Shih-Tzu

Posted July 11, 2015

THE SHIH-TZU IS ALWAYS HAPPY!

The Shih-Tzu is one of the most docile dogs on the planet! Extremely popular because of their small size and wonderful personality. They make fabulous family pets and love being hugged and kissed by members of the family. The Shih-Tzu is a great breed of dog that loves children. The Shih-Tzu loves everybody, even veterinarians! They are small little dogs that are content to live in a city or rural environment. The Shih-Tzu also has a mild bracheocephalic type of skull and care must be exercised so that it does not overheat on warm days. This usually is not a problem, compared to the Pug, since most Shih-Tzu dogs are happy to be inside most of the time. The Shih-Tzu is the quintessential lap dog and are often taken out in strollers or soft side bags made specifically for Toy breeds.

DIFFICULT TO TOILET TRAIN

The Shih-Tzu is not the easiest dog to toilet train or to train in general. It takes a lot of patience and time to get the job done. The Shih-Tzu has a relatively thick hair coat and if left to grow will look like the dogs seen in the show ring! To get that look, it takes a tremendous amount of work and effort to keep the hair coat flowing. The majority of Shih-Tzu dogs I see are all cut short; outside of the head and face area where the groomer usually leaves its beard. The Shih-Tzu is relatively healthy but does develop eye problems. As senior citizens, they often develop kidney disease. I love the Shih-Tzu dog. It is a fantastic animal to be around in the exam room. They are so much fun! Learn more about the Shih-Tzu on Animal Planet’s® Dog Breed Selector.