Grooming Your Shih Tzu.
BATHING
It is down to personal choice what shampoo you use, i tend to use baby shampoo for the face and a good dog shampoo for the body followed with Coat Handler conditioner for dogs .
Bath at least every other week. The short muzzle of a Shih Tzu causes them to place their face very close to things in order to smell them causing their face to frequently get dirty. The short muzzle can also cause more tearing than in the long muzzle breeds. Their face will need cleaning at least twice a week. Use a soft toothbrush to wash under the eye area and rinse well. If your Shih Tzu gets their feet dirty outside everyday, just wash the feet. Bathing too often will remove the natural oils necessary for a shiny, healthy coat.
Brush them before AND after you bathe them. Brushing before makes the brushing afterward part much easier. Place some cotton balls in their ears before the bath. Water in the ears is one of the most common causes of ear infections. Please remember to remove these once you are done with the bath!
Keep the shampoo out of their eyes. You can use a bland eye ointment that can be purchased in most pet shops prior to the bath. If you do get soap in the eyes, simply wash with warm water or saline such as you would use if you wear contact lenses.
Rinse thoroughly as it is easy to leave some shampoo residue, especially between their toes. This will cause them to lick and irritate their skin.
Be sure to blow dry thoroughly. Dogs love to run and roll after a bath. If they are still wet they will pick up all kinds of things from the ground and ruin all the work you have just completed. Invest in a table doggy drier to free both your hands. Hold a brush in one hand and the other on your dog where the hot air is blowing on them. This way you will always know the temperature of the air. It can sometimes get too hot very quickly. Dry a puppy's chest first to prevent them catching a chill. Be careful blowing hot air into their face. They have a very short muzzle so the air they breath doesn't have much time to cool before it reaches their lungs. Do not directly blow hot air in the face of a puppy under 4 months of age.
If you choose not to bathe them yourself, try to find a groomer that will groom by individual appointment so that your puppy does not have to spend the entire day in a cage, that can be very stressful on a dog at any age. Make sure you find a reputable groomer. Holding down a wiggling puppy can be very stressful for them. Too much pressure and your puppy could develop health problems. You should bathe them yourself the first 4 months or so. That will help them get used to the bath and blow drier. They will not be as frightened during their first trip to the groomer
BRUSHING
The Shih Tzu coat needs to be brushed very often to prevent matted hair from forming. Soft coat textures tangle and mat quicker than hard coats. If you intend to make yours a show dog, you need to keep its coat at floor length and groom it daily. Invest in the best brush possible to enable you to brush your Shih Tzu coat in layers. Start brushing at the extreme ends like the feet, legs, belly and then upwards on the back. Brush gently all the way down to the skin to get rid of tangles and mats.
Change to a comb when grooming your Shih Tzu face, feet and under its ears. Pay special attention to the hairs in-between the feet pads. You should remove excess hair from its ear canal. Apply an ear powder to the hair in the ear canal and gently pull.
TEETH
Your Shih Tzu teeth are prone to plaque, calculus, gingivitis and other periodontal disease. Brush its teeth twice weekly with pet toothbrush and doggie toothpaste. Its jaw is small and teeth are often overcrowded leading to higher probability of tooth disease.To help prevent plaque i give my dogs Pedigree Dentastix.
EARS
The long floppy ears of a Shih Tzu make them more susceptible to ear infections. Before you begin, ask your vet for advice on ear care, cleansing solutions and frequency of use.
Step 1: With your dog lying on his side apply an ear-cleaning solution to the inside of his ear.
Step 2: Gently massage the outer ear for a minute or two so the solution can take effect.
Step 3: Use a clean cotton ball—never a cotton swab—to remove remaining dirt and wax near the opening of the ear canal. Clean the inside and outer folds of each ear.
Special hints: Check ears at least once a week. If you notice redness, swelling, discharge, crustiness or a foul odour—or if your dog often shakes his head, tilts it to one side, or scratches his ears—schedule a vet examination.
EYES
The large eyes of a Shih Tzu make them more susceptible to eye infections. Their short muzzle makes it necessary for them to get their whole face very close to something in order to check it out, making them more susceptible to eye debris and injury.
Step 1:Put your dog in the sitting position and place one hand on the top of his head.
Step 2: With your free hand use a moist cotton ball to gently clean the skin and coat around each eye.
Special hints: Tend to eyes at least once each week. Eyes should be bright, clear and free of matter and discharge. If they appear inflamed or the surrounding skin is overly red, contact your veterinarian. An excessive amount of eye discharge could be due to infected or dirty ears or ear mites. Even the cleanest home can have mites, your puppy goes out to play and can bring them back inside on his feet or perhaps you bring them in on your shoes. They can jump on your puppy and make their way to his ears. The ear and sinus canals are connected as in humans. Any eye problems always check the ears as well.
Note: Some shih tzu have extra short muzzles with deep skin folds around their eyes that require extra care. Use a moist cotton ball to swab inside the folds and remove debris. Your veterinarian may recommend an antiseptic wash for this purpose.
NAILS
Cut your pet's toenails after its bath. The nails are softened when wet and this makes the cutting easier. Avoid cutting into the red streak (called quick) as this causes bleeding. If this happens, use styptic powder to stop the bleeding.
Products i use.....
I use the Coat Handler 15-1 shampoo and conditioner, i also water the conditioner down and use this as a grooming spray.
I was once told by a friend that Pantene Sleek & Shine was a great shampoo to use on the long coated breeds and i`ve also tried this on mine and it has fantastic results, it leaves their coat very soft and silky and helps prevent knots and matting
I also use Baby Shampoo for cleaning up their faces as this is kinder on their eyes and the white coat shampoo from Pets@Home for when their white bits get stained,as puppies only have short legs they tend to pee on their back leg causing them to get yellow staining on their white bits, this does get better with age.