Congratulations on your new puppy! Shih Tzus are great little dogs.
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1) Gizmo, our 12- week Shih Tzu, HATES being brushed. I'm sure that this is very normal puppy behavior, but since his breed needs to be brushed frequently, I'd like to break the habit! When I do brush him, i try to distract him with a rawhide, but he usually ends up going to for the brush itself and squirming all over. Any suggestions on how to get him more comfortable? I try to brush him every 3-4 days, so will persistence just help?
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Shih Tzus should be groomed more frequently than every 3-4 days. Although you can get away with it at this young age, there will come the time (whenever coat change occurs w/your dog) where you'll end up with a mass of matts and he'll have to be shaved down. Get in the habit of brushing, then combing with a steel comb (which will catch any matts you can miss just brushing) on a daily basis. Rawhide is not good for dogs, and not of any help, regardless, for use in training your puppy to associate good things happening during a grooming session. Food treats work better than a chewie (Natural Balance food rolls are great for this purpose, as you can slice, then dice to tiny pieces). Follow up with lots of praise!
Be sure to handle his feet often, massaging between the toes. His nails should be clipped once a week.
Have you taken him to the groomer yet? Now is the time, if you haven't. Dogs who require frequent grooming need to start early. My (Std. Poodle) breeder starts shaving faces and feet at 4 wks. of age, and clips nails twice a week. Your groomer can also show you how to properly take care of your Shih Tzu's coat, and what tools you'll need. You need a pin brush, a slicker, and a steel comb. You also need a leave-in conditioning spray before brushing, as brushing dry can damage coat, and that creates matts.
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2) While Giz is a very little puppy (with short legs!), I've still been surprised how much he dislikes going for walks... I thought all dogs like that! For the first house or two (distance-wise, we live in the city) he's fine, but then he starts to slow down and by the time we get to the end of the block, he's laying down! What I don't understand is that he has TONS of energy in the house and loves to run up and down the hallways. Any suggestions for how to get him more comfortable walking? Or is it just that he's so young and he'll "grow into it"?
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He
is still a baby, and it's quite possible that in the heat of summer, he's exhausted and having trouble breathing. I have a (3 yr. old) Shih Tzu who loves to walk, and keeps up just fine with my two Standard Poodles (who slow down for their little brudder! LOL). However, he cannot deal with the heat, so his walks are very limited in both length, and time of day during summer months. You have to be very mindful of this with Tzus.
