Should i shave my Shih Tzu?

Question

I am yet to trim/cut my 8 month old shih tzu's hair. Everytime I walk her people ask me why I keep her hair so long. I brush her daily and she does not have any matting at all. Is it ok to keep her hair long? Tell me what you think.

Answer 1

As long as you have the time to keep a full coat combed out on a daily basis....there's no reason you can't keep her long. Just to warn you...if she hasn't already started, she will be going through a coat change from her puppy hair to her adult coat and she will seem to literally get matted overnight. So be prepared to do some extra combing to keep up with it.

I rarely see full coated ShihTzus in my shop...people just dont have the time/dont want to be bothered to take care of the coat.
Nothing wrong with trimming them down either. It's really all a matter of preference and how much time you have to keep the coat combed.
I would much rather see a trimmed down dog than a dog with long hair but matted to the skin.

Answer 2

Shaved Shih Tzu

Answer 3

I have a 4lb shih tzu. I work at a day care and she is a certified therapy dog so she goes to work with me everyday. During the summer i kept her shaved just because she would get so hot outside. During the winter i usually let her hair get to about 3 inches but keep the hair on her face trimmed pretty short. I like a shih tzu with shorter hair but it's just what you prefer. If you like her hair long then i would keep it long.

Answer 4

Yes its ok to keep her hair long, as long as you keep it brushed, and I mean everyday, and every time you brush be sure to brush under her ears and under her tail and in her armpits and all four legs and her face and under her chin, those are the most common places for mats to appear and be missed by owners. The only place I seriously recommend getting shaved is the area around her pooper, you really don't want a dog to have long hair in that area, its no fun when stuff gets stuck there. You might also need to get her top-knot pulled back so she can see

One of the dogs I washed was a 8 year old lhasa, her fur was almost as long as my hair and she was never matted

When people ask why you keep her hair so long tell them she is a girl and that girls look good with long hair

Answer 5

I think you're doing the right thing to keep her hair natural. A little trimming to neaten it is fine, but I'll never understand why people get long-haired dogs and then cut all their hair off. It's the hair that makes a Shih tzu look like a Shih tzu!

Answer 6

Many people love the idea of owning a dog but one thing that they have to keep in mind often times, is that the dog needs to be trained. While the pet may look heart-breakingly cute when it's in a shelter or at the pound, picking out the dog is only the first part of the relationship between dog owner and the animal. Many people don't understand that they have to put time and effort into socializing the dog.

An unsocialized dog will intimidate others, tear up the home, and will create an environment that can become so bad that the it will have to be returned. Many times when dogs have to be returned to shelters or to other resources, it will end up euthanized, which is very heartbreaking. All of this can be spared if a person learns the various techniques in order to socialize the dog.

One thing that they have to understand is that the he wants to be told what to do. It's in the canine nature to follow a leader. The dog will be more than willing to obey the leadership of its master. Here's a look at some common techniques that are used in dog training:

"Dog Whispering"

This is a technique that has been around for a while, but gained national notoriety over the last 10 years. Some people might hear this term and wonder how in the world whispering to a dog can train it! Whispering isn't meant to be taken literally in this case. As trainers have shown, whispering is a term that refers to connecting with a being or an entity on a very deep and almost spiritual level. When it comes to dog training techniques, dog whispering involves careful observation of the dog's behavior and actions.

It literally entails getting inside the mind and the behavior system of the canine. When a person uses dog whispering techniques, they interact with the dog on the canine level. Again, one the most common mistakes that people make is treating the dog like a small human being.

"Reward Training"

Reward training is very simple and it's one of the older tricks that works. This is a simple method of training the dog by positive reinforcement. Once he does what it is told to do, it receives a treat. How this works is that the dog owner must entice the dog towards the treat. Once the canine develops awareness for the treat, it develops a strong desire for it. When the desire for it is extremely strong, the dog owner pulls back. Then the dog receives a command and when the dog obeys the command, it receives the treat. The object is to make the dog associate a treat with the command.

"Clicker Training"

Other dog training techniques include one that is similar to reward training, which is called clicker training. How this works is that the clicker is incorporated to get the dog's attention. The clicker is clicked as a form of communication with the dog. It learns that there is a command or reward associated in conjunction with the clicker. Many people claim that this is fun, and they actually make a game with the dog by using the clicker for their dog training tasks.

"Ultrasonic Whistle"

Last, a relatively new form of dog training technique is called the ultrasonic whistle. This works because the ultrasonic sound is only heard by the dog. When the owner is trying to communicate a command, or stop the dog from barking, they will blow on their whistle when they want to communicate a command to the dog. The benefit of this is that the humans can't hear this noise, but the dog can hear it, and they will learn to associate the sound with a command.

Dog training techniques aren't hard to incorporate, but they are something that absolutely must be incorporated from the time a dog owner brings their new dog home. No matter how old or how young the dog is, they will need training. Once they are trained properly, they will be a wonderful addition to one's family.

Before You Spend MORE Money On Expensive Dog Trainers or Products,
Watch This Video First!

https://biturl.im/aU8nW

Discover the powerful dog training secrets to eliminate over 30+ common behavioral dog and puppy issues with step-by-step instructions from one of the world's most skilled dog trainers!

Answer 7

Many people love the idea of owning a dog but one thing that they have to keep in mind often times, is that the dog needs to be trained. While the pet may look heart-breakingly cute when it's in a shelter or at the pound, picking out the dog is only the first part of the relationship between dog owner and the animal. Many people don't understand that they have to put time and effort into socializing the dog.

An unsocialized dog will intimidate others, tear up the home, and will create an environment that can become so bad that the it will have to be returned. Many times when dogs have to be returned to shelters or to other resources, it will end up euthanized, which is very heartbreaking. All of this can be spared if a person learns the various techniques in order to socialize the dog.

One thing that they have to understand is that the he wants to be told what to do. It's in the canine nature to follow a leader. The dog will be more than willing to obey the leadership of its master. Here's a look at some common techniques that are used in dog training:

"Dog Whispering"

This is a technique that has been around for a while, but gained national notoriety over the last 10 years. Some people might hear this term and wonder how in the world whispering to a dog can train it! Whispering isn't meant to be taken literally in this case. As trainers have shown, whispering is a term that refers to connecting with a being or an entity on a very deep and almost spiritual level. When it comes to dog training techniques, dog whispering involves careful observation of the dog's behavior and actions.

It literally entails getting inside the mind and the behavior system of the canine. When a person uses dog whispering techniques, they interact with the dog on the canine level. Again, one the most common mistakes that people make is treating the dog like a small human being.

"Reward Training"

Reward training is very simple and it's one of the older tricks that works. This is a simple method of training the dog by positive reinforcement. Once he does what it is told to do, it receives a treat. How this works is that the dog owner must entice the dog towards the treat. Once the canine develops awareness for the treat, it develops a strong desire for it. When the desire for it is extremely strong, the dog owner pulls back. Then the dog receives a command and when the dog obeys the command, it receives the treat. The object is to make the dog associate a treat with the command.

"Clicker Training"

Other dog training techniques include one that is similar to reward training, which is called clicker training. How this works is that the clicker is incorporated to get the dog's attention. The clicker is clicked as a form of communication with the dog. It learns that there is a command or reward associated in conjunction with the clicker. Many people claim that this is fun, and they actually make a game with the dog by using the clicker for their dog training tasks.

"Ultrasonic Whistle"

Last, a relatively new form of dog training technique is called the ultrasonic whistle. This works because the ultrasonic sound is only heard by the dog. When the owner is trying to communicate a command, or stop the dog from barking, they will blow on their whistle when they want to communicate a command to the dog. The benefit of this is that the humans can't hear this noise, but the dog can hear it, and they will learn to associate the sound with a command.

Dog training techniques aren't hard to incorporate, but they are something that absolutely must be incorporated from the time a dog owner brings their new dog home. No matter how old or how young the dog is, they will need training. Once they are trained properly, they will be a wonderful addition to one's family.

Before You Spend MORE Money On Expensive Dog Trainers or Products,
Watch This Video First!

https://biturl.im/aU2da

Discover the powerful dog training secrets to eliminate over 30+ common behavioral dog and puppy issues with step-by-step instructions from one of the world's most skilled dog trainers!

Answer 8

If you're willing to do the extra grooming required to keep her coat healthy and she's not uncomfortable then not having her shaved is fine. The only reason you would need to shave her would be if there was a medical problem, if you didn't want to properly groom her daily, or if she was uncomfortable in full coat. You sound like you're taking very good care of your dog so tell those other people to butt out. Grooming time is wonderful bonding time and I'm sure you and your dog both enjoy it. Maybe those people who are telling you how to care for your dog's coat would do better to go spend that time with their dog(s) instead of giving unwanted and unnecessary advice.

Answer 9

If you are willing to put in the time, then keep her hair long, if this is how you like it. I personally don't let my Lhasa's hair get too long, but I do not have a lot of time to brush her all the time. I brush her every couple of days, but it is so much easier with short hair. It is all about your preference, don't let others tell you what to do with your pet.

good luck!

Answer 10

yes is is okay and i personally think shih tzu's are quite adorable with long hair. i wanted you to know that it's your dog and if you want to keep its hair long and you are willing to do the necessary work to keep it nice then tell everybody that has rude comments about it that you prefer it that way and it is none of their business and so far the shih tzu police hasn't arrested you.
good grief, everyone wants to tell everybody else what to do but nobody wants to be told what to do.