In between trips to the groomers (once every 4-6 weeks), I give my dogs a bath every 1-2 weeks. I have found that Shih Tzu are like cats, they like to be clean! Cheeko would just walk right into the shower when I open the door; I don't have to say anything, he just knows it is time! Fonfon needs some verbal encouragement but would also walk in by himself. The other two don't love the water as much. I use baby shampoo.
After eating or drinking, Cheeko would always wipe his face on a rug or a throw on the couch, he likes to keep his whiskers clean! Fonfon licks his paws and cleans his face just like a cat. The other two do not display special cleaning routines, but they always snuggle up to you extra close after a bath, as if they know they smell so good!
On the rare occasion that they get an upset stomach and have diarrhea; you can always tell if Fonfon has a messy bottom due to this because he would have this look on his face that says "I am so sorry, I made a big mess, please help!"
Personalities
Like people, every Shih-Tzu is different. However, there are some qualities that are fairly consistent in all Shih Tzu (at least in the four that I have owned):
Because they are so intelligent, Shih Tzu only learn what they want to learn, if they want to learn. They are very independent in their thoughts, and do not take orders 'just because'. They are trainable to a certain degree, and can remember commands, but sometimes they can behave like rebellious children.
Shih Tzu are very sensitive to noises, and are good watch dogs. They will bark when someone rings the door bells, or stands by the front door, but as soon as you let them in, they realise they are your friends and stop barking almost immediately. This makes them ideal for small apartment living, as they do not bark consistently like some other breeds. In general, they like to be friends with everybody!
All Shih Tzu are playful. When I have visitors to the house, Cheeko would try to sit next to them, Dato would sit by their feet looking at them in the eyes, Chocho would go bring his favorite toy and put it on the floor as if to say "Do you want to play fetch?", and Fonfon would turn his belly over to say "Rub me!" They all want to be the center of attention!
- adores companionship
- loving
- playful
- highly intelligent
- loyal
- friendly
- independent in thinking
Because they are so intelligent, Shih Tzu only learn what they want to learn, if they want to learn. They are very independent in their thoughts, and do not take orders 'just because'. They are trainable to a certain degree, and can remember commands, but sometimes they can behave like rebellious children.
Shih Tzu are very sensitive to noises, and are good watch dogs. They will bark when someone rings the door bells, or stands by the front door, but as soon as you let them in, they realise they are your friends and stop barking almost immediately. This makes them ideal for small apartment living, as they do not bark consistently like some other breeds. In general, they like to be friends with everybody!
All Shih Tzu are playful. When I have visitors to the house, Cheeko would try to sit next to them, Dato would sit by their feet looking at them in the eyes, Chocho would go bring his favorite toy and put it on the floor as if to say "Do you want to play fetch?", and Fonfon would turn his belly over to say "Rub me!" They all want to be the center of attention!
Exercise
Another great quality of Shih Tzus is that they 'exercise' themselves. If you have a staircase in your house, and you give them lots of toys, they will play with their toys and run up and down the stairs all day! Don't get me wrong, they still LOVE to go for walks and enjoy the outdoors, but if you have a busy lifestyle, you do not have to walk your Shih Tzu everyday like you might need to do with some other breeds. My dog Chocho especially loves to play fetch with himself - he would throw his toy high up in the air, sometimes across the entire room, and go fetch it! He would do this at least once a day, usually for about 5 minutes at a time, or until he is exhausted!
Toys
Shih Tzus love toys. I suppose all dogs do. They love to play fetch. Chocho in particular, has a great memory. He can remember names of up to 10 toys in a row without getting confused! Cheeko was also good at that, but his record was about 3 toys. If you have a busy lifestyle and can not play with your dogs much, make sure you give them plenty of toys to keep themselves occupied. My dogs love squeaky toys; they have destroyed many! They love soft animals. They do not like hard rubber toys too much at all. Fonfon loves those twisted ropes. He would go for hours trying to untwist!
Grooming
One of the great qualities of Shih Tzus is that they hardly shed! This make them ideal for people with allergies. However, it does mean that they need to be groomed fairly frequently. Their hair will just keep growing longer and longer. A lot of Shih Tzus featured in magazines and books have beautiful long hair. I personally prefer the short puppy cut. It is much easier to maintain; I never have to brush their coat! On average my dogs get groomed once every 4-6 weeks. I have tried to do it myself but without success. I have tried many groomers, but have found Petco to be very good. I used to have a lady that came to the house, but then I moved, and I have found Petco to have consistently good groomers. They do nails, ears, everything. Tooth-brushing is extra. I usually go for the spa package that includes special shampoo and tooth brushing. The price is different depending on where you are in the country. In New York they were more pricey, around $50 without the spa package, and spa runs around $19, and tax is extra! In California the total is $56, and for some reason, there is no tax for grooming! What's more, they give you one free groom for every 8 grooms if you join their membership program. They do ask for vaccination certificate, which is really for your own protection, as you know your dogs will not catch any diseases from being in a public place. Once I took my dogs to a private pet shop, just to try them out, and they did not ask for vaccination certificate, and the place was filthy, with dirty rugs all over the place.
Cushions
They love to sit on soft cushions. This is their favorite spot in the house. They can look down to see who is coming. They are always fighting over this spot. Chocho usually wins!
Blue eyes
"see now my eyes are blue"
(click on picture to enlarge; you can really see the blue eyes)
(click on picture to enlarge; you can really see the blue eyes)
Teddy Bear
"Got to keep my favorite toy with me even when I sleep, so Dato does not try to steal it."
Dato - my second Shih Tzu
Dato is the most healthy Shih Tzu ever. Shih Tzus are prone to having ear and eye troubles. Dato never once has had any problems!
Cheeko baby
This is a good, clear picture of Cheeko. His hair around his nose is quite dark that sometimes you can not see his features so well in the pictures.
Chase
Cheeko and Dato
Cheeko - My first Shih Tzu
highly intelligent
extremely sensitive
loves companionship
favorite toy is "ya ya" - a squeaky duck
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