Hello,
I have a 12 month old female Shihtzu named Nama. She has a soft coat, short for the summer, white with black and blonde...
Need help with home grooming her.
The main questions are: How? with What? Reccomended Video? Books? Websites? Shampoo kind? Conditioner?
and how do you get rid of the eye stain? holisitic approaches to daily eye drops or other?
thanks,
A compassionate and health conscious Pet Parent!

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Hi,
I would suggest you get a soft slicker brush and a wide/medium toothed comb, metal. Also a pin brush, without bobbles, would be useful. Bobbles tend to tear the hair out.
Shampoo and conditioners I would recommend would probably be Vetzyme/Seven Seas ones, I always find they are very good, but there are lots of other good makes about.They do one which already has a conditioner in it but if you wanted to use a conditioner separatley I think ones for human hair are richer than dog ones. I use dog shampoo's but human conditioners. I have Tibetan Terriers. A good quality one for normal hair should be fine.
Don't forget a pair of nail clippers as well. Guillotine type are the best. Resco make a very good one.
Eye stains can be tricky to get rid of. The secret is not to let them get there in the first place.
Try bathing twice a day with milk or milk and boiled water from the kettle, allowed to cool of course. Half milk half water is about right.
A company called AMP do some very good grooming videos but I can't remember the phone number off hand. They advertise in the dog papers.
Hope all this is some help
Nama sounds a very pretty tricolour.
Anne

Hi Nama,
Here's a link to a ShihTzu site with detailed grooming info and videos available
http://stfsc.bizland.com/grooming.htm

Yipppeeeeeee
I did a link - and it worked :D :D :D

Anndee - never heard about the milk/water cure for stains, I'll give it a try on my dog too :)

Hello all!
where can I get a good book and video on home grooming? and where can I buy the items needed for my Shihtzu?
thanks all your help is so lovely,
thanks,
Nama

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How do you use the milk and water mixture? do I give her a full bath in it, or just put some on of it on a cotton ball and clean around her eyes?
thanks for all your suggestions,
Nama

Just put a cotton wool ball in the solution and bathe each eye, especially the stained part. Use a clean piece of cotton wool for each eye then you don't pass any infection, if there is any, into the other eye.
Anne

Ok maybe I am wrong to say this, as least you are getting help, but why get a Shih Tzu and not find out about brushing it BEFORE? And BTW I would suggest using a wide toothed comb to get to the skin, and remeber hard to get areas such as neck, under arms, between legs etc.
Vikki,

At least she IS finding out Vikki , rather than letting the animal get completely matted up and having to be taken to the Vets to have all its coat cut off!

Melody :)

Yes that is true but when you spend all day clipping off and brushing out poor dogs whose owners cant be bothered to even touch them it makes you very depressed

VickiDogs - Can i just say that i am gobsmacked by your attitude about this woman asking for advice about grooming her Shih tzu.... I have had Shih tzus for almost 15 years and never really had a problem keeping coats - however, the first show potential bitch i bought who is now 2 has a shocking coat - at the age of 11 weeks I was spending more time grooming her with all the correct tools and potions than i care to imagine - after 8 months I'd had enough and resigned myself to the fact that she would never be a show bitch. Her breeder is beyond belief as her 8 shih tzus are all in full coat in show condition - but my girl ended up with the dud coat and i was on the phone every other week to her breeder asking for advice. Now my girl has a full pet clip and she is happy - she's not been in the show ring despite her breeder saying that she is much much better than her litter sister who was retained! it is such a shame really but thats the way it goes. I never in a million years expected to have the problems with my girls coat as I am experienced with shih tzus - why over the past year i keep coming to this web board i dont know because i find people rude and unhelpful.

:rolleyes:
As I had previously explained I am a dog groomer and the state of dogs today quite frankly I think is appalling :-(, I said previously that I was stressed because I had spent all day clipping off poor neglected dogs, and to be honest I dont feel like I have to explain myself to you.

well i suggest rather than biting peoples heads off you offer constructive advice. I agree that people shouldnt take dogs that they are going to be unable to take care of - to be honest If i knew that my bitch would end up the way she is then i wouldnt have bought her but i did - and she is now clipped so that she doesnt get into a state but also unshown... I know some peopl are lazy and cant be bothered - but dont go biting peoples heads off I think Nama's queries were justified! Perhaps breeders should be the ones to emphasize the amount of grooming their dogs require to prospective owners!

The person who asked the question said "The main questions are: How? with What?"
That tells me she shouldve researched before she got the dog, and I stand by what I said!
Thats all im saying on the subject.

I have a shih tzu and I have read the post to be asking about "home" grooming. Her pet is 12 months old and she said that it has a short coat during the summer. So the owner may have probably used a professional groomer up until now but now wants to groom her pet herself? Makes the question the poster has asked quite a sensible one to me :p

Gina

Agreeing Gina - the woman has had this dog for a year - I THINK SHE KNOWS how to groom her dog but is asking for tips - and goodness if we can all share handy hints and tips to make a job easier what a lovely world this would be - but people with this HOLIER THAN THOU attitude rile me. As i said - 15 years of shih tzus and i come across a problem coat and boy did i need help - would dread to think of the attacks i would have sustained had i come on this board for some friendly advice!

Hi Filbert

Glad you agree BUT I have to add that this is a great website and even people who have a moan now and again usually have good advice most of the time - I take it that they are having an off day (I hate this weather and am moaning about it all the time today but not on here :) - I am sure you will find that you will enjoy this site and get some good advice if you need it - I certainly did need a lot of help when I first got our lhasa before Molly my shih tzu and wouldnt be without CD. Sorry to hear about your probs but I bet you wouldnt be without your dog no matter what the probs. Molly has terrible scabs (hot spots?) every now and again that and if you have come across this problem I could do with some help please.

Gina :p

Hi Gina

No we dont have hot spots or scabs in our shih tzus - so cant help... My girl is clipped quite short at the moment so is coping with the heat quite well.

Oh for Gods sake! All I said was that she shouldve thought about it BEFORE she got the dog, I said that maybe I was wrong to say it before I said it, I also said that at least she was asking for help, then I did offer advice! Its not a big deal, on a board this big people are bound to not like what another person says, the best thning to do would be to IGNORE then instead of dredging up past posts and critising, I said so what do you expect to happen? its in the past its not going to change!

Vicky

I thought it was posted end July 2003 so who is dredging up old posts for goodness sake- I feel entitled to add my opinion to a posting made in July and indeed shall continue to do so when and if I feel like it - in this weather I prefer to be doing other things rather than posting here - even though I am quite addicted - so please forgive me if I didnt see the posting as quickly as you :) Of course we dont all agree that is what makes life interesting - Your posting of advice was very helpful and I hope you had a better day at work today :p

Gina

Gina the messege I wrote wasnt ment for you, sorry,
No I didnt have a very good day at work, had a 6 yr old OES and it wasnt till I got round to clipping his back legs off I realised he had fly strike :-(

Thats all right then :D :D

Not sure what fly strike is but I think I can imagine - urghh. Hope you dont have to work tomorrow and have a nice weekend

Gina :p

Vicky I know it was meant for me! By the by!
Flystrike - how awful!!!!!!!!!! Do you charge extra for clipping dogs is terrible condition? I must admit I went on holiday once and my friend who was looking after my girl didnt bother brushing her once!!! She was so disgustingly matted i didnt know where to start - I phoned the groomers and explained but she still couldnt fit me in for 5 days but she asked me not to start on her with scissors... The poor girls face was a picture - but what could I do? Well obviously not entrust my girl to my friend - but i dont like leaving her in kennels and have previously had dogs come home flea ridden and matted up as well as very depressed.