Congratulations
on your choice of a Shih Tzu puppy! The next few weeks and
months will be an incredible journey into a life-long friendship for
both you and your puppy. There are a few things you can do to
help make the transition from nursery to pampered lap-warmer a little
easier for your new baby. Most of these things are common
sense issues, but there are a few breed-specific tips that I would like
to share with you.
It is imperative that you know what puppy food your breeder is feeding
your puppy. A high-quality puppy food eliminates any need to
supplement the diet with vitamins and minerals and ensures that your
puppy will grow strong and healthy. If you plan to change the
puppy's food to a different brand, do so slowly to prevent gastric
distress. Try giving two parts of the old food to one part of
the new food for a few days. If your puppy doesn't experience
any adverse reaction (diarrhea, vomiting, constipation), then slowly
increase the proportion of new food to old until he or she is only
eating the new food. One important thing to remember is to
NEVER feed a Shih Tzu food which contains soy products. Shih
Tzu tend to be very sensitive to soy-containing foods and may suffer
severe allergic skin reactions. I feed and highly
recommend Doctors Foster & Smith Chicken & Brown Rice
Formula. It is
both reasonably priced and highly nutritious. When it comes
to
treats, moderation is key. I feed Dog Natural Oven Baked All
Natural Peanut Butter Cookies and Mini Snackies. My dogs love
them and not
only are they good for helping keep the teeth clean, but are also great
training aids! Once again, please make sure the ingredients
don't include soy products.
Vaccinations are essential to your puppy's continued health.
Your new puppy will come to you de-wormed and with his or her first set
of shots. However, please check with a reputable veterinarian
immediately to ensure that your new puppy continues with the latest
vaccination protocol which should include a heartworm
preventative. Even in parts of the country where mosquitoes
aren't a prevalent problem, heartworm preventative is still an
important part of your pet's health care.
While it may be tempting to let your cuddly new baby sleep with you to
minimize his crying, you might want to consider that most puppies are
not housebroken when they go to their new homes. So, unless
you don't mind waking up to a less-than-pleasant surprise in your bed,
you may want to consider purchasing a small pet taxi for him to sleep
in. The pet taxi can also do double duty as a crate to help
with his house training. It can be placed near your bed so
that you can comfort the puppy during the night. Old sheets
and towels make a comfortable and inexpensive lining and are easily
cleaned (believe me . . . you'll be washing daily for a
while). I will send home a favorite chew toy with my babies
(yes, it's used, but that's just the point). The familiarity
seems to have a calming effect. You'll still need a little
patience, though, as it will probably take a few nights before your
puppy becomes accustomed to his new surroundings, away from his mom and
littermates, and sleeps through the night.
I have tried many methods to housebreak a puppy, but the only effective
method that I have found thus far is to use a crate. Over the
years, I've found that the "crate training" method works the
best. Most people don't know it but puppies don't have much
control over their bladders and bowels until they are at least 10 weeks
of age. Frequent potty breaks are a must. Anytime
the puppy wakes up from a nap, drinks or eats, it should go outside or
to it's "puppy pad". The most important concept here is that
he always goes to the same place. It won't take long for your
puppy to get the idea. With Shih Tzu, praise works much more
effectively than punishment. When accidents happen, it seems
to work well to "move" the accident to the appropriate potty place and
then praise your puppy.
Shih Tzu are brachycephalic (short-nosed) and are very sensitive to
high temperatures. Heat stroke is possible if they are
exposed to extreme heat for too long. I have found that my
Shih Tzu don't particularly care for very hot OR very cold
weather. During the summer season they can play outside early
in the morning and late in the afternoon, but make sure you have plenty
of water available at all times. If you live in an area where
freezing temperatures are common in the winter, make sure you don't let
ice build up between the pads on the feet. Also, it isn't a
good idea to allow your Shih Tzu on walkways where salt or other ice
melting ingredients have been used. Make sure you thoroughly
wash and dry the feet if they happen to walk on any de-icing agents.
The reason why people tend not to be allergic to Shih Tzu is that they
have "hair" and not "fur." Shih Tzu need regular brushing (at
least every other day) to keep their hair from matting. It is
wise to invest in a good long-pinned brush, but make sure it doesn't
have the balls on the pins as these brushes tend to break the
hairs. Shih Tzu will need to be trimmed, at least around the
paws and anus, every couple of months. For those who choose
to keep the coat clipped, the length of the coat should be dependent on
the weather . . . shorter in the summer and longer in the
winter. If you want to keep your puppy in long coat, daily
combing and weekly baths are essential since a clean coat grows faster
than a dirty one. When brushing a dry coat, always spray a
little conditioner on the hair to prevent breakage. Use a
good mild shampoo and, if fleas are a problem, mix a few drops of Dawn
dishwashing liquid with your shampoo. It works like a
charm. When you wash your puppy, make sure the house is warm
enough so your baby doesn't get chilled. Start with the head
and work your way back. Make sure to rinse thoroughly with
clean water and use a good conditioner to keep the hair soft and
silky. Make sure you routinely pull all hair in the ears,
squeeze the anal glands, and clip the nails.
Shih Tzu have prominent eyes and therefore have a high risk of eye
injury. If your puppy is in long coat, keep the hair around
the eyes in a top knot with a latex hair band. To remove the
top knot for combing, use scissors to cut the band rather than trying
to untie it. If you choose to clip the coat, make sure the
hair is short enough to easily see the eyes and make sure that it
doesn't get long enough to poke the eyeball. Any
discoloration of the eye, especially a blue tint, is indicative of
injury or infection and you should contact your veterinarian
immediately. Early treatment is important since any
injury or infection can quickly lead to blindness. Tearing
and staining are also a problem which require daily cleansing around
the eye area. Excessive tearing may indicate infection and
should be treated by your veterinarian.
Regular
maintenance of your Shih Tzu is essential to avoid expensive health
problems later. A healthy dog is a happy dog, and you'll be a
much happier dog owner. Good luck with your new baby!!
Ten
Commandments for a Responsible Dog Owner
1.
My life is likely to last 10 to 15 years. Any separation from you will
be very painful.
2. Give me time to understand what you want of me.
3. Place your trust in me - it is crucial for my
well-being.
4. Don't be angry with me for long, and don't lock
me up as punishment. You have your work, your friends, your
entertainment. I HAVE ONLY YOU.
5. Talk to me, Even if I don't understand your
words, I understand your voice when it's speaking to me.
6. Be aware that however you treat me, I'll NEVER
forget it.
7. Before you hit me, remember that I have teeth
that could easily crush the bones in your hand, but I choose not to
bite you.
8. Before you scold me for being lazy or
uncooperative, ask yourself if something might be bothering me. Perhaps
I'm not getting the right food, I've been out in the sun too long, or
my heart may be getting old and weak.
9. Take care of me when I get old. You, too, will
grow old.
10. Go with me on difficult journeys. Never say, "I can't
bear to watch it" or, "Let it happen in my absence." Everything is
easier for me if you are there. Remember, I love you.
Author Unknown
