smooth down brushed coat. Do not use to rip out mats. medium/coarse Can get at petedge.com item # ZC451041 My favorite brush is the Chris Christensen 27mm oblong brush. It is a pin brush with NO balls. You can also use, Pin brush, without the balls on the end. petedge.com item# AL43010 A small or medium slicker brush. A must for getting out mats and brushing feet. Be careful when you use this brush, it can leave marks behind on the skin if you are rough. Dont rip hair out just brush gently. The one pictured is #1 All Systems. Can be purchased at petedge.com Item# AL10015 A rat tail comb is good to help part the hair to put up topknots or helps divide ear hair off for putting in pretty pigtail bows. FLEA CONTROL I do not like using flea control because of the chemicals. I do however believe living in Florida that flea control is a necessary evil if you let your dogs go outside. I try to avoid putting chemicals on the Shih Tzu. I treat my house and yard first and if I still see a flea I will use frontline or Advantix. During the summer months I normally have to use chemicals on my Tzu. I will alternate between Advantix and Fontline. I will not tolerate one single flea. In the Spring and Fall months I can usually get away with treating only the environment. CUTTING AND TRIMMING For cutting down my Shih Tzu I use Andis Ultra Edge 2 speed clippers with a #10 blade. petedge.com Item# AD405 For the pads of the feet, anal area, bridge of nose and muzzle I use Conair pet palm micro trimmer petedge.com item # CQ17944 I have a couple different clippers like this. Different brands. This is a perfect size for small areas. You will need a nice sharp pair of scissors. petedge.com sells many nice pairs. You can get a reasonably priced pair for your trimming needs. You will also need nail clippers. I use the traditional nail clippers but, the new pedicure is a nice option for people who are unsure of trimming nails. WATER BOTTLES Water bottles are a must for Shih Tzu. Not just dogs who are in full coat but cut downs as well. Bottles keep the face furnishings dry and cut down on staining. Water sitting on the face encourages red yeast to grow and the dog will become stained. The water bottle stands below can be purchased at www.simplybepaws.com These stands come with a Lixit dog water bottle and two stainless steel bowls. They can be placed where ever you find a need for a water bottle. I love them!!! BELOW ARE A FEW VIDEOS FROM YOU TUBE I FOUND INTERESTING GROOMING VIDEOS.