Should I own a MALE OR A FEMALE?Males verses females??spay or neuter??
One myth is that males are always "humping" or lifting
their leg to potty or mark everything. If a male
is neutered early, he rarely exhibits these
traits. In fact, boys who are neutered by 5
months of age usually don't ever raise
their leg to potty. They rarely ever get cancer in both sexes if fixed.
FEMALES come into heat and if not fixed and drop blood all over your home. So both sexes need to be fixed if you do not want to deal with hiking or blood on your furniture and home.Also you will have every dog within 4 miles at your doorstep... as fast as you can bend down to grab your female he will have tied AND BREED her.Please spay and neuter your dogs if you do not know anything about breeding.It is very hard work and you do not want to lose your pet if she is bred by a huge dog
Selecting A Breeder ...whats the diffrence??????????
Buy your puppy from a responsible and well-respected breeder. This cannot be stressed enough. Responsible breeders are concerned with the betterment of the breed. For example, they work on breeding healthier dogs with the appropriate temperament for their breed.
Once you select a breeder, screen the breeder. Ask to see at least one of the parents (the dam or the sire) of your puppy. If they have an excuse go elsewhere and buy a puppy from someone who can show you all you want to see and know.See how the dogs in your breeder's home interact with your breeder. Are they friendly and outgoing or do they shy away? The responsible breeder will also be screening you, looking for the best home for each puppy. Do not meet a breeder on the road to pick up a puppy.Please visit their kennel to see the conditions your pup is coming from.Breeders who will not allow you at their home have something to hide.Ask to see both parents for this is what your dog will look like as an adult.Most breeders who ask you to meet on the road have never wormed or taken that pup to a vet check and probably has no shots probably was raise in a cage never touched.I HAVE BOUGHT PUPS WHO WERE NEVER SOCIALIZED....that dog is messed up for life.You may think your getting a bargain but you may be getting something you didn't bargain for.Yes my prices may be higher BUT YOU get a guarantee.Most breeders do not guarantee any pups.Please ask for a written guarantee.At least till you get that pup to a vet.Rememeber after you leave with that pup it's yours,the puppy mills count on you to fall in love with even if it is sick.Don't expect that breeder to ever answer the phone for you again.I know breeders just like that.They make only profit they do not spend a dime on the pups but pull in thousands on people who don't know any better.
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Can You Afford A Puppy?
The purchase price of your puppy is not the only cost you have to consider. Be aware that the puppy you bring home will need proper care, such as health care (a dog needs annual shots) and food. Your puppy will also need little things like a collar with identification, a bowl, and a leash. Evaluate your budget; ask yourself if you really can afford a dog.
Dog Ownership = Responsibility.
Take the time to ask yourself these questions and to make an educated decision. You and your dog will be happier for it. There is no doubt that a puppy is a cuddly bundle of joy, but it is also a huge responsibility.
Caring For Your Dog
All dogs must be cared for daily. This means proper diet, exercise, grooming and veterinary attention.
Do not attempt to be your own veterinarian!
So you've decided to purchase a dog. Owning a dog can be the beginning of years of happiness as the special bond between humans and canines exceeds even the greatest of expectations. However, to ensure the best relationship with your dog, you must be prepared for some important responsibilities.
Description:The Shih Tzu is also known as the Chinese/Tibetan Lion Dog or the Chrysanthemum Dog. It is called the chrysanthemum dog because its face looks very much like the flower.
The Shih Tzu is one of the most popular of the Toy breeds. It is well known for its long, flowing, luxurious hair, which covers all of its body. It has a round head, pleasant expression, and large, round, dark eyes. Its ears are large and covered by the coat. Shih Tzus are very small and compact in size, with a broad, deep chest. Their tails are curved and covered with fur. Shih Tzus can be any color, and tend not to shed. Their hair is in fact a double layer, with a woolly undercoat below the longer hair. Shih Tzus are small dogs, and are slightly longer than they are tall.he Shih Tzu is a sturdy, lively, alert toy dog with long flowing double coat. Befitting his noble Chinese ancestry as a highly valued, prized companion and palace pet, the Shih Tzu is proud of bearing, has a distinctively arrogant carriage with head well up and tail curved over the back. Although there has always been considerable size variation, the Shih Tzu must be compact, solid, carrying good weight and substance.
Temperament:
Shih Tzus are known for being sturdy, attentive, energetic, and responsive dogs. They are best suited to being companion dogs, and are generally easy-going and affectionate. When in a playful mood, Shih Tzus can be feisty and mischievous. Because they are alert and attentive dogs, they make good watchdogs who are fond of barking. If surprised or startled, they can be snappish. Shih Tzus love attention and being spoiled. They are very clever and can be trained, although they are known to be stubborn and a trainer consequently needs to be very patient. Shih Tzus generally get along well with other pets and older children. They do not do well with babies or toddlers, as they have a strong sense of self-importance and can be jealous of little children.
Caring for a Shih Tzu:
Shih Tzus are fairly easy to take care of, as they do not require a great deal of exercise. If the owner chooses to keep the hair long, it will require careful daily grooming. If not groomed regularly, tangles and painful mats can develop. Many owners tie the hair on the top of the Shih Tzu’s head into a distinctive topknot so that the dog can see more easily. The hair can, however, be trimmed in order to keep grooming needs to a minimum. Most Shih Tzus enjoy outside exercise or simply running around inside a house or yard. Their eyes are sensitive and need to be cleaned regularly.Make sure bottums are clipped in the private areas so that the pups wont have any problems from poop getting stuck in the fur along the butt area.which can cause blockage.
Weight Range: EXPECTATION ON WEIGHTS....
standard 9 to 16 lbs.
Imperial 3 to 9 lbs .An Imperial is any dog under 9 lbs.
Colors: All colors are acceptable.All colors permissible," but adds the words, "a white blaze on the forehead and a white tip to the tail are highly prized."The white blaze, collar, socks and tail-tip combine to create a highly prized ensemble" of a Shih Tzu.
Trainability: ShihTzu’s are alert and spunky little dogs who are endowed with loads of character. They are royally dignified and sometimes arrogant. They are stubborn and cleaver dogs who can get snappish if they are surprised or peeved.
With Children: This breed does well with polite, careful children.You must always be careful with children holding puppies.Puppies can be dropped .When it comes to children and puppies, it’s all about rules no matter what size breed is chosen. Children learn by example. If adults in the home are responsible with pets, the kids will follow that example. Simple things like cleaning up after, feeding, watering and securing the location of a puppy are essentials that any child can easily be taught. My children learned how to take care of dogs by watching us
Child safety around dogs
Your children need to be taught that the puppy is not a toy or doll, and should not be disturbed when resting or sleeping, picked up, cuddled, hugged, kissed, carried around, or dressed up, all of which can make it grumpy and snappy.
Toddlers and young children often unwittingly encourage puppies to chase and play bite them, so you should only let them interact under your supervision. Keep them apart (use a child-gate or playpen) if one or the other is having an exuberant moment, and never leave them alone together.
However, even older children (and some adults!) can be excitable and inconsistent or over-stimulating the puppy one minute, and then telling it off (and often hitting it) the next. Children (and puppies) are not known for their patience, so both need to be taught how to be gentle with each other.
Dog bite injuries are a problem in all societies, but a high majority of these injuries are preventable with the correct education. Most dog biting incidents happen in the home and many people are simply unaware of the simple measures that can be taken to avoid problems. The language used by dogs is subtle and children are prone to misinterpreting it, which can lead to biting incidents.
Teach your children the doggy dos and don'ts
Don't play rough and aggressive games with your puppy as this can encourage aggressive behaviour later on
Don't play fight with each other or taunt the puppy to make it protective or jealous, because this tends to backfire badly later if the dog ever misjudges the situation
Most dogs dislike close face-to-face contact, unless they have instigated it themselves, so keep faces away from the puppy's, or risk being bitten on the face!
Never let children ambush or force themselves on the puppy. If they want to play, the puppy should be invited over, but do not let the children force the issue if the puppy does not want to go to them. The children must be made to understand the importance of having 'quiet time' with the puppy, and give it space and peace and quiet when it wants it
Puppies will often steal, chew and swallow children's toys and clothes for attention, so teach your children tidy habits, or your puppy will spend its youth at the veterinary practice having things surgically removed from it (or worse, it could die)
Children have to be 10 years old or over to be legally responsible for a dog outside their homes
Children must learn to ask a dog's owner permission before petting their dog.
Living with dogs enriches children's lives. Taking care of a dog is an excellent way of teaching a child to take responsibility, express empathy, get some exercise and to have fun. Dogs can also significantly help to raise their self-esteem. But it is the responsibility of adults; especially parents, to make sure that these valuable child/dog relationships are nurtured so that one understands the other.
Other Pets: Shih Tzu are generally good with other pets.
Climate: This breed is sensitive to the heat.
indoor / Outdoor: Shih Tzu are good apartment dogs. They are fairly active indoors and will do okay without a yard.
Exercise Required: The Shih Tzu is a naturally active dog but they still need some encouragement to exercise. Do not overfeed this breed or it will quickly become fat.
Life Range: 14 to 16 years
Shih Tzu are considered non-shedding because they don't loose hair like breeds we classify as 'shedders'. A Shih Tzu looses hair like people, one strand at a time. Of course, all animals, including people have to get rid of hair, dander(skin flakes), etc... at some point in their life, in order to regrow more hair, skin, etc...
Will my dogs eye color change?Most pups open their eyes at 2 weeks old.All pups eyes are usally blue at this time.Eye color usally changes between 8 to 16 weeks.Eye color after 16 weeks usally stays that color.I have seen blue eye pups eyes change after 10 weeks old over and over so dont trust the eye color until about 14 to 16 weeks..I can usally tell just by the coloring if the eyes will stay light.Hyperglacemia When a puppy gets a bit too much exercise it can become stressed out, they might seem unable to stand or listless. This usually means that they have a low blood sugar problem. Like all toy dog puppies, You can solve that problem with a quick trip to the vet or by dropper/spoon feeding your dog some sugar water, Nutrical (or any good high calorie dietary supplement like Karo syrup). We suggest you keep some Nutrical around at all times. It is essential that you treat this problem right away by giving your pup the supplement or sugar water. AlSO Otherwise they can go into shock. Remember that your puppy needs to take time for feeding and rest. I feed Purina Puppy Chow.If your pup does not eat it dry try adding a little water and that should do the trick.Make sure pup is eating and drinking the first few days you bring it home.
You shouldn't take a young Puppy jogging with you! If you're planning more then just a short walk around a short block, leave your pet at home. The same applies to play time or long rides in a vehicle. DO NOT OVER-PLAY WITH YOUNG PUPS. Inform any children in the house that over-playing with the pup can cause it to become very sick. Limit the time a puppy spends in a vehicle (especially in high or low temperature zones). Long road trips or rides can stressout a puppy and expose him or her to unnecessary health risk.If you are taking a road trip using the a/c helps,preventing pups from getting car sick. Make sure pup is cool when riding in the car. Do not let them lay on the floor board that will make them sick for sure.
Blue eyes that persist throughout life can occasionally be found in Shih Tzu. Such blue eyes (actually, often dark or light gray rather than bright blue) are found in blue dogs. Blue Shih Tzu lack a needed color gene for black. Their color is therefore dilute; they also have blue pigment on their muzzles, noses, lips, footpads, and eye rims. Like liver-pigmented dogs (which have light brown eyes and pigment rather than the more common black), blue Shih Tzu are rare, but are perfectly acceptable in the show ring. All colors and markings are permissible in our breed. Nevertheless, blue eyes are unacceptable in the show ring . Light eyes of this kind do not affect vision, and blue-eyed Shih Tzu make fine pets.
It is suggested that you don't change puppy food or eating habits, started by breeder, during first few weeks with your new shih tzu puppy. Any changes should be done gradually to prevent upset digestive system and diarrhea. Add tiny amounts of the new food to the food the dog was on.... over a 2 week period untill you are giving all of the new food.I use Purina Puppy Chow and have never had a problem with it.Your pup will come with a sample bag to start you off.
It is suggested that PUPPIES not be fed table food, as this will make them "picky" and they will not get the necessary nutrition, for proper growth.
Potty Training
Most new puppy owners have a lot of questions regarding potty training. Generally, they ask is my puppy going to arrive potty trained. What do I have to do to potty train my puppy? Many ask about the potty pads, the dog litter, crate training and outside potty training. The situation depends upon the new owner and their life circumstances.
Your new puppy will be started on potty training but will not be fully trainable until about four months of age or older. Most pups that leave here are about 90 percent house trained to puppy pads.
Potty Pad - Potty pad training or news paper is very similar to outdoor training. You must take the puppy to the pad until they get the idea. Potty pads do cost some money and have to be changed regularly. You can purchase ones that can be washed as well. Sometimes, the puppies find them fun to tear up.
What I need to tell you all that which ever method you use the most important thing is consistency. I never leave a puppy that is not potty trained unattended in an area that I don't want an accident. Also, there are many good books and literature available at the library.
WATER BOTTLES I recommend using Lixit water bottles.Shih tzu's have long beards and when drinking from water bowls they tend to drip water on flooring.Since I use water bottles(purchased at Pet Smart) I don't have that problem anymore thier faces stay dry and clean.You can attach them to thier crates and for trips it is so much easier then a water bowl.
Grooming & Bathing Required:
This breed requires a good daily grooming using a bristle brush. Some owners prefer to have them trimmed to make grooming easier. They shed little to no hair and are good for allergy suffers.
I have learned alot about grooming from my shih tzus.Most of my dogs love the water and love thier baths.A shih tzu has long flowing hair that needs to be groomed every day.
A good shampoo and a conditioner is a must.
I also blow dry my dogs making sure to dry their chest.I bath my dogs once a week or a few days longer depending on if we played in the mud or dirt while having fun outside.Bristle brushes and a good dog comb and de matting tool is also MUST.
Shih tzu's tend to get hair in their eyes because of their long coats.I use the PLAIN saline solution to flush their eyes out and while I'm grooming ,I take regular cotton balls wet them and clean around their eyes.Keeps the tear stains away.Angel eyes is good for tear staining.I also use a whitening shampoo the link should be on this page.