For The Love of Dogs

I have wondered just who are the ancestors of the shih tzu. Like all other dog breeds, shih tzu ancestors most likely come from five choices: Grey Wolf, Golden Jackal, Coyote, African Wild Dog. It is hard to imagine our little shih tzu baby dolls has any of these wild characters in their background. According to researchers, all canines have their roots in one of these five categories. I don't think I could ever be in love with a real live wolf or a coyote. A coyote makes those strange sounding "howls." I have some shih tzu that have a howl sound rather than a bark.

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Preventative Medicine is a Must for the Shih Tzu Show Dog

A Shih Tzu show dog kennel should practice preventive medicine as the means of maintaining optimum health. The Shih Tzu show dog must be available for showing for extended periods of time. Preventive medicine is much more practical and is kinder to the Shih Tzu. The Shih Tzu show dog must have routine checks for parasites and a strict maintenance of inoculations. Being in the show ring presents more chances of being exposed to disease germs. It is imperative that the Shih Tzu show dog that has been traveling from show to show be kept separate from the home crew once returning home. This can be compared to the older sister or brother who goes to school and brings home the chicken pox to all younger brothers and sisters. Extra precautions should be taken by the Shih Tzu show dog kennel to prevent possible spread of disease germs to the entire kennel and/or any Shih Tzu puppies for sale present among them.

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The Plight of a Shih Tzu Show Dog

What procedures are employed to maintain a Shih Tzu - pet or show - in optimum health? The areas important are: 1. Maintenance of high standards of health. 2. Feeding a scientifically balanced diet. 3. Establishment of a regular program of exercise. The formality and detail of a system is a matter of personal taste, however, these three areas are of universal importance and must be included whether you are raising a single family pet Shih Tzu or you are maintaining a large kennel of Shih Tzu show dogs. Raising Shih Tzu Show Dogs

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Shih Tzu Kennel Exercise Areas

Many types of surfaces can be used in exercise yards. They all have problems to one degree or another. A very common surface covering for a Shih Tzu exercise yard is crushed gravel. It keeps the Shih Tzu out of the mud and is relatively easy to scoop up droppings from the stone. Urine runs through easily, keeping it off the Shih Tzu's feet. One effective treatment for Shih Tzu gravel exercise yards is applying dry lime. Sprinkle the lime lightly over the entire yard and then wash through the gravel with a hose. Use enough water to ensure that the top surface is free of any residue, and also to ensure that the lime solution reaches the dirt underneath where the parasites are.

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Routine Hygiene after Shih Tzu Whelping

Your Shih Tzu matron will keep her whelping box clean the first few weeks. She will stimulate her Shih Tzu puppies to eliminate and ingest their wastes. Newborn Shih Tzu puppies are born incompletely developed. The Shih Tzu matron must stimulate them to urinate and defecate or the puppies become toxic and die.

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Shih Tzu Mammary Gland Care after Whelping

It is necessary to examine your Shih Tzu matron's mammary glands daily, directly before whelping and throughout nursing and weaning periods. A secretion of moderately thick liquid clear or brown with streaks of white milk is normal. If this discharge is bloody or yellowish in color you need to consult with your vet. The first secretion, known as colostrums, is normal and present in every new mother. Colostrums contain the mother's antibodies and are necessary to newborn Shih Tzu puppies, particularly in the first 24 hours of life. If you are tube or bottle feeding, and the Shih Tzu dam has colostrums, express some into the formula. Keep your Shih Tzu dam updated on immunizations prior to mating time. Never vaccinate a pregnant Shih Tzu. The antibodies in the colostrums protect the newborn Shih Tzu puppies against infectious diseases to which the mother is immune.

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Shih Tzu Postpartum Care

Whelping a litter Shih Tzu puppies can sometimes be physically and emotionally exhausting for both you and the Shih Tzu matron. Before you take your well deserved rest, be certain the Shih Tzu matron and Shih Tzu puppies are comfortable, each Shih Tzu puppy has nursed well, the heat lamp is not too close, and the heating pad is not turned up too high. At this time it is crucial to maintain proper environmental temperatures. Newborn Shih Tzu puppies are incapable of controlling their own body temperatures. Chilling to any degree leaves newborn Shih Tzu puppies susceptible to infectious disease. Room temperature should be maintained at about 85 degrees Fahrenheit for at least their first few days. Initially offer your Shih Tzu dam only soft, messy-type foods and supplements of a high quality milk replacement added to her food. I like using Pedigree Lamb and Rice canned formula with Just Born milk replacement powder sprinkled on top or mixed within.

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Learning To Tube Feed Shih Tzu Puppies

It is not difficult to learn the correct tube feeding procedure. Purchase the tube feeder through your veterinarian, who will be able to equip you with the correct diameter catheter and syringe size for your Shih Tzu. Sterilize both catheter and syringe between early feedings. The syringe will have graduated markings on the side to record accurate intake. You will need a bowl or large measuring cup for warm water, a candy thermometer and a nontoxic indelible pen or dull knife. 1. Place water heated to 100 degrees Fahrenheit in the bowl or measuring cup. 2. Heat the formula separately (also to 100 degrees Fahrenheit) using the candy thermometer to regulate the temperatures of both liquids. 3. Put the thermometer, syringe, catheter and warmed formula into the bowl of water for transport to the Shih Tzu puppy.

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Caring for Unthrifty and Premature Shih Tzu Puppies

If this is your Shih Tzu matron's first litter she may become nervous or even terrified. Your attitude at this time is very important. The manner in which a Shih Tzu matron accepts or rejects her offspring is often in direct response to your attitude or even the whelping box site. Normal Shih Tzu puppies are plump and firm at birth. They have good muscle and skin tones. The skin on the abdomen, feet and mouth is pink. If Shih Tzu puppies cry continuously or constantly squirm and crawl, these are signs of infant distress. Well-nourished, healthy Shih Tzu puppies are warm, quiet and sleep most of the time. They yawn at awakening. Do not excessively handle newborn Shih Tzu puppies. Do not allow others to handle newborn Shih Tzu puppies. Only the breeder or caretaker should handle newborn Shih Tzu puppies. Excessive handling of more than one person increases the chance of transmission of infections to the newborns.

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Exercise For Your Pregnant Shih Tzu

You, the breeder, is also an obstetrician at the time your shih tzu is pregnant. To help her pregnancy and delivery you need to keep her in peak condition physically and emotionally. If she is not use to much exercise at all, you definitely need to tone her up during her pregnancy. Even a mild exercise routine will improve the health of your pregnant shih tzu. Beginning and maintaining a regular exercise routine is not hard or expensive. The ideal time, however, is before your shih tzu becomes pregnant. A mild program of exercise may be safely continued to the seventh week of pregnancy. The best exercise is simply daily walks. And remember moderation is the best approach.

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Shih Tzu First Aid

Goals of first aid are: Keep your safety in mind at all times. Attend to any severe bleeding that is present. Administer CPR if needed. Immobilize injuries and/or pet for transport. Take your pet to the vet as soon as possible. Delay in seeking professional help often increase costs and decreases treatment success.
When you do encounter an emergency situation, do not panic! Look around your surroundings to be sure there are no moving vehicles, broken glass, chemical spills, fire and electrical hazards. Approach the injured or ill pet slowly and with caution. Use a calm reassuring voice. You might need to apply a muzzle. Injured or ill animals might bite out of pain or fear. If this occurs, don't take it personally and don't feel like your animal is now vicious or worthless and needs to be gotten rid of. Be understanding that the animal is under extreme stress and hardly knows what to do himself.

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Housebreaking Your Shih Tzu Using A Crate

Crate training is one of the most effective ways of house breaking shih tzu puppies or shih tzu dogs. Crate training is very efficient, and very effective, since it uses the natural instinct of the dog to achieve the desired result of a clean house and a well trained dog. The concept behind crate training is that a shih tzu naturally strives to avoid soiling the area where it eats and sleeps. By placing the shih tzu dog in the crate, this instinct is enhanced. The shih tzu will come to see the crate as its den, and it will try to avoid soiling its den. The key to successful crate training for a shih tzu puppy or an older shih tzu , as with other forms of dog training, is to establish a good routine. This routine will enhance the ability of the shih tzu to do its business in the right place, and avoid eliminating in the wrong place. It is important to shower the shih tzu with praise each and every time it eliminates in the established toilet area, and not to express frustration or anger when the dog makes a mistake.

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Shih Tzu Groom Shop Design

Three factors to consider in planning and opening a Shih Tzu Groom Shop are: 1. Shop design 2. Working to achieve maximum production 3. Business management Shop Interior Design How you decorate will render your Shih Tzu Groom Shop attractive or unattractive, inviting or uninviting. Flattering in-shop décor contributes to creating a favorable impression on your customers. The Shih Tzu Groom Shop should be as light as possible. Light colors should dominate the décor. Combining pastel shades of mist blue, rosebud, candy pink and others provides a very soft and light décor. If you are conservative stick to a color such as antique white or sky blue. The ideal decorative setup also includes using materials that make frequent painting unnecessary. Wall paper is easier to maintain and will last longer than paint. Paneled walls will last longer than anything else. Tiled floors are most desired for easy clean-up and disinfecting. Avoid rugs of any kind. Exterior Décor The exterior decoration of your Shih Tzu Groom Shop is very important also. Try to attract attention to your Shih Tzu Groom Shop. Beautiful paintings of Shih Tzu on either side of your shop name are very attractive. The exterior design of your Shih Tzu Groom Shop is the face it shows the world. Careful thought should be given to this very important piece of your décor. Use merchandise in the windows such as dog supplies to create a homey-looking shop. The type of window covering you choose should blend in with the shop's theme décor.

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The Things You Do To Annoy Your Shih Tzu

Did you ever think it might be a two way street with your shih tzu. Your shih tzu may annoy you sometimes, but just think about the things that might be annoying your shih tzu. Because shih tzu can't talk we usually have to make guesses about what they are thinking.
Just recently my Tessy had a litter of shih tzu puppies. Early in the morning we received a call from a couple who had "just" lost their shih tzu. They were very upset and crying. This was about 6:00 a.m., I believe. Tessy had an available shih tzu male that would fit this couple and so I was running about at this early morning hour getting the shih tzu puppy ready for them to pick up. Suddenly I noticed Tessy giving me a very unusual kind of disgusting look. I felt like she was saying: "now just what do you think you are going to do with my boy?" "Whatever you are up to, Connie, I just don't approve of it and I am very suspicious of your actions right now." I just looked back at Tessy and said, "well Tessy, we can't keep all of them." Sometimes my shih tzu moms do get upset at me when it is time to start placing their puppies. It is like they make me feel as if we should keep every one of their shih tzu puppies and just live here as one big happy shih tzu family. That is impossible. And I keep reminding them that this is just impossible. I keep a lot of our shih tzu puppies just for that very reason. The moms enjoy them so much, I can't stand to take all of them away from the mother. I notice also that the shih tzu mothers are happier when they have at least one of their offspring with them at all times.

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Obedient Shih Tzu Make Better Companions

There are of course many reasons for owners to want a calm, obedient and faithful shih tzu. For one thing, obedient and trained shih tzus are happier shih tzus, less likely to get into tussles with people or with other dogs. Another reason is that many communities require that the dogs living in their neighborhoods be well trained. This is especially true for many breeds thought to have aggression and behavior problems - dog breeds like pit bulls and rottweilers for instance.

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