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Congratulations on the purchase
of your new puppy! Over the next few weeks and months, both
you and your puppy are going to become very close. There are
a few things you can do to help make the transition from nursery
to pampered house puppy easier. Most of the things I'm going
to discuss are basically common sense issues. There are a
few other things we will mention that will be breed-specific tips. FOOD
It
is important to know what puppy food your breeder is feeding your puppy. It is
imperative that your puppy is on a high quality puppy food.
(If your puppy is on a high quality food, it isn't
necessary to supplement the diet with vitamins and minerals.) A good diet
will help to ensure that your puppy will grow strong and
healthy. Most people aren't aware but shih tzu's tend to be
sensitive to soy products. If your puppy is experiencing
puzzling skin conditions, read the ingredient listing on your dog
food. Don't be surprised if you see soy listed. TREATS
We
view doggy treats like junk food; a couple is fine, but
don't overdo it. We prefer all natural treats and, on occasion,
feed Iam's Puppy Biscuits. Again, make sure the
ingredients don't include soy products. VACCINATIONS
Vaccinations
are very important to keep your puppy healthy. Click here
for a special page I have dedicated to help educated you on the
changing protocols on puppy vaccinations. SLEEPING
ARRANGEMENTS
We know puppy's are
cute and they are going to cry if you leave them alone, but you
must remember most puppy's are not housebroken so it wouldn't be a
very good idea to let them sleep in your bed until they earn the privilege.
It would be wise to consider purchasing a pet taxi that will
double as a crate to help potty training. We usually place
the pet taxi next to our bed so we can lean down and comfort the
puppy throughout the night. If you are using a pet taxi make sure it's
comfortable with a soft blanket or towel. Whatever you use,
make sure it can be washed. Also, take into consideration
that the towel or blanket isn't too big for the pet taxi. A
small puppy would have no trouble crawling under something big and
get lost. An approved chew toy would be acceptable to give
something for the puppy to do while it's waiting for your
return. It may take a night or two before the puppy learns
not to cry. POTTY
TRAINING
We've heard numerous ways
on how to housebreak a puppy. Over the years, we've found
that the "crate training" method works the best.
Most people don't know it but puppies can't "hold it" until
they are at least 10 weeks of age. Frequent potty breaks is
a must. Anytime the puppy wakes up from a nap or eats, it
should go outside to the same place. The puppy will soon get the
message quickly. It also helps to praise, praise, and more praise
when they successfully go outside. We find you make major
milestones if you use positive reinforcement instead of playing
I'm the master, you the puppy and you got to listen to me.
If you have an older dog, that's great. Little puppies want
to grow up to be big puppies so they love to emulate their new
best friend. We also find a little bribery now and then don't
hurt. WEATHER
Since
shih tzus have short muzzles, they are very sensitive to hot
weather. We find our shih tzus don't particularly care for
very hot or very cold weather. During the summer
season we let them play outside early in the morning and late in
the afternoon. Always make sure you have plenty of water
available on hot days. If it's very cold outside, make sure
you don't let ice build up between the pads on the feet.
Also, it isn't a good idea to let your shih tzu go on walkways
where salt or some other ice melting ingredients have been
used. Make sure you thoroughly wash and dry the feet of your
little furbaby if they happen to walk on any de-icing ingredients. GROOMING
The
reason why people tend not to be allergic to shih tzus is they
have "hair" and not "fur." Shih tzus and
cocker spaniels need a daily brushing to keep their hair from
matting. It is wise to invest in a good long-pinned brush
like a Chris
Christensen Systems (they offer a lifetime guarantee) brush. Shih tzus and cocker spaniels need to be
trimmed every 6 to 8 weeks. The length of the coat should be
dependent on the weather - short for summer, longer for
winter. If you are looking to keep your puppy in long coat;
a clean coat grows faster than a dirty one. Also, we found
that white hair is the fastest growing hair color. Bathing should
be done weekly. If
your dog is greasy or very dirty, we use original Dawn Dish Soap (blue
bottle) or a good mild shampoo. Another benefit we found using Dawn is that fleas hate it!
(I hate using chemicals to control fleas!) We've recommended
Dawn to several people who were experiencing flea problems when
nothing else seemed to work. Again and again, we hear their amazed
voices telling me the fleas were literally jumping off the dog
while bathing! When you wash your puppy, start with the head
and work your way back. When fleas sense water, they quickly
try to hide in the ears. A good conditioner like Pantene is
great for keeping the hair silky soft. When brushing a dry
coat, always spray a little conditioner on the hair to prevent
breakage. Make sure you routinely pull all hair in the ears,
squeeze the anal glands, and clip the nails. We don't know if it's a
doggy thing, but we find my dogs seem to "strut" on the leash
after being groomed. EYE
CARE
Since shih tzus are
considered a "bug eyed" breed, they have a higher risk
of injury to the eye. Don't let the hair on the face grow
too long to prevent you from easily seeing the eyes. If you
notice any discoloration, or a blue hue to the eye, contact your
veterinarian immediately. The sooner you start
treating the eye problem, the better results you get. An
infected eye can easily lead to blindness. Also, tearing and
staining seem to affect the bug eyed breeds. We found, quite
by accident, a possible way to reduce or eliminate tearing.
One 400 mg Folic Acid pill daily seems reduce or totally eliminate
tearing problems. You can find this diet supplement at
Wal-Mart. There
are many good books on the market today concerning grooming
and training to help you better understand your breed.
We
have a library of books we keep as a reference. We also
subscribe to a couple of dog journals to get the latest health
information. Good
luck on raising your puppy - your new best friend! |
