Last Modified: 2/23/08

Along this article you will find several links that will start a popup of pictures that should give you a visual of what I do my best to explain in words. I am working on getting more pictures taken but I hope what I currently have helps.

Grooming a Shih Tzu is not as scary as it looks. It will not take much time unless you do not keep up with them. They should be bathed every few weeks depending on how dirty they get. I bathe mine around every two weeks. If they get filthy before then you can bet they will get a bath sooner. Beside bathing they should be brushed at least once a week, but I recommend you do it more often. Having the right tools for the job will make the process easier, even if you do use a groomer.

The tools you need are a Curved Steel Comb, a strong plastic comb, a good bristle brush (I like to buy a good quality, plastic human brush), some dental bands or if you cannot get a hold of them try some small rubber bands, and I mean tiny. For those of you wishing to do your own bathing you will need a good blow dryer as well. If you plan on shaving your dog the only things necessary are the brush and plastic comb. If you want to do all your own grooming you will need to do further shopping. A good quality dog clipper with detachable blades is a must for every groomer. Trust me I have tried just using scissors. These can be found at animal supply stores as well as hay and feed barns. You will at least need a size 10 blade, which usually comes with all clippers, and a size 7 blade. If you will be wanting a very short puppy cut then also purchase blade covers which will reduce your use of the scissors. All your metal blades will need to be sharpened periodically. You will also need a good pair of slim shears and some scissor-like nail clippers. If you are so inclined you can go so far as to get a holding table and what ever else a groomer may suggest but I find my dogs react better to just sitting in my lap. Many top showman and top breeders recommend using a spray bottle with detangler to wet the coat before brushing. This is fine if you don't mind blow drying your dog every time you do this. Do not let them run around wet (no matter the weather), they will be very likely to become chilled.

When brushing a shih tzu start where you and your dog are most comfortable. Some coats are so smooth all the time that mats just fall out when you use a comb, but for cotton coats you should learn how to use a curved steel comb. Beware of those RARE coats that seem to mat just out of sheer spite. Many owners give up and keep these coats clipped, but groom twice a day to keep it long and healthy.

The under coat is where the mats usually start and, if missed, will ruin any coat but in reality it is hard to start with a coat that is covered by a second coat. If you work in sections, combing all the hair you have separated, you will be able to catch all the mats. Use your brush as a guide. If you here a crackling sound when you brush or meet resistance than you have found a mat. Switch to the plastic comb to see if it will work out easily and if not then switch to the curved comb. As you get better you will find you will know what tool to use just by looking. Once you have gone over the whole coat, I suggest going back over with your fingers to feel for any small mats left behind. I usually find one more.

To use the steel comb (Picture) find the skin with your fingers and place the teeth behind the mat. Very gently pull the comb through the mat while turning it up with each pull. This gets the mat into the base of the comb where it is scissor sharp. Continue working through while avoiding your dogs skin as this will slice them. Many times I have cut myself to avoid cutting my dogs so be careful. This may take awhile if the mat is really bad so don't rush or become inpatient and rip the hair. Next check under the legs and around the neck. The ears are the most sensitive part for your dog so you will have to be even more careful around here. Once the mats are cleared, use the brush to soften and straighten the coat and remove any debris and lingering mats as well as to part the hair down the middle of the back for a finished look (Picture). Lastly on the face, starting from the eyes, stroke downward to keep the hair out of their mouth and eyes.

Now, this is where the top knot comes in. Using the plastic comb, make a part on the top of the head from one corner of one eye and circling around the top of the head to the other eye (Picture). How much hair you put up is your choice but you need to make sure you grab the hair that falls down into the eyes just above the top of the nose. If you choose you may also gather the hair sitting right on top of the nose into the top knot but in my experience most pets are likely to pull this hair out first. Don't get me wrong, in young dogs the rest of the knot will follow but like everything else you have to train your dogs to be used to wearing their hair up. If you are still worried about hair coming out and getting into your dogs eyes, I recommend trimming to the skin all the hair on top of the nose up to the bottoms of the eyes. Also trim the lower eyelashes to keep them from curling into the eyes (Picture). Besides cutting down on eye mess, it keeps the eyes from getting scratched. ** One more trick; feed your dog a raw carrot once a day or more and you may eliminate the tears all together. If you are trimming his face and accidentally cut lashes that you do not want cut, upper or lower, do not fear, they will grow back! Once the top knot is up loosen it a little to make sure it is not pulling at the eyes and forehead. Be sure to congratulate your dog with a treat as he has been so patient with you.

Should you decide to be a little more creative with her "up-do" there are plenty of fashions that can really be tailored to suit your dog's personality. If you need my help, you are free to write or call me. There are pictures of various styles here to give you an idea. The length of your dog's hair will determine what you can and cannot do. But gratefully your dog is not as picky as your daughter would be and you are free to experiment and then start over if you or your dog are unhappy. If you have a new style you have tried that I do not have a picture of please send me one to add to my collection. We will all enjoy your creativity.

If you plan on bathing your own dog, good for you! You're more likely to be gentle on your dog than an unfamiliar groomer. Every groomer uses a different shampoo. I personally use Straight Arrow's "Mane 'N Tail" to help keep the coat soft, growing, strong, and moisturized. It can be found at PetsMart, PetCo, WalMart, Kroger, horse tackle supplies, hay and feeds, specialty stores and beauty supplies. There are dog shampoos but this brand is recommended and safe for both animal and human use and every dog I've known to use it is visibly improved. But if you are still unsure there's always trial and error. Switching too often between shampoos can be hard on the coat and skin so unless the shampoo is really terrible use the whole bottle with a few baths before you move to another brand. Asking around can be a big help. Just be sure to ask why they use that particular brand.

Use luke warm water in either the shower or tub, whichever is easier. But I would think that without a detachable shower head your best bet is the tub. Have everything ready before you begin and within easy reach. Before you bathe, brush the coat out to remove mats as washing will set them and make them doubly difficult to remove. Soak your dog down and treat her coat as you would treat washing your own hair, avoiding eyes, nose and mouth (Picture). Don't forget to use conditioner to help the coat and skin stay moisturized. I strongly suggest you stay away from any of the brands which combine the shampoo and conditioner. Your dog's coat will not benefit from such treatment so stick with using separate shampoo and conditioner. Towel dry and get ready to be very quick with your hands.

If you are bathing a puppy you might want to hold them in a wrapped towel for awhile, changing towels if you need a dryer one, and love on them to calm them before taking the blow dryer to them. This also works well with adults and can cut down on the amount of time you spend drying them. Taking the time to do the job slowly will increase your dogs willingness to be patient with you.

These are not drip dry dogs. If you cannot take the time to dry him out then find a groomer as even a shaved dog needs to be blown dry. As it will take both of your hands to hold the brush and dryer try wrapping him in your lap to keep him in place. You might have to stop often to reposition a dog that would rather air dry. What I do is pile up a towel on a chair, drawer, bench, shelf, or toilet; anything not too far from the ground and then position the dryer on the towel to face the dog. Then I can slightly move my dog where I need her. This way I have one hand to hold the dog and the other to brush. While you do this, reassure your dog with gentle tones to keep him calm. Brush with the blow dryer directed where you are brushing until the coat is completely dry. If mats formed during bathing you will want to break out the curved comb again. Once dry, brush him down and give him a top knot and watch him prance around.

There are many different ways to keep a coat. If you are growing the coat long (Picture), you can either grow everything out keeping the pads of the feet and the lower eyelashes trim or if you want grooming to be a little easier, trim the top of the nose as well as under the eyes and feet. To keep the ear looking nice keep them trimmed straight across making sure both are the same length. If the top knot is too much for you, try layering the hair with scissors from the top of the nose to a position on the head that looks good to you. Starting very short and getting longer towards the top. Layer as high up as you feel will look nice and still keep the hair out of his face. I have heard complaints that hot climates and long hair don't mix. Since Shih Tzu are inside dogs, this is not true. If you are still worried about it being too hot, shaving the belly is sufficient to help keep him cool. Use a size 10 blade on your clippers to shave between all four legs on the inside and then don't forget to shave around their backsides but here use a size 7 blade. How much you shave back there is entirely up to you and how old or messy your dog is when relieving himself. Always use a very short blade one the belly as the longer blades tend to grab more than hair because the skin is many more times sensitive on the belly. Should you decide that the mats on the insides of your dogs legs are too difficult to manage you can shave a few inches down from the belly, use the size 10 blade, and it will not show when you dog is running around and neither will the fact that you have shaved your dogs belly. There are many places you can clip on your dog that will reduce the amounts of mats and still not show when your dog is not on his belly! Should you wish to, try a half inch right under the ear, the inner leg areas near the belly (don't shave too low!), the belly, and even an inch or two up the underside of his tail (Picture).

JUST A TIP! If you find you are having trouble getting the hair of the top knot to grow thick or it is not growing at all try clipping it to a layered look and in a few months, maybe less, the hair will grow back much thicker than before.

Of course if taming all that hair still makes you nervous, you can shave your dog (Picture). Just remember that shaving to the skin can cause skin rashes which is why I suggest you use a size 7 blade for most of the body. The typical style is almost skin short on the body with a "puppy cut" on the head, leaving the tail long. Now, you can shave your dog completely but I am warning you it looks really ugly. Also there is a constant "puppy cut" which is exactly like its name (Picture). Your puppy always looks like a puppy. Keep in mind that most coat colors and markings disappear when they are shaved and it could take years of growing to bring it back. Here are some other coat styles I currently have pictures of. Anyone with a style their dog is now sporting will, I hope, be kind enough to send me a picture to include for all to see. Everyone is welcome to download and print these pictures to show to your groomer, should grooming yourself be too much, there are no copyrights so feel free. If you have any questions, contact me and if you could use hands on help and either live in Georgia or don't mind traveling here, I am willing to help everyone who needs it.

When shaving your dog I recommend sitting on the floor with him in your lap. Start in the easiest places, namely the back. Shave from the base of the tail to the top of the neck. Remember to use a size 7 blade for most of your work and switch to a 10 blade for under the legs and on the belly. Draw an imaginary line between the ears and that is the top of the neck. You will probably also want to shave the legs but always leave the tail on a Shih Tzu. Their tails are pretty sad to look at without the hair. If you do not want long hair on the face I would pull out the scissors and slowly using a comb and your fingers pull a section of hair up and out to the length you want it. Use this section to guide you on the length for the next. If you make a mistake, it is not the end of the world. You may have to clip your dog's hair shorter than you would like to repair the damage, but it will grow back and this does take practice. Luckily our dogs are not as prissy as our children and will not be emotionally scarred by a bad haircut! For the ears only trim the bottom. Try not to shave them completely as this will change the overall look of the breed.

If you only want to trim your dog's coat to be a little shorter you will want to part their hair down their back and then pull a section of hair down with a comb and your finger to the length you want and trim. Again this section will be your guide for the next.

The last part of the grooming process is the nails. This can be even harder to do than everything else but if you are careful there is no reason why you cannot trim the nails yourself. Some dogs have dewclaws and some had them removed before they were given to you. It depends on the breeder. These claws are found on the two front legs, sometimes the back but rarely. They are about an inch down the inside of the leg from the other four toes and can be easily missed in the hair (Picture). These claws are more sensitive than the others but not always and they must definitely not be missed. If allowed to grow too long they may start to curl back into your dog's paw. Take the claw in your hand and move away as much hair as you can to get clear access. When you trim do not cut more than a millimeter or two (Picture). If you are pretty sure your dogs claws are way too long then try shaving off a little more but be extremely careful since cutting too far will induce bleeding and with some dogs it takes a long while to heal. I have found some pet stores carry a nail healing treatment for cuts, but I have not tried it yet. I thought you would want to know.

I do not cut the hair of my own dogs, but I will work on getting some pictures the next time I am able. You may also find that some of the links give you a warning page but I ask you to please be patient while I am improving this site. Good luck in your grooming and however you style him, enjoy your beautiful dog.

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