We are from South Louisiana In the swamp along the Bayous with the alligators.Where Mardi Gras is a part of our heritage and Hurricanes have taught us that we are survivors.We raise Shih tzu's and have spoiled them all in our home.They now have a cottage with a huge sundeck so they can come inside my home or unto the deck which is connected to my home and to their own cottage.All pups are raised inside my home.We spend lots of time with them on our deck it's our family gathering place. We have chosen our dogs from several different states, So we know what searching the web for a new puppy is like. I am a hobby breeder, so I may not have puppies all of the time on my site. As you can see from all the pictures That I love taking pictures of them. I have owned dogs as long as I can remember. My Shih tzu's are registered with A.K.C.and have pedigrees. Most of my dogs have numerous champions in their bloodlines,including Westminster Dog show winners. We are looking forward to blue puppies.My Dogs all have thick coats and cobby bodies.The reason I am here is because I love the shih tzu breed.
About Shih tzu's & Puppies
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2007,2008,2009,2010
Description:The Shih Tzu is also known as the Chinese/Tibetan Lion Dog o
r 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: standard 9 to 16 lbs. Imperail 3 to 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.Scroll down for color chart.
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
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...
BRINGING THE NEW PUPPY HOME
Your new puppy will be undertaking alot of stress from moving from one home to another. So to for the puppy to feel secure I use crates,Crates are like a den to a dog, they feel safe and secure in.,before I ship my puppies ,I let them get used to thier own little den,Crates are for the safety of your dog.I leave my crates open and my dogs go in on thier own.They love thier crates,It is thier own place to get away from it all and they all know which crate is thier own crate.If you feel bad about cooping up a puppy in a crate buy a play pen for puppies that will keep the puppy safe and allow the dog place to play.Petsmart has those also.I put the crate inside and wee wee pads,toys,and water bottle and food and they are safe ,fed and secure.Your puppy's first night can be a miserable experience since he is used to sleeping in a cozy nest with his mother and littermates. You can substitute a hot-water bottle and a ticking clock wrapped in a towel to substitute his mother's presence and heartbeat. You can place his bed next to yours for the first few days, so that you can comfort him if necessary. If he cries or whines comfort him, then leave him alone. If you weaken and take him to bed with you, you may be creating a new problem that you will have to break.
Puppies tend to roam and if left alone to do what they please they will come into trouble.Would you leave your baby alone roaming the house?No ,so treat your puppy like you would a newborn or toddler.Couches and human beds should be off limits to a puppy until it can climb up on it's own... The NEW PUPPY WILL CRY.The puppy has just left it's surrounding it has known from birth.It usually takes a week or more for the puppy to adjust to leaving its old home.Puppies tire out easy so for the first weeks. Dont ever wake up a sleeping puppy to play.Let them sleep.Chew toys like raw hide and pig ears will save you alot of chewed up items in your home.Puppy's are teething and need something to chew on.Puppies also get bored so doggy toys will keep them occupied,I would recommend not giving a puppy anything with sewed or buttons that can be swallowed.I advise reading about puppies so you will know what to expect and that will make you and your new puppy happy.
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). 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. Otherwise they can go into shock. Remember that your puppy needs to take time for feeding and rest.
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.
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 in any color except blue. 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.
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.
A real challenge for any new puppy owner is house training. The best way to begin this process is to confine your puppy to a very small area of the house at first, or perhaps purchase a crate.I use a puppy playpen. Half of this area should be covered with newspaper, while the other half should be created as his sleeping area. Puppies don't want to sleep in a wet or soiled bed, so they will go to the newspaper. When you see this behavior, praise him and offer him a treat. As the puppy begins to understand the process, you can gradually give him more space and begin to work on out-of-doors training.Scroll down for pictures of my setup.
Maternal antibodies in the colostrum usually protects the puppies for the first few weeks of life.
At the age of week 6, around 25% of the puppies would be unprotected, assuming that all had received antibodies from the mother via drinking milk in the first few days after birth.
By week 12, almost 100% of the puppies would be killed by the viruses as their maternal antibodies no longer exist to protect them. It takes about 14 days to provide full protection.
Puppies infected by viruses before vaccination will NOT be protected when vaccinated. A very small percentage of puppies do not produce antibodies even though they are vaccinated.
Reasons for Vaccines
My Swimming shihtzu puppy Video
The breeder is responsible for the puppy for it's entire life- by always accepting them back into their care, it helps assure that rescue groups and humane shelters wont have to handle their dogs
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HYPOGLYCEMIA
(Low Blood Sugar)
This is a central nervous system disorder caused by low blood sugar. It occurs mainly in toy breeds between six and twelve weeks of age. Often it is precipitated by stress.
The first signs are listlessness and depression. They are followed by muscular weakness, vomiting or diarrhea, tremors (especially in the facial muscles), and later convulsions, coma and death. The entire sequence is not always seen. The dog may simply appear to be depressed or he may be weak, wobbly, and jerky, or he may be found in a coma.
Hypoglycemia can occur without warning when a puppy is placed in a new home or while being shipped. It might appear after a puppy misses a meal, chills, becomes exhausted from too much playing, or has a digestive upset. These upsets place an added strain on the energy reserves of the liver and bring on symptoms, if the dog is susceptible.
Puppies who are weaned on rice and hamburger are more likely to develop hypoglycemia. Their diet is deficient in certain ingredients needed to sustain the liver.
TREATMENT: Treatment is directed at restoring blood levels of glucose. Begin at once. Prolonged or repeated attacks can cause permanent damage to the brain. If the puppy is awake, give him Karo syrup, honey or sugar in water by mouth Or Nutrical (or any good high calorie dietary supplement)He will begin to improve within 30 minutes. When he is unconscious, he will have to be given a Dextrose solution intravenously. It may be necessary to treat for swelling for the brain. A veterinarian should be called at once, regardless if the puppy is awake or unconscious.
Prevent recurrent attacks by feeding a high quality dry food diet and adding to it sugar, syrup or honey. See that the puppy eats at least every 4 hours and receives a daily vitamin. Owners of toy puppies should not overtire them or allow them to chill. Play must be offset by frequent feedings. A puppy, who does not eat frequently, for whatever reason, is heading for trouble.
Source: Dog Owners Home Veterinary Handbook
By: Dr. Delbert G Carlson, D.V.M.
Dr. James M. Griffin, D.V.M.
Pictures of Shih tzu Cottage and deck
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.
Here are some methods I have used.
Crate Training or Outside Training- I generally crate train all my dogs. This helps if I have company arrive or a large family get together. The dogs have a place to go that is their very own and out of the way. Start by crate training for short periods of time, approximately two hours. When it's time to bring the puppy out, take the puppy outside to potty and play for awhile. Always walk with them into the area of the yard you wish them to potty. Stay with them outside until they have potty. Sometimes, this may take a few minutes. Afterwards, offer food and water, twenty minutes later take them back outside to the same area to potty. Do not leave the puppy unattended inside the house unless in the crate or in area that is easy to clean up. Place toys the puppy might enjoy playing with inside the crate. Many of the toys with areas to hide food are enticing. If you catch the puppy in the middle of the accident say "NO" in a large voice and then take them outside to the potty area.
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.
Dog Litter - Litter training is similar to potty pad training. You must take the puppy to the litter on a regular basis until they learn to use the litter. You will need to purchase a litter pan that is stable enough to hold the puppies. I have found they can sometimes tip these over.
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 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 purchased a conditioning spray from Dr. Fosters and Smith called grooming plus mist -with mink oil in it.This is an awesome product smells great and keeps the dog matt free between brushings..Their coats are shiny and soft.
I also blow dry my dogs making sure to dry thier 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 dematting tool is also MUST.
Shih tzu's tend to get hair in thier eyes because of thier long coats.I use a boric acid solution(sold at pet stores) to flush thier eyes out and while I'm grooming ,I take regular cotton balls wet them and clean around thier eyes.Keeps the tear stains away.
Here's another good tip.I worked for a vet years ago and too kill fleas we would use baby shampoo.It is gentle around the eyes and kills fleas if left on for about 5 minutes.When bathing my dogs I use baby shampoo for thier heads so thier eyes don't burn or get red.And it kills fleas.
For Visitor's to Bluecajun's home
If you’re coming to Bluecajun to choose a puppy, or just visit my dogs for any reason, I ask that you do not visit any other Breeder or Kennel the same day or at least before you come to Bluecajun.
I’m sure other breeders will appreciate the same consideration. Parvo or any other air born disease can be carried by a person walking in an infected area, picked up on shoes or clothing and transported to another innocent dog or pup.
My dogs & pups live in a very clean environment, I sanitize everyday and
DO NOT want to jeopardize any of my dogs in anyway. So, if you are going from house to house looking for a bargain, PLEASE do me and my dogs a favor, SKIP my house.
I rather lose a maybe sale than lose my pups. A lot of breeders won’t let you on their premises, but I am willing to let you come see the parents and where they live, etc., but only by appointment and ONLY if I am the first or only home you visit that day.
If you do have an appointment, please be considerate, be on time or if you can’t make it, call and cancel or reschedule.
Thanks
Bluecajun
Males verses females
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.
Breeder's Poem
I love my little puppy; she makes my house a home.
She is my very best friend; I never feel alone.
She makes me smile;
She makes me laugh;
She fills my heart with love . . .
Did some breeder breed her, or did she fall down from above?
I've never been a breeder, never seen life through their eyes;
But, still I hold my little puppy and just sit and criticize. I've never known their anguish; I've never felt their pain, the caring of their charges, through snow or wind or rain.
I've never sat the whole night through, waiting for babies to be born, the stress and trepidation when they're still not there by dawn. I've never felt the heartache of a little life in my hands, this darling little baby, who weighs but 60 grams.
Should you do that instead of this . . . or this instead of that?
Alone you fight and hope one day, he'll grow to be a dog.
You pray he'll live to bring joy to another family, and make a house a home.
You know it's all up to you; you'll fight this fight alone.
Formula, bottles, heating pads, you've got to get this right, two-hour feedings for this tiny guy, throughout the day and night.
In your heart you know you're almost sure to lose the fight, to save this little baby, but God willing you just MIGHT.
Day one he's in there fighting; you say a silent prayer.
Day two & three, he's doing well, with lots of love and care.
Day four & five . . . he's still alive; your hopes soar to the heavens.
Day six he slips away again, dies in your hands.
Day seven. You take this little angel, and bury him alone.
With aching heart and burning tears, and an exhausted groan, you ask yourself, "Why do this? Why suffer all this pain?"
But seeing the joy your puppies bring . . it really self-explains.
So, when you think of breeders and label them with "Greed,"
Think about what they endure to fill another's need.
When you buy a puppy, and with your precious dollars part, remember, You only pay with money .. . . we pay with a piece of our heart.
Author unknown
Mosquito's and how to Kill those Suckers..lol
I live deep in the swamps of Louisiana and have millions of mosquito's every year and as we all know all it takes is one Mosquito to bite a dog and you have Heartworm's.I strongly suggest all dogs living in Louisiana be put on a heart worm preventive.I found a neat product that's makes them just die in their tracks and is pretty safe from the years I have been using it,I also have tried it on other insects like ants wasp anything crawly.I take a garden sprayer I bought at a hardware store fill it up with water and use the
Blue concentrate Dawn dishwashing liquid.
Don't put the soap in first or you will have more bubbles then water.I mist my kennel walls and the area's the dogs will be in.When I wake up first thing I grab is my sprayer and spray the outside area my dogs will be in. Do not spray the dogs, dont want to get soap in their eyes.I mist the Mosquito's who have been waiting all night for breakfast and they just drop to the ground.I even spray my plants,bushes anything they can hide in.I can't count the Mosquito's I have killed in one year.I have passed this on to friends who have tried it and or amazed on how well this works.I swear by it!!!!I have tried everything,you name it anything to get rid of these pest..Dawn was my answer.
