An adult Shih Tzu is a small lapdog , weighing up to 16 pounds , with long , silky hair that requires regular grooming . This breed is loyal and favorable towards their kin members , but can be bed to misbehave !
Today we are going to take a look at the pros and confidence trick of sharing your nursing home with a full grown Shih Tzu . Helping you to adjudicate whether this is the right stock for you . And if so , how to choose a pup and care for your Shih Tzu into maturity .
Getting to know the Adult Shih Tzu
Breed At A Glance
Few dogs are as instantly recognisable as the grownup Shih Tzu . With their fabulous hair and small stature , they for sure gain themselves a lot of admire attention wherever they go .
Shih Tzu Breed Review
History and Original Purpose
Shih Tzu are consider to be one of the previous breeds of dog , with their origins stretching back to Tibet or China . They are believed to originate from breeds like the Lhaso Apso and the Pekingese .
The Shih Tzu was favor as as lapdog for emperor and their families . This little hotdog stayed in its royal house of cards until the thirties , when it became known to the rest of the world!They are now born and bred lap dog-iron , and have been that way for generations . With a breeding stress placed on their highly characteristic look .
Fun Facts about Shih Tzu
Shih Tzu also means “ lion ” , perhaps reflecting their beautiful coats ! Plus , we ’ve seen these puppy were a favorite of Formosan and Tibetan royal house . But do they have any other famous owners we might know ?
There are flock of celebrities who have take one of these little dogs!The list include Geri Halliwell , Bill Gates , Mariah Carey , and even the Dalai Lama !
What do Adult Shih Tzu look like?
This appealing trivial dog has a regal look , which makes sense when you find out that he was once the property of Taiwanese royalty .
They are modest and compact , with categorical faces that give the verbal expression of being rather cheerful . However , these flat typeface have some serious health problems . We will look at these in more detail later .
Their body are slightly out of proportion for a hound breed , with shortened legs and a prolonged acantha .
Full Grown Shih Tzu Height and Weight
So , when we say these are lap dog , they really are small ! A full grown Shih Tzu will more often than not weigh between 9 and 16 pound . you may expect your pup to grow to between 8 and 11 inches at the shoulder as an adult .
Check outthis article on development stagesto see when your whelp should be fully grown ! If you ’re looking for a dog name urge by this small sizing , we ’ve gotloads for you to opt from !
Coat Type
These little dogs are covered from head to toe in silky pilus . It can even be tied up to countenance them a clean ocular field . They have a double coat that is usuallylong and menstruate .
Colors
This coat comes in a vast variety of color , admit the following standard ones :
They can also come as a combining of ashen with any of these colors . Some non - standard colors include black , gold and silver , smutty , gold and clean , black white , and silver , silver , amber and white , and just pure white .
Markings
These pups also have a variety of markings . These can include :
Shih Tzu Temperament
Shih Tzu fans fuck the breed for their loyalty and warmth to their owner . They are affectionate and truehearted , but not without a bouncy side .
Being multiply as overlap dogs and companions , this pup is at home having a dither made of him . And if properly socialised they should be happy to wander up and greet friends and unknown alike .
Aggression
Without proper socialisation some Shih Tzu have been known to growl or even snap when bore with physical affection like stroking .
They are therefore not always the most authentic breed to have around child who are not yet quondam enough to understand when to give them space , or the penury to handle such a little dog with care . recollect , that just because these dogs look like a cuddly toy , it does n’t mean he has the personality of one . Although they are technicallytoy breeds !
learn minor to be respectful and always superintend their interactions , as kids are not as good at recognise warning signs that the dog has had enough .
Socialization
This said , if you have your whelp from 8 weeks old and ensure he is used to being handled . This will reduce the likelihood of this job .
ensure to socialise your Shih Tzu from as early as possible . Not only will this minimise aggression , but it will also help your puppy be as felicitous as potential in young situations . Crate training can also help you to keep your click separate from the unwished-for , prod finger of node .
Training your Shih Tzu
This lowly strain has a charming personality to go with his looks . But unfortunately this can make training quite slick . With its independent personality , they ’re often capable to get their own way if possessor let them !
So , it ’s significant to stick to training , and be as uniform as possible . Otherwise , you may come up your whelp exhibiting some naughty behaviors . If you ’re worried about giving in , puppy training classes are a keen direction to go !
Exercise Needs
Being a small stock they do not ask huge amounts of exercise , and can be just as happy living in a flat as in a big house with a garden
Like any cad though , they do savour having somewhere to run around outdoors and benefit from veritable training . In late long time people have lead off to enter them in miniature agility , and demonstrated that they can be more than just a pretty face . However , it ’s important to remember the problem that come with their unconditional face .
Flat faced breeds are not good swimmer , so ensure to keep exercise on dry farming . acute utilisation can also lead to overheating , and problem breathing . So be certain to never over - wield your little pup when exercise , especially in red-hot weather .
Shih Tzu Health and Care
Adult Shih Tzu detent can suffer from a few serious contour related problem . These are the main drawback of this stock . As some of the wellness consideration can lead to a much big lineament of life for these puppy .
Brachycephaly
Brachycephalic , or directly - look , dogs have a ton of serious wellness trouble that can cause extreme discomfort . This flat face has been bred into blackguard , by mating dogs in a breed with exceptionally short snout . This is often just to live up to breed trend , and to achieve the ‘ cutest ’ dog potential . However , there is often piffling focus on the health of these pups . Below are some of the weather condition brought on by this flattening of the brass .
Brachycephalic Ocular Syndrome
shorten muzzles also create various eye problems due to a more shallow heart socket . brachycranial dogs often appear to have wide-cut , start eyes . But this is just because of shallow centre socket , and it actually will the eyes more vulnerable to wrong .
This can include scratches or ulcer . In some face , these pup can lose their sight . Plus , there is a real chance of their center literally bulge out out of their sockets .
Heat Control Problems
shorten schnoz actually make it more difficult for dogs to cool themselves down . This is why too much utilisation is high-risk for these dogs . Because they can not cool as efficiently as other breeds , they are also prone to heat stroke .
Dental Problems
When a detent ’s snout is shorten , the act of tooth in his mouth is not reduced . This means dental health is all the more important . savourless Faced dog ’ teeth are crammed together with very little room to grow , which can lead to increased decay . These dogs need their tooth brushed every single daylight to minimise dental issues .
Breathing Problems
Having a scant muzzle also affect the breathing in these dogs . Brachycephaly deoxidize the size of a dog ’s nostrils and the size of their air passage .
These problems often do the huffing and grunting noises in flat - faced dog . Although not all wienerwurst are seriously affected , some can stomach from brachycephalic issues to the extent that they postulate surgery in society to pass off easily and freely .
Intervertebral Disc Disease
These pups do n’t just abide from brachycranial issuing . Although it is often mask under their long and silky coats , Shih Tzu can be afflicted by the spine related disorder Intervertebral Disk Disease .
This is because of the dog-iron back and pegleg not being correctly proportioned . The spine is basically too long to be in good order supported by the shortened stage . This can result in severe back botheration , coordination problems and even palsy .
Other Problems
There are some wellness issues that impact other pedigree breeds too that should also be attend out for , including hypothyroidism , epilepsy and pelvic girdle dysplasia .
Many pups can be screen for these problems . If your pump is set on receive a Shih Tzu pup , seek to ensure it comes from a stemma that does not suffer from these emergence .
Grooming an Adult Shih Tzu
Shih Tzu coats are not for the faint hearted . They are long and require even grooming and care . It ’s life-sustaining that your Shih Tzu is used to being groomed from a young old age , unless you are prepared to pay regular visits to your local groomer for some serious clipping . You will also take to take care to keep their long mind hair from obscuring their imagination or causing aggravation to their oculus .
The Shih Tzu coat does however have definite positives , if you are well-chosen with its maintenance . Although long and bushy in appearance , it is actually comparatively low sloughing . Which signify that you are less probable to be troubled with allergies , or invariably vacillate up after them!They are also very typical and a lot of the great unwashed find them very appealing , and enjoy making them up with obeisance and ribbons .
Do Shih Tzu Make Good Family Pets
This is a companion dog , perhaps well suited to an older home or distich . They do n’t require big sum of money of space or utmost exercise , but do still require steady walk and benefit from obedience training .
Their coats are foresighted , and you must be well-chosen to keep on top of their training for their life . When you choose you puppy verify that you are shown copies of clear health test from both parent , and ideally meet them both too .
The wellness conditions that this whelp is prone to can lead to a really pitiful quality of life . While some of them are avertable through wellness tests , others , like brachycephalic issue , can not be avoided .
You may want to look at getting a premix or a dissimilar purebred who will have a right quality of life . Or , if your heart is set on this little breed , you could deliver one who is already in need of a home .
Rescuing an Adult Shih Tzu
Rescuing a dog is a great way to give a 2nd probability to one without a home . Rescues are also usually a lot tacky than opt a wienerwurst from a breeder .
They will be able-bodied to give you a lot of information about the disposition and health history of your chosen whelp . And usually will question you to make certain you ’re the best burst for a new doggy base . get across here to go to our list of rescues .
Finding a Shih Tzu Puppy
If your philia is set up on getting a Shih Tzu pup , verify you go to a reputable stock breeder . These popular pups can really cost up to thousands of dollar .
verify to put in lots of research to get the most reputable stock breeder . You should ask them oodles of questions , and expect them to do the same ! You ’ll want to see wellness certification , and fulfill the puppy ’s parents .
Where to Avoid
There are some places you ask to head off when you ’re getting any pup . Puppy mills tend to sell puppy gaudy than reputable stock breeder . But this cheap price comes at the cost of bad health and short conditions for the puppy . favored stores often buy their puppies from puppy mills , so they should also be invalidate .
Raising a Shih Tzu Puppy
Caring for a vulnerable puppy is a big responsibility . There are some great guides to serve you with all aspect of puppy care and grooming . Here are some you might find utilitarian .
Popular Shih Tzu Breed Mixes
miscellaneous breed pups are progressively popular these days . Plus , a interracial breed puppy with a recollective gag and short back could be a better option from a wellness point of view . Check out some majuscule Shih Tzu mixes below .
Comparing the Shih Tzu with Other Breeds
If you ’re wondering how this small frankfurter compares to some similar breeds , hold back out our breed comparisons below !
Similar Breeds
The wellness conditions of this strain can go to a inadequate character of life for these little pups . But there are deal of similar breeds that do n’t suffer from the same uttermost health problems .
Pros And Cons of Getting A Shih Tzu
If you need a fast overview of this stock , we ’ve got a summary here ! Here ’s the pros and cons of bewilder one of these minor pups .
Cons
Pros
Products and Accessories
To groom for the arrival of any fresh pup you ’ll take to get some product and accessories . But there are so many out there , choosing the best can be tough . We ’ve got some great articles below that facial expression at the expert product and accessory , so you have them all in one position !
Breed Rescues
Although you could encounter these pups in regular rescue middle , you could also find strain - specific ones . Here are some rescue that you could check out .
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Canada
Your Adult Shih Tzu
A full grown Shih Tzu is a small , portable and very truehearted pet . But they do come with some worrying health issues . The best and debatably most honourable way to get an adult Shih Tzu is to adopt one from a rescue centre . You then lie with what health issues they are likely to have already , will assess whether you may manage them and are n’t lend to an industriousness of breeding unhealthy pets .
