Shih Tzu Content Rules

Many people plant in their homes and apartments pets. Some prefer small Shih Tzu breed dogs. In this article we will talk about the description of the breed, its characteristics and the basic rules for the maintenance of such animals.

Providing all the necessary conditions for the maintenance of Shih Tzu in the home is not so simple. Despite the fact that they are small, and they do not need much space in the apartment, these dogs are quite demanding to the conditions of detention.

The pet bed should not be placed near a window or door opening, in drafts, close to a heater or a battery.. A small house bought in a store or a kennel made independently can act as a bed. But you can do a simple lounger.

Take care of small bowls in advance, which should be placed near the sleeping area of ​​the animal. It is better to choose from stainless materials. And also begin to teach the puppy to the toilet in advance. This can be done already in 2 months. First, you can teach the dog to relieve the need for a special diaper, and then accustom it to the tray.

Shih Tzu breed dogs can be fed with ready-made feeds from the store, as well as natural products. Currently, there are a huge number of brands of premium ready-made food. Consider the main ones.

In the assortment you can find food produced specifically for dogs of the Shih Tzu breed, which is called Shih Tzu Adult. At the heart of the diet is rice and poultry meat. The composition also contains fish oil, extracts of grapes and green tea, soybean oil. Such nutrition can be given to puppies from 10 months.

The product range of this manufacturer has a diet, designed for small breeds - Adult Small Breed. The basis of the menu can be meat of turkey, chicken, fillet of flounder. It also includes chicken eggs.

The main ingredients of the diet are: turkey fillet, chicken, chicken eggs, herring or flounder. Almost all the feeds of this brand lack cereal products that can cause allergies in the animal.

Sometimes, in the manufacture of food, sublimated chicken or turkey liver is also added to it. These components can enhance the taste and flavor of the finished food.

The range has a menu created specifically for miniature dog breeds. The basis is chicken meat. This diet supports the weight of the dog, contributes to a good condition of the skin. And also it does not allow a stone to form on the teeth of the animal.

This menu is based on chicken fillet and rice grains. It includes special vitamin and mineral supplements that ensure the excellent condition of the skin, coat and joints. This manufacturer produces both ready-made dry rations and canned food in cans.

This manufacturer also produces food designed specifically for small dog breeds. It includes rabbit meat and salmon fillet. In the production of dry granules make small, optimal for small puppies form.

Today, this brand produces food designed for small breeds of dogs. The main ingredient is poultry meat, which is subjected to pre-careful processing. And also in the composition there are cereal components.

This feed contains various vitamin and mineral supplements. They provide a normal metabolism in the body of the animal. And they also contribute to the maintenance of good physical condition and the rapid recovery of energy.

Natural nutrition for this breed must contain raw meat. Boil fillets a little. The most commonly used pieces of beef, rabbit or chicken.

In the diet should include offal, including liver and lung. Milk porridges are also an excellent option for dogs. So, for them are often cooked rolled oats, buckwheat or rice.

Dairy products are also excellent for this breed.. Most often they are given kefir or cottage cheese (it is better to use homemade). Pets can be given chicken eggs, but this should be done no more than 1-2 times a week.

Shih tzu fish can come up. It is better to choose marine species. They should be given no more than 2-3 times a week. Vegetables will be a good option, but they are best given in the form of chopped mashed potatoes with the addition of a small amount of fish oil or vegetable oil.

There are products that should not be given to Shih Tzu breed dogs.

• Milk. With age, the pet almost ceases to digest lactose, which is found in large quantities in milk. In adults, it can cause an allergic reaction. Such a component can be replaced by fermented milk products.
• Raw fish. Such fish should not be given shih tzu, as it is often infected with worms. In addition, river species contain a large number of small bones that can hurt the animal, so this product must first be boiled.
• Pork. It refers to the fat type of meat, so the dog will be hard to digest.
• Smoked products (sausage, sausages). These ingredients can cause significant harm to the dog's liver. And they can disrupt the processes in the digestive system.
• Salt. It can disrupt the fluid and electrolyte balance in your pet's body, which can lead to convulsions or even heart failure.
• Sweets. Chocolate, sugar and other pastries can disrupt the dog's digestive processes and spoil its teeth.
• Coffee. This product can cause a sharp increase in blood pressure in the animal, rapid heartbeat, vomiting, and even convulsions.
• Grapes In pets when used in large quantities, it can cause renal failure. And also do not abuse and raisins.
• Garlic and onion. They can cause acute indigestion. If you use them in too large quantities, it can lead to disruption of the structure of the blood cells of the body.
• Semolina. This type of cereal is poorly digested by dogs, so it should also be completely eliminated from the Shih Tzu diet.
• Avocado. This product may cause your pet to vomit or diarrhea.

remember, that the little puppy should be fed 4 times a day. The daily intake of food should be 5-7% by weight of the pet. Adults can be fed only 2 times a day, while the daily rate should be equal to 2-4% by weight of the animal.

If you have taken a puppy from the nursery, then you need to feed him with the same food that was in the nursery for a short time. Otherwise, a sharp change of diet can cause a stressful reaction of the Shih Tzu. When the puppy is fully mastered in the new house, the menu can already be adjusted.

It is necessary to bathe dogs of the given breed often. This procedure is best done once a week. After all, pure wool is practically not confused in an animal, and mats are not formed.

To bathe a pet, it must be carefully transferred to a basin or bath. Rubber liner must be laid at the bottom. It is placed so that the pet's paws do not slip while swimming.

Bathing water should be 36-38 degrees. It is necessary to bathe shih-tzu with a special shampoo for animals. During the procedure it is necessary to thoroughly rinse the space between the fingers, the stomach and the back.

The resulting foam is washed several times. You can use air conditioning, this will simplify combing. Before bathing and after it, the animal must be combed.

To dry your pet faster, it is better to carefully wrap it in two thick bath towels. The dog can be dried with a hair dryer.

Combing pets of this breed is worth every day. Moreover, each procedure has to allocate at least 30 minutes. If this is not done, tricks will quickly form on the dog.

To teach shih-tzu to this procedure should be at the age of 6 weeks. To do this, use a comb with sparse hard teeth and a special massage brush.

If you do not want to constantly comb the animal, it can be cut short. It is often done in autumn and spring, as during these periods during walks, pets collect a lot of dirt on their fur.

Pet can not be combed on dry wool. Pre-hair is well moistened with a special wet conditioner. If a large number of mats has formed on the body, they are removed using a special maize chopper.

With the growth of hair should be cut. As a rule, they are made once a month. Such a procedure does not necessarily do in special salons, they can be done correctly at home with their own hands.

Most often trimmed limbs, the base of the tail. If your pet will participate in exhibitions, then it should not be cut, since in this case, the Shih Tzu must have a long and thick coat.

Care should be and nails. They must be cut periodically. It is recommended to do it after bathing, when the nail plate will become soft. Cut only the upper part.

Need to care for the eyes. It is necessary to remove hair on the head in the tail so that it does not climb into them.

To raise a dog should be a small age. Dogs of this breed have excellent acumen, so training is easy. In the process of training they will be able to perform simple commands (bring slippers, give a paw).

First, the pet is trained by frequent walking on the street. So he quickly gets used to society, and it will be possible to establish contact with the puppy.

Then the animal is trained to the toilet. First, for a Shih Tzu, you can put a small piece of a special diaper. After the animal gets used to it, it will be possible to show it a tray, on the bottom of which an old diaper is laid.

Puppies can start walking at the age of 3.5 or 4 months. Initially, the walk should last no more than 15 minutes. It is better to bring small individuals to the street up to five times a day.

As the puppy grows older, the number of paddocks per day begins to decrease, while increasing their duration in time. For adults, only one hour walk per day will be enough.

After each arrival from the street it is necessary to carefully examine the limbs, eyes, auricles and wool. It is necessary to immediately remove the dirt stuck during the walk. And you should also make sure that There are no ticks on the dog.

Shih Tzu is considered a breed of dogs with good health. In addition, its representatives are long-lived and can live up to 20 years. But at the same time, there are still some diseases to which these animals are most affected. So, constantly need to follow the pet's eyes. Individuals often suffer from cataracts, eyelids, distychiasis.

To bring the pet's eyes back to normal, they should be periodically washed with clean water or special means. An excellent preventive measure will be the inclusion in the menu of products with a high content of vitamin A and additional multivitamin supplements.

Often, shih-tzu suffer from disorders in the intervertebral discs. In this case, the dog should not be allowed to climb on elevated surfaces. And also you need to make sure that the animal does not jump from beds, tables or chairs.

Also, some individuals of this breed can suffer from diseases of the spine, liver, heart or teeth with improper care and nutrition. To avoid health problems, shih-tzu dogs are required to vaccinate.

Initially, two courses of vaccination are conducted for puppies. The first should occur when the pet is 8 or 9 weeks old. The second is held when the puppy is already 10 or 12 weeks old.

As your pet grows older, vaccination should be carried out every year. Shih Tzu vaccinations for various diseases:

• distemper;
• parainfluenza;
• lime disease;
• leptospirosis;
• parvovirus enteritis;
• rabies.

Some individuals of Shih Tzu suffer from urolithiasis, which is most often observed in males. It develops due to a sedentary lifestyle or an excess of protein in the puppy's body. It can also be caused by a lack of water in the diet.

When buying a puppy of this breed, make sure that he does not have genetic diseases. After all, some of them can subsequently lead to heart disease or tracheal collapse.

In more detail about how to cut a shih tzu, you learn from the following video.