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Perky and irresistibly cuddly, the Shih Tzu breed is without doubt one of the most adored canine breeds on the earth – and rightly so! Shih Tzus flaunt glamorous, flowing coats and charming, floppy ears.
These lovely lapdogs return no less than 1,000 years. They originated in Tibet again within the seventh century, and have been provided as presents to the Chinese language royalty.
At the moment, Shih Tzus are often known as joyful little balls of fluff that simply love being spoiled, and look greatest with a good quantity of grooming.
And in the event you’re questioning whether or not grooming a Shih Tzu at house is feasible, the reply is sure!
With correct preparation and the appropriate instruments and gear, you may give your furry child a snazzy lower and a professionally groomed consequence.
Proceed studying under to search out out how one can correctly and safely groom your Shih Tzu at house.
Grooming A Shih Tzu At Dwelling
Grooming your Shih Tzu at house strengthens your bond with them and helps you learn to look after them higher.
Right here’s a useful video that can assist you get an concept of the way to groom Shih Tzu at house and do a pet lower haircut.
Now that you’ve got a greater concept on how grooming a Shih Tzu appears like, you may comply with the precise steps we’ll talk about under so you may groom your canine at house.
For this information, we’ll lay down the steps for probably the most well-known lower Shih Tzus can rock – the pet lower.
This haircut provides your small canine buddy a clear, easy-to-maintain look and makes them seem even cuter. And relying in your preferences, you may give your Shih Tzu a pet lower with brief or lengthy ears.
Are you prepared? Now let’s get began with the DIY grooming course of! Observe these 13 straightforward steps to grooming a Shih Tzu at house, from begin to end.
1. Put together Your Workspace and Grooming Gear
Earlier than the rest, discover an space that’s roomy and cozy sufficient in your grooming session.
Do you could have a desk with a flat, clear floor? Then that may function your grooming workspace.
In case your rambunctious little pet likes to squirm round, chances are you’ll need to get an adjustable grooming arm with an adjustable clamp and a haunch holder.
A grooming arm will assist management extreme transferring whereas preserving your pet comfy. Right here’s one in every of our suggestions that you could simply purchase on Amazon:
Earlier than grooming a Shih Tzu at house, it’s vital to arrange the required provides to make the entire course of successful. Listed below are all of the instruments and gear you’ll want in your DIY grooming session:
| For Hair Brushing | For Bathing | For Cleansing the Eyes, Ears, and Tooth | For Nail Trimming | For Doing a Pet Minimize |
| A canine brush with versatile pins | Canine shampoo and conditioner | Smooth moist wipes for eyes | Canine nail trimmers/filer | Electrical clippers |
| A high-quality slicker brush | Non-slip mat | Ear-cleaning answer | Blunt-tipped scissors | |
| A dematting comb | A twig nozzle for the sink/tub | Cotton-tipped swabs | ||
| A metal comb | Hairdryer | Cotton balls | ||
| Clear towels | Washcloth |
2. Get Rid of Matted and Tangled Hair
When grooming a Shih Tzu at house, it’s vital to take away any matted or tangled hair to make bathing simpler. Thick knots of hair will likely be denser when damp and more durable to take away. Moreover, tangles within the coat might additionally snag the clippers.
Listed below are just a few instruments you need to use to do away with matted and tangled hair:
Pin Brush
Use a pin brush if in case you have a long-haired grownup Shih Tzu, ideally a 16-millimeter to 20-millimeter brush.
Slicker Brush
You need to use a slicker brush for a short-coat Shih Tzu. It successfully removes particles and unfastened strands with out hurting your pet. And it additionally helps get rid of mats and tangles.
When selecting a brush, decide one with high-quality bristles to deeply penetrate your canine’s coat with out scratching the pores and skin. For instance, Hertzko’s Self-Cleansing Slicker Brush, which you may get on Amazon, does an incredible job at safely eradicating matted or tangled hair.
De-matting Comb
A de-matting comb, then again, works wonders in de-tangling hard-to-reach spots from tricks to roots, particularly within the face, neck, and paw areas.
This Coastal Pet Safari de-matting comb helps take away cussed mats. And it’s preferrred for canines with lengthy, matted coats or coarse hair.
Alternatively, you need to use a de-matting spray in case your fluffy canine has cussed matted hair.
Metal Comb
Lastly, use a easy metal comb (additionally referred to as a greyhound comb) to do away with extra hair and small mats. A light-weight comb with high-quality and coarse enamel, like Andis, is a superb instrument when grooming a Shih Tzu at house.
To forestall undesirable matting, it’s greatest to take care of a brushing routine that retains your Shih Tzu’s double coat wanting nice.
Take time to frequently brush your canine child’s hair to make your grooming periods much less traumatic.
3. Bathe and Dry Your Canine Fastidiously
Now that you simply’ve efficiently de-tangled your Shih Tzu’s hair, the subsequent step is to provide your canine a pleasant bathtub to make sure your canine is totally clear.
Maintain the following pointers in thoughts when bathing your canine:
- Place your Shih Tzu on a non-slip mat to forestall pointless slipping.
- Use lukewarm water so your canine feels comfy.
- Keep away from getting water on the face, particularly up the nostril. Shih Tzus don’t like their faces getting damp. Nevertheless, ensure to cleanse areas across the mouth and eyes correctly.
- Maintain your canine’s head upward whereas massaging the shampoo. This helps forestall liquid from moving into the eyes.
- Use a bathe nozzle to attenuate spillage. Run the water into your palm first to make sure the spray isn’t too sturdy. You might additionally let the water trickle out of your hand onto your canine to start with so your canine feels much less anxious.
- And ensure to rinse totally to forestall residue buildup.
It’s vital to make use of high quality canine shampoo and conditioner to take care of your Shih Tzu’s lovely, wholesome coat.
When selecting, decide a hypoallergenic, all-natural canine shampoo and conditioner with out harsh chemical compounds or synthetic dyes. Some formulations are specifically made to assist alleviate itching and dry pores and skin. And a few are made for delicate or irritated pores and skin.
In case you don’t know which shampoo and conditioner to purchase, right here’s an possibility you may strive:
No merchandise discovered.
Moreover, drying your Shih Tzu requires mild pats – no harsh rubbing! Patting them dry will assist forestall cut up ends on their coat. Then, you need to use a hairdryer on the bottom warmth setting whereas evenly brushing the coat together with your fingers.
4. Maintain Your Shih Tzu Relaxed
Shih Tzus are usually playful and energetic, however they will additionally get simply frightened or anxious when being groomed.
So, when grooming a Shih Tzu at house, all the time make sure that you’re giving them a much less traumatic expertise by taking the grooming course of slowly.
Create a soothing background sound that they’re accustomed to, like turning on the TV or taking part in some calming music at a low quantity. Or you may also strive taking part in together with your canine’s paws to assist your pet really feel extra comfy.
It’s additionally greatest to include easy grooming habits into your canine’s common routine. Brush your fluffy pet regularly, play with their paws and ears, and gently therapeutic massage their head every now and then.
This fashion, your Shih Tzu will squirm much less and really feel extra comfy with being touched when grooming time comes.
Moreover, give your pooch loads of tasty treats and reward them loads when grooming them. Keep away from scolding them in the event that they carry on wiggling, particularly whenever you’re clipping their nails.
It’s vital that you simply keep calm and affected person all through the grooming course of so your Shih Tzu feels much less nervous.
5. Clear That Lovable Pet Face
Shih Tzus, significantly light-colored ones, rapidly decide up dust, particles, and meals particles that would get caught of their double coat. Moreover, moisture retention additionally results in discoloration.
To maintain your perky little canine wanting clear and exquisite, it’s important to wash their face day-after-day.
And to do that, you need to use grooming wipes to successfully do away with tear stains, dust, and moist buildup across the eyes.
Here’s a grooming wipes possibility in your pooch that’s unscented and delicate on the eyes:
Listed below are fast tricks to take away stains and dust with grooming wipes:
- Swipe across the eyes to take away seen stains.
- Swipe over your Shih Tzu’s cheeks and down the chin.
- Wipe their face twice every day after meals.
6. Clear Your Canine’s Ears
The following step in grooming a Shih Tzu at house is cleansing their ears, which is greatest performed with a cleansing answer for canines.
Select an ear cleaner that lightly but totally cleanses and deodorizes a canine’s exterior ear canal. Listed below are our high 3 suggestions:
You’ll want to comply with the producer’s directions rigorously. We suggest that you simply pour just a few drops from the ear cleanser bottle over a cotton wool ball. Then, gently rub it into your pet’s ears. And eventually, wipe away any leftover answer with a dry cotton wool ball.
Routinely cleaning your Shih Tzu’s ears helps forestall ear infections. And you are able to do this round one to 2 occasions weekly to take care of clear, wholesome ears.
7. Brush These Pearly White Tooth
Dental hygiene is one other vital a part of your Shih Tzu’s grooming routine.
Brush your Shih Tzu’s enamel weekly utilizing a dual-headed brush for small canines just like the under possibility.
One of these toothbrush has a small brush on one finish and an even bigger brush on the opposite finish. And it helps simplify the method of cleansing hard-to-reach mouth areas.
Alternatively, you need to use a finger toothbrush with tender silicone bristles for mild but thorough cleansing.
And naturally, don’t overlook to decide on a toothpaste that’s specifically formulated for canines.
8. Clip the Nails
Now it’s time to provide your fabulous pooch a paw-dicure! A part of grooming a Shih Tzu at house is preserving their nails well-trimmed.
As talked about earlier, when grooming, it’s greatest to boost your canine in a manner that makes them comfy. And relating to clipping their nails, it’s greatest to show them to the sounds and sensations of nail trimmers whereas they’re nonetheless a pup.
Earlier than trimming the nails, put together a pet first help equipment with a clotting agent like styptic powder. Within the unlikely occasion that you simply hit the “fast” (the vein in the course of the nail), it is best to instantly dab some styptic powder to cease the bleeding. Over time, this vein will recede and assist you to trim your pup’s nails shorter.
Subsequent, discover out what place works greatest in your canine. Some Shih Tzus wish to be held, whereas others choose to take a seat at a desk or sprawl on the ground.
When nail clipping time comes, begin evenly touching your Shih Tzu’s paws. Contact the areas round and in between the toes.
Give your little pooch treats everytime you’re taking part in with their paws, in order that they affiliate the exercise with a optimistic expertise.
Nevertheless, you should definitely reward good habits solely. Don’t hand out treats when your canine retains on transferring, biting, and resisting. Your aim is to assist them be calm, obedient, and nonetheless.
As soon as your fur child begins responding positively, you may then begin clipping their nails. Be mild and take it slowly.
Begin making small cuts on the nail with the clippers. Solely lower the white portion of the nail. And cease slicing when you see the black dot, which signifies the beginning of the fast.
Alternatively, you need to use a nail grinder as an alternative of a nail clipper. This instrument is often dearer, however makes it straightforward to trim your canine’s nails swiftly and extra safely.
So, if in case you have a fussy and delicate pooch, right here’s a canine nail grinder we suggest:
After trimming your pet’s nails efficiently, don’t overlook to bolster good habits with delectable treats.
9. Snip Hair Between the Paw Pads
The following step to grooming a Shih Tzu at house is preserving their paw pads well-trimmed.
This helps forestall your rambunctious fluffball from sliding on slippery surfaces that would lead to damage. Additionally, sustaining well-trimmed paw pads prevents dust buildup and matting.
Right here’s a step-by-step information on the way to trim the hair in your pooch’s paw pads:
- Gently brush the underside of your pet’s paw with a slicker brush. This makes the hair between paw pads simpler to trim.
- Glide the electrical clipper evenly over your canine’s paw pads, guaranteeing that the hair is even with the pads.
- Fastidiously lower extra hair between the toes whereas spreading the paw pads.
Relying in your canine’s clipper mannequin, you need to use a #40 blade to trim their paw pads.
And don’t overlook that whenever you’re grooming a Shih Tzu at house, give them extra treats as you undergo each step of the grooming routine.
10. Snip Across the Physique
The pet lower, additionally referred to as the summer season lower, is without doubt one of the hottest hairstyles for Shih Tzus.
This haircut is whenever you trim the hair 1 to 2 inches in size to create a neat, low-maintenance look. And to take care of this look, you’ll must trim your furbaby’s hair each three months or so.
To make the grooming course of simpler, it’s greatest to carry your pet in place by placing them on a flat, clear desk that’s outfitted with an adjustable grooming arm.
Nevertheless, chances are you’ll not have to do that if in case you have a well-behaved pooch that’s comfy with being groomed.
You need to use a #10 blade in your cordless electrical grooming clipper to trim your canine’s hair. Relying in your chosen grooming clipper, you’ll have to make use of totally different blades when trimming particular components of your canine.
In our case, we love utilizing this grooming clipper from Amazon when trimming the canine’s physique:
When snipping across the physique, first, evenly trim the fuzzy components round your canine’s groin space whereas holding one leg up. Make sure that to take further warning when snipping hair from the stomach and delicate areas.
Connect a clipping comb guard to guard your canine’s pores and skin from direct contact with the clippers. Adjustable clipping combs usually are available various measurements to swimsuit totally different pet hair lengths.
Subsequent, maintain your canine’s face upward and begin trimming down the neck. Proceed trimming to the center of the physique as you make downward strokes from the highest of the top.
Depart the top untouched for now, so you may later see what the physique appears like and how one can make the top look proportionate to the remainder of the physique.
And don’t overlook to brush the physique swiftly each as soon as in awhile earlier than persevering with the haircut to do away with unfastened hairs.
Whenever you’re clipping, you’d need to go along with the grain within the hair for probably the most half. Repeat the method and shortly, you’ll get a great sense of the appropriate pace and stress to realize a easy, balanced lower.
11. Clip Across the Legs
Grooming a Shih Tzu at house additionally means clipping across the hair on their legs.
So, now that you simply’ve evenly trimmed the physique, begin clipping hair round every leg whereas preserving your Shih Tzu in place.
Simply do the identical swift downward strokes in a single path to realize a clear lower. You might maintain every leg as much as trim the interior space extra totally. And clip from the highest of the leg right down to the foot.
12. Begin Trimming the Head
When grooming a Shih Tzu at house, you may’t overlook trimming their head and face!
To do that correctly, add a snap-on comb atop the #30 blade to provide your Shih Tzu a cute pet look whereas defending delicate areas.
Trim the highest of the top easily with the clippers, after which use a pair of round-end scissors to create a well-balanced facial form. You’ll must continuously test if the dimensions of the top suits the remainder of the trimmed physique.
After trimming your Shih Tzu’s head, you may then use scissors to clip the ears and snip away any uneven hair lengths on the face. It’s as much as you to determine whether or not you need to preserve the ears brief or lengthy.
13. Do Some Ending Touches
The ultimate step to grooming a Shih Tzu at house is to easy any uneven areas. This helps guarantee your charming pooch appears superbly groomed.
You may also use a brush or comb to examine your furbaby’s coat intently and spot any tough areas. Take your time to trim as obligatory, guaranteeing that your canine’s new haircut appears clear, constant, and easy.
How Usually Ought to I Groom My Shih Tzu at Dwelling?
It is best to regulate the frequency of doing every process primarily based in your canine’s particular wants.
| Grooming Process | Frequency |
| Brushing/Combing | Every day for lengthy coats; each 3 days for brief coats |
| Bathing | As soon as in 2 to three weeks; extra regularly in case your canine has a pores and skin or coat downside |
| Clipping Nails | As soon as in 3 to six weeks |
| Brushing Tooth | Weekly |
| Wiping Eyes and Face | Every day |
| Cleansing Ears | Weekly |
| Clipping Hair | As soon as in 6 to eight weeks or as wanted |
| Trimming Paw Pad Hair | As soon as in 6 to eight weeks or as wanted |
Last Ideas: Holding Your Shih Tzu Nicely-Groomed at Dwelling
Grooming a Shih Tzu at house means placing in loads of effort and time to do it frequently. And we hope, that with these steps, you’ll be capable of correctly and safely do it together with your pooch at house.
Don’t overlook that with correct preparation and high quality instruments, you may preserve your furbaby joyful, wholesome, and beautiful always.
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