# Newbie here on grooming



## Durbkat (Jun 26, 2007)

I will be getting a shih tzu in a couple of weeks and was wondering how often I should brush his hair? Also how often should I bathe him, like should I just do it when he gets stinky or dirty?

Here is a pic of the pups so you have an idea of how the fur is, I know some shih tzu's have like double coats or whatever.


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## animalcraker (Nov 9, 2006)

aww they're adorable! 

I'll start by saying that I've never owned a Shih Tuz so I don't have experience grooming them specifically. The best person for you to ask about grooming your new pup would be your breeder. They would know your pups coat type better than any of us and should know how to properly groom a Shih Tzu, I hope. Plus they can show you exactly how it's done, instead of us describing it to you or reading it in a book.

I would recomend that you go to the bookstore and get a book on dog grooming, hopefully one that has a section on the Shih Tzu.

Since Shih Tzu do require a good amount of grooming you'll need to get your pup used to being handled. Get him used to you touching him all over. You'll also need to decide if your going to keep him in a long "show" coat, a puppy cut, or some other style.


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## merrow (Feb 18, 2007)

iv got a lhas which is a long double coated breed like the shih zue they need brushing every or every other unless u have it shaved then its minimal brushing u want to use a pin brush then use a comb after if u chose to grow the coat then u want to spry it with water or a coat condioner to stop brakage when u groom them 

i always recomned having a puppy trimmed up all over in a puppy cut as the puppy coat tends to go afro and is alot of work for a first time owner so if u have it triimed to about 1-2 inchs it will still look nice and cute and fluffy

u want to go to the groomes as soon as all jabs are done to get it acustomed then it will be about every 6 -8 weeks for hair cuts if u keep them short

i bath my lhasa 2weeks and up the longer u leave it the better but he pees on him self so i use babby wips to keep him clean between if ur going to bath regulaly then u want a good shampoo like an oatmeal one or one with everning primrose i use an everning primrose one as it is so soft its grate for puppys as well 

and one worth while thing is to teach ur puppy to stand when out in the house garden or street just stop for a few seconds and stand ur pup tickle his belly so he likes it and repeat stand he will lern this command fast and make urs and the groomers and the vets life so much better if u dont have a dog trying to sit laydown and woder offf

xxx

dose that help


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## Durbkat (Jun 26, 2007)

Alright, thanks! But it isn't going to be one of those double coats and I read somewhere else that to use a slicker brush...

So I guess I'll just ask the breeder how often I should brush the dog. But thanks for the tips guys!


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## merrow (Feb 18, 2007)

all well breed shihtzus and lhasa should all have a double coat 

and using a slicker brush plucks out living hairs thats why good groomers and most breeders will surgest using a good pin brush as its keeps the coat in a better condtion unless ur going to have it shaved off then it dosnt matter what brush u use as long as its a soft one


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## Durbkat (Jun 26, 2007)

Well I'm getting it shaved off because I can't have hair all over the place because I'm allergic to long hair dogs.


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## merrow (Feb 18, 2007)

the hair is the same weather shaved or not if ur alergic the best thing would be to go for a breed with non shedding hair like the mini schnauzer or other terrier breeds minimal grooming on lots of them or even breeds like the bichon or poodle are all non shedding 

Shih Tzu is also on the list for a non shedding breed dont no if u new that so as long as u groomed it regulay just to get rid of ant dead hair then there isnt usally any problems i no ppl who are highly allergic and have lots of non shedding dogs  which are long and short coated


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## Durbkat (Jun 26, 2007)

Well I'm not highly allergic. My mom's friend has cats and they don't bother me unless they are like laying on my neck as I'm sitting on the couch or if I have them in my lap then my nose itches but thats it. I am going to brush its hair regularly to keep the dead hair down.


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## merrow (Feb 18, 2007)

well thats good i would hate to be alergic i love grooming to much hehe 

as long as u keep up with grooming u and ur dog will be happy as and at least u have the option o have it trimmed up unless you like the shaved look 

i like the puppy look way to much lol i nealry stole me a puppy lhasa at a show yesterday it was just to cute lol


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## Durbkat (Jun 26, 2007)

Yea, I was thinking of keeping my puppy's hair trimmed down to puppy hair all the time because its just to cute!


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## Haidden (Apr 2, 2007)

There all double coated and I brush my shihtzu daily and have no shedding at all or very minimal... Want a nice shedding dog go pick up a lab =).

I have a couple brushes that I use on him but one that works really well is:










also use one of these:










those are the 2 main brushes i use. The first one is really good at getting underneath to the undercoat.


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## Durbkat (Jun 26, 2007)

Thanks! What is the first brush called?

Also when it comes to getting his hair cut and I take it to the groomer do I say I want a puppy cut or a trim? Or would it be best just to show the groomer a pic of the dog when it had shorter hair and to make it that short?


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## Haidden (Apr 2, 2007)

Im not sure what the package said when I bought it, i picked it up at pet smart though think it was like 7.99 or something like that. There is a couple different wants besides whats in the picture. Thats just a general picture of what the brush looks like. They have alot of different sizes and the pins are close or far apart etc. Went to pet smarts website and the description said Groomax® Soft Grip Long Handle Combs so that is probably what it will say in the store.

The 2nd brush is just a pin brush. Groomax® Pin Brush

I took my dog to the groomer once, stood with him while they cut it. I told them what I wanted and in the end they didn't do it so I wasn't happy with what they did. I just cut him myself now but I take him to my vet to get his ear hairs plucked / trimmed cause I don't like doing that myself. Around here the groomers live by the shaver, when you bring a dog in you can tell them what you want and it goes through one ear and out the other. I cant seem to find a good groomer in this area.


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## Durbkat (Jun 26, 2007)

Alright, when I take the dog to the pet store I'll ask them which kind of that brush I'd need.


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## Dieselsmama (Apr 1, 2007)

All Properly bred Shih-Tzus should have a double coat, if this breeder is telling you otherwise here's more evidence that they're not at all knowledgable about the breed. They need to be combed and brushed out every or every other day. While they're little i do toenail trimming every 1-2 weeks. You'll want a good quality comb, like a greyhound comb and a gentle slicker brush. You need to be extra careful around prominent bony areas like elbows and such with the slicker brush so you don't give him/her brush burn. Ear hair also needs to be plucked, unless you've had experience with this, I'd bring it to a certified groomer for the ear hair, trims and toe nail clipping. I have no idea what a grooming in your area runs for a shih-tzu, around here it's about $35.00 and the groomer recommends seeing them every 4-6 wks. Also, animal allergies are not due to amount or length of coat, it's from an animals dander. The only 100% truly hypo-allergenic dog is a poodle because they have "hair" not fur. Most yorkies, people with severe allergies can handle as well. Lhasas and Shih-tzu are sometimes tolerated because they are extremely low-shedding, thus the need for daily or every other brushing and combing. Finally, DO NOT bring this puppy anywhere where it will be exposed to other possibly sick animals like pet stores, dog parks, vet's ( I always hold puppies or stay in the car and carry them in when it's their turn) UNTIL all of the puppy shots are complete, this is usually around 16 wks. There's no telling whether the vet's office has just had a parvo puppy come in. You're taking a big chance dealing with a breeder we've all told you was NOT a responsible breeder, don't take any unnecessary chances when you don't have to. I wish you luck and hope you're setting aside plenty of money in a savings account to pay for possible hereditary issues down the road.


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## Durbkat (Jun 26, 2007)

Yea I know about not taking it around other possibly sick dogs. I'm getting it next monday and on friday I'm taking it to the vet for an exam and to get all its shots done. Then I'm gonna ask how old he recommend the dog to be before it can be neutered.


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## Dieselsmama (Apr 1, 2007)

Durbkat said:


> Yea I know about not taking it around other possibly sick dogs. I'm getting it next monday and on friday I'm taking it to the vet for an exam and to get all its shots done. Then I'm gonna ask how old he recommend the dog to be before it can be neutered.


Maybe I'm confused about the age of the dog you're planning to get now, last I heard it was a puppy. You are aware that the shots are of a series correct? 1st done at 6 wks hopefully, then 8wks, then 12 wks. (many vets will do the rabies at this time as well) and often if you've got a decent vet, they recommend a final at 16 wks. ( these are just the dist. series, it's a good idea to have bordatella done as well somewhere in here, it's a series of two vacc.s) So depending on the age of the pup you're getting you're looking at 2-3 seperate visits for vacc.s. alone. Many places you might not think of not taking this puppy include a pet shop where another sick puppy may not be there at the time but could have been there recently before you. All it would take is having the puppy walk on the floor somewhere where an infected pup had been or even you walking there and then wearing the same shoes into your house, for this reason, NO ONE is allowed to wear their shoes into my house when I have a puppy without all the scheduled vacc.s.


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## Durbkat (Jun 26, 2007)

Yes, I am aware that it is a series of shots. But he will be 9 months old when I get him so I suppose he will be recieving his 8 week shots right? As the breeder has already given the pups its 6 week shots and has had it dewormed.


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## Dieselsmama (Apr 1, 2007)

Durbkat said:


> Yes, I am aware that it is a series of shots. But he will be 9 months old when I get him so I suppose he will be recieving his 8 week shots right? As the breeder has already given the pups its 6 week shots and has had it dewormed.


Why on earth has a 9 mo. old puppy only had one set of shots????


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## Durbkat (Jun 26, 2007)

Because she sold most of them when they were around 6 weeks old. I gave her a deposit to hold onto the dog till I got the funds to get it and take it to the vet.


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## Dieselsmama (Apr 1, 2007)

Durbkat said:


> Because she sold most of them when they were around 6 weeks old. I gave her a deposit to hold onto the dog till I got the funds to get it and take it to the vet.


So she's been holding this puppy since he was six weeks for you? If she's had the puppy and you recently (last month or two) put a deposit on this puppy, she should have been responsible for it's vaccs.


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## Durbkat (Jun 26, 2007)

Well let me reword what I said. She has been advertising them since they were 6 weeks and gave them their first shots and dewormed them. Then last week she told me that I needed to send in a deposit so that she can hold it when somebody else ask if they can buy it. So saturday I sent a deposit in and she got it today.


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## Dieselsmama (Apr 1, 2007)

Durbkat said:


> Well let me reword what I said. She has been advertising them since they were 6 weeks and gave them their first shots and dewormed them. Then last week she told me that I needed to send in a deposit so that she can hold it when somebody else ask if they can buy it. So saturday I sent a deposit in and she got it today.


Well that's great, but what happened to all the shots he's supposed to have received before now??? I'm sorry but this lady really sounds like one really irresponsible breeder. No genetic testing, no shots after the first @ 6 wks. and now said pup is 9 months old, what sort of genetic guarantee is she offering you? What if this puppy is diagnosed with a genetic heart defect in a few months? Will she refund your money and let you keep the puppy you've now fallen in love with? Are you prepared for the thousands of dollars it will most likely cost if something like this does crop up? I really hope you luck out and this puppy is and remains healthy, but keep in mind every dollar people give her gives her more reason to continue this irresponsible, neglectful form of "breeding" She's clearly not doing it to better the breed but to make a quick buck at the expense of precious animals lives.


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## Durbkat (Jun 26, 2007)

Well he would only be a week behind on his shots and I'm gonna take him next friday to get them. I'm having her sign a health guarantee that states that she has to refund me the money of the puppy if found unfit by the vet or if it has a genetic problem. She even told me she will sign it.


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## Dieselsmama (Apr 1, 2007)

Durbkat said:


> Well he would only be a week behind on his shots and I'm gonna take him next friday to get them. I'm having her sign a health guarantee that states that she has to refund me the money of the puppy if found unfit by the vet or if it has a genetic problem. She even told me she will sign it.


If he's 9 mo. and has only had his first shot at 6 wks. she NEGLECTED to give him his shots @ 8 wks, then again @ 12 wks, then again @ 16 wks., she's neglected to vacc. for rabies, and bordatella. So at this point the vet might go ahead and vacc. as an adult, but a responsible breeder would have vacc. on the above schedule, not left it up to a future owner ( she's had this puppy for a long time now) to play catch up because of her bad choices, what if she'd had a parvo outbreak? This puppy wouldn't have had the immunity to protect him. Many Genetic issues do not show up until the pup is 1 or 2, I believe you quoted a price of $350 you're paying for this puppy, where will the rest of several thousands of dollars come from to deal with a heart defect, or other genetic issue? It sounded like both you and your family are fairly strapped for money ( car couldn't make a trip to rescue shelter per mechanic) I'm just trying to open your eyes to the possibilities you might face but it seems you want to see only what you want to see.


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## Durbkat (Jun 26, 2007)

Man, you guys act like almost all dogs have genetic problems. Gosh. I'm tired of it. I know about the possiblity for gentic issues so stop hounding me on it.


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## sheltiemom (Mar 13, 2007)

I think Durbkat made a typo...I think he's getting a 9 _*week*_ old puppy.


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## Dieselsmama (Apr 1, 2007)

sheltiemom said:


> I think Durbkat made a typo...I think he's getting a 9 _*week*_ old puppy.


Aaahhhnow that makes a bit more sense, big difference LOL


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## Durbkat (Jun 26, 2007)

Yes, it was a typo. My bad, I mean a 9 week old puppy.


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