Shih Tzu Dogs
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| History | A breed going back thousands of years. A household pet in Royal Ancient China. Bred purely as a companion. These little tots have had no other purpose in life but to be beautiful, amusing, companion dogs. | Personality | This is a quiet, and independent creature, outgoing with its family. Bonds strongly with entire household. Not wanting a lot of exercise although it does like some outdoor playtime. The Shih Tsu have a mind of their own, and are difficult to potty train. |
| Appearance | A long silky outer coat in any color, although white markings on tail or face is preferred. Under coat is soft and wooly, needing daily brushing. A long body on short legs with cute squashed face completes a really adorable breed of dog. |
| Grooming | High grooming needs are part and parcel of owning a Shih Tzu dog. Essential daily brushing, monthly bathing or professional grooming is required to ensure a healthy knot free coat. Eyes and teeth cleaning must be part of his regular grooming programme. |
| Health | The usual Brachycepahlic problems associated with this type of dog breed. The most serious health concern though is Renal Dysplasia, being potentially terminal even in puppies and young dogs. This can be a greedy little dog which tends to obesity, so watch out for overfeeding. Human snacks should be a very rare occasional treat or you will have spoilt little brat on your hands! | Family | This companion dog breed bonds well with the entire family, cannot tolerate heat or high humidity. Gets on very well with other pets and cats. Not suitable with children unless very well trained. |
| Training | They do not like to be ordered about. Very firm but gentle handling is required. No shouting at Shih Tzu dogs or you won't have any success. Potty training is very challenging. Reward based reinforcement training is possible with consistency. |
| Ideal Home | This is a pet, preferably for a single person or couple who will dedicate a lot of time for grooming and spending time with this lap dog. A Shih Tsu will not tolerate being kenneled outside nor can it spend a lot of time in solitude. |
| Lifespan | 14 - 16 years or longer |
| Purpose | Originally a sacred dog and a companion dog. Nowadays a companion dog and therapy dog. |
| Watch dog | No watch dog tendencies at all. |
Go from Shih Tzu Dogs to About Small Dog Breeds Home Page
For a list of Rare Dog Breeds
For other Brachycephalic Dog Breeds
For more on the Shih Tzu Dog Character
| Site Map |
| An easy way to navigate through the information contained in this site is go to Dogs and Dog Breeds Site Map One. |
| Loving Care |
| Our little pets rely on us for their every need. |
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| Breed Feature |
| They are all so beautiful making it difficult to decide which one to feature! The choice for this month is the Lhaso Apso Dog Character and Lhaso Apso Fast Facts.
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| For other gorgeous small dog breeds try our list of Small Dogs if you are hypoallergenic try our list of fluffy haired dogs for people with allergies. |
| Training/Behavior |
| Our features: Pack Behavior as well as Clicker Training For dogs are must reads for those looking at training methods for their new puppy. |
| Inspiration |
| When words fail you or you are just looking for some comfort or inspiration why don't you read some of our Pet Sayings |
| Health Articles |
| Our Veterinary Articles cover many Congenital Dog Health Conditions (see our chart). Kindly provided By Dr Sunelle Strydom. See our other common health issues.Such as an itchy dog problem or dogs arthritis - a condition which affects most dogs at some stage of their precious lives.
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