can anyone else help.  This is the first bitch I have ever had.... when do they normally get there first sesson and how long does it normally last. And people keep saying they get the dog shaved,  is it possible to get someone to trim the coat so its as if it had have the length left on or would this look stupid?

She is likely to come into season anytime after about 6 months of age, and on average it lasts 21 days. As she's your first bitch, buy a copy of "The Book of the Bitch" which will answer most, if not all, your questions. A good book about the breed would be helpful, too, so you can see how the coat should be.
:)

Ask your VET surley you should have seeked advice about this matter before getting your bitch.

Excuse me however if you had taken time to read my previous posts you would have realised that I had rescued this poor pup from a lady in the street who was going to just put the dog out on the street because it was still weeing on the floor and is now still only 16 weeks.  How sick!!! People like you annoy me jumping to conclusions that people on hear have no common sense.  I am a very experienced dog owner and have had dogs all my life but never a bitch.  All I wanted was a bit advice as I sit and think of different things!  If you cant be very constructive in your posts as other people have been, dont waste the space with sarcastic messages.  Thankx

Labrador that was a bit harsh its New Years Day mind your manners

Jean

lol at least someones in the festive spirt lol thanks jean  First snow fall here was last night and the pup loves it.  Its taken me all day to get balls of snow from being stuck on the pups fur lol  Never seen a snow shih tzu befor lol

If you find a decent groomer in your area, they should be able to scissor the coat, so that you puppy doesn't looked totally clipped out.  It will just neaten everything.

One of the things we do for people who like their dogs coats to be left reasonably long, but don't want the trouble of knots and matts is to clip all of the belly coat off, by lifting the side coat out of the way.  Then when the side coat is let down again it covers the clipped area and looks long.

The other clip is a teddy bear clip, where the body coat is clipped down but not too short, and then the legs are left reasonably long and blended into the body coat.

With a puppy of your breed ask them to cut the head into a chrysanthamum (sp) shape.

Its a good idea to find a groomer from recommendation rather than plumping for just anyone, as there are groomers and there are groomers.

Jayne

Thanks Jayne your a star.  Do you know of any web sites which sho a picture of various styles you could have a shih tzu cut? 

Sorry Eddie I don't know of any sites, but possibly typing the breed name plus grooming into Google might throw up something.

I only know of these clips as my daughter is a groomer. 

Best I could do is next time she has a shih tsu in to clip is to take some pics and e-mail them to you.

But as I don't have her diary can't tell you when that might be.

PS Had a quick search myself and came up with this site with books available about grooming http://www.bakalo.co.uk/shihtzunewsuk/grooming/books.htm

Sorry no good at links :-D

Hi Eddie Happy New Year :)

Molly came into season at 7 months but she did have a phantom straight after. Book of the Bitch is brilliant and I got mine from Amazon.

Molly is trimmed just a bit longer than a 'teddy bear'. She seems to have finer hair than some I have seen and I have noticed that the tzus that are more thick and curly seem to be the teddy bear colour tzus. Molly is black and white. This is probably coincidence though and only what I have noticed on walks and at the groomers etc :). She has a "page boy" cut to keep her hair out of her eyes as no elastic band would stay in her hair for long LOL. We like her tail kept long too. We wash her face every day and bathe her a lot especially now the garden is so muddy as both of mine are out there as much as they can be.

Gina

PS Molly (who was bathed 2 days ago) but who is now more black than white and is barking at the squirrels and who has just had a mad 5 minutes running round like a nutter (which she seems to do once a day) and teasing Barney no end while I am trying to type this. :p :p

lol gina Sophie is running around just as you discribe,  everytoy is at my feet now.... ops and her comes her basket lol

She went in the garden yesterday however we have five inches of snow...nice...but one problem, the pup is only about five inchs too quite a sight seeing a snow shih tzu lol.  Never had a shih tzu before and infact never heard of one till I rescued this little monkey however I am besotted on the breed now and cant wait to learn more.

I can just picture Sophie LOL. I have a pic of Molly at Sophie's age hiding in the grass :p

I am just going to post on Health about a prob I have with her which I hope you never have but it may be worth taking heed of the helpful answers I am bound to get from the people on here :)

Gina