You will need to purchase a dog brush, preferably a curry brush with rubber teeth that will be gentle, but effective, on your dog’s coat. You should also get some dog nail trimmers and some electric hair clippers (made for use on dogs). Purchase some shampoo that is specially formulated for use on dogs. Human shampoo can be irritating to your dog’s skin, so never use it on your dog. You can purchase varieties of dog shampoo that specialize in sensitive skin or certain types of dog hair. There are also formulas made just for puppies.
Put some towels down on the floor to keep you and your dog from slipping and to minimize the mess. Additionally, be sure to put down a nonslip surface in the sink or bathtub to protect your pup from slipping and hurting itself. Only groom your dog outside if the weather permits. Weather that is too hot or too cold could make your dog uncomfortable.
Try petting your Shih Tzu in your lap and praising it in soothing tones. This will help calm your dog down and put it in the right mood for grooming.
You should feel free to brush your Shih Tzu every day, but try to do it at least two or three times a week at a minimum.
But remember that the best way to deal with tangles is to do preventative care that ensures they never develop in the first place.
Ensure the water is lukewarm. If it is too cold, this can be dangerous for your dog’s body temperature. Additionally, water that is too hot can cause your dog to get burned which is also dangerous. Be sure to place your dog on a nonslip surface in the tub to prevent your dog from slipping.
Be sure to rinse out all of the shampoo residue, as any left behind could cause serious irritation to your dog’s skin.
If you leave the rheum on your Shih Tzu’s eyes for too long, it can discolor the hair around your dog’s eyes. This is especially true if your dog has lighter colored hair.
Be sure to use the lowest setting on the hairdryer when drying your dog. If you use a warmer setting, it could burn your dog’s skin. Sometimes dogs are afraid of the noise that the hairdryer makes. Try introducing the dog to the noise slowly at first before you start using it on the dog.
Again, be sure to start at the base of the hair and gently comb all the way out to the tips. This is the best way to remove tangles.
Be sure to only cut the white part of the nail. The pink part contains the quick, which is live tissue, and it will bleed if you cut it. If you’re nervous about trimming your dog’s nails, ask your groomer or vet tech to show you how to trim the dog’s nails and how much to trim. Alternatively, you could use a nail grinder to buff back your dog’s nails. If you accidentally make your dog’s nails bleed, put some cornstarch on it to help it stop bleeding.
You should secure your dog in place (using a leash) during this part of the process to make sure it can’t try to escape and jerk away.
At this point, you can take a fine comb (preferably the one you used to comb the dog’s face) and gently comb the hair in and around the dog’s ears. This will also help prevent any mats from forming. When using the cotton balls, make sure you don’t get them too deep into the dog’s ear cavity. To clean your Shih Tsu’s ears, it is easiest to place the dog on its side on a flat surface. Always check your dog’s ears immediately after a walk to make sure that no twigs, grass, or other debris are in its ears. These items could work their way deeper into the dog’s ears if not removed.
Brush your dog’s teeth daily. If your dog has trouble adjusting to the toothbrush, you can purchase a finger brush that slides onto your finger to use in the beginning. This will help your dog get used to the process before you transition to a real dog toothbrush. Again, be sure to purchase toothpaste that is intended for use with dogs. Human toothpaste contains ingredients that can be toxic if ingested by dogs.
