Shih Tzu is undoubtedly a cute and lovable dog. His big, dark, and bright eyes with soft fur body are sure to make you happy whenever you look at him. It is sure to bring a dazzling smile on your face. After a long day of mundane work and hectic schedule, seeing the sweet Shih Tzu running around the house and cuddling around your feet when you arrive home is definitely very relaxing and pleasing. So it's a great idea that you got one home. But you also must be aware of how to keep him clean and healthy everyday so that you can enjoy his company for many years to come. For Shih Tzu grooming help, read this article further as it gives you some grooming styles and tips that will be surely helpful for you to keep your pet dog clean, hygienic, and stylish.

Characteristics of Shih Tzu

Physical Characteristics
Shih Tzu essentially means Lion Dog. So do not be fooled by his size and cute appearance. He is one of the active, alert, brave, and honest dog breeds. He is quite sturdy and his body is slightly longer as compared to the height giving him a slender look. His head is round and broad with sparkling big eyes that have a wide gap in between. He has broad nose with noticeable nostrils that is generally hidden with facial hair. He has small drooping ears again full of puppy hair. The jaw line is small and is carried with a Chinese style mustache line over it.

Emotional Characteristics
Shih Tzu puppy is happy go lucky. He loves playing and running around the house and most importantly loves to be surrounded by lots of people who can love him and cuddle him all the time. He is very playful, spunky and friendly and so gels easily with new people. He needs to be provided with strict dog training and obedience training. He can be challenging for you to handle so make sure that you do not pamper him with unnecessary love and sympathy. He is very alert and makes a very good watch dog. Apart from this, he is also very loyal and sweet.

Grooming Styles for Shih Tzu

Grooming your Shih Tzu is not that difficult as he is quite low maintenance and easy to handle. Given below are some of the important things that you should have so that you can groom your Shih Tzu at home on your own.
  • Curved steel comb
  • Plastic comb
  • Brush with quality bristles
  • Dog nail clipper with different blades
  • Shears and scissors
  • Facial hair trimmer
  • Dog ear buds
  • Various dog care products
Aforementioned are some of the dog grooming tools that are essential when it comes to grooming. There are various grooming styles that can ensure the pet care giving them unique and lovely look. Given below are some of the essential practices that you must follow as a part of grooming, that also allow you to spend some quality time with him.

Bathing
You must wash him at least once a week. If he tends to get dirty often, then wash him twice a week. Use a soft shampoo recommended by the vet instead of over the counter dog products. There are various conditioners as well that will help you make his hair soft and silky.

Brushing
Brushing him regularly and if possible everyday is very important to keep his hair from tangling. Brushing everyday also stimulates blood circulation that makes it more shiny, soft, and strong. Use variety of combs with good bristles that will help you remove the tangles easily without causing any harm to the hair.

Hair Trimming
You can experiment with various hair lengths when it comes to Shih Tzu grooming tips. If you like the short hair them trim it with scissors and short hair is easy to maintain. Pay extra attention to the facial hair and try to keep it as short as possible as it can cause discomfort for him. Because of the peculiar eye structure, Shih Tzu secretes tears that may dirty his face, so it is advisable to trim his facial hair regularly.

Nail Trimming
His nails can definitely cause the damage to you and your furniture if grown out of proportion. Generally, the nails are not seen as they are hidden under the layer of the hair. So remember to cut them occasionally. Use a standard dog nail clipper to get rid of the pointy and prickly nails.

Hairstyles
There are various adorable hairstyles you can play with to give him a different look everyday. But one of the most common, popular and definitely endearing hairstyle is a fountain pony over the head. You can browse on the net and try variety of hairstyles on him.

These were some of the important grooming styles that you should make a part of his daily life. You should also take him out for a walk or spend time with him in the garden to release the energies in him and to keep him youthful and lively. He can gain weight easily so avoid over feeding him but you can give him some healthy dog food he can relish.