# Shih Tzu ?



## Rob's GRs (Feb 25, 2007)

My mother just adopted a 9 week old Shih Tzu pup from an all breed dog rescue last Friday. They rescue was able to save several various breeds of dogs, and pups, off a puppy mill farm. My mother has always wanted a Shih Tzu and was glad to rescue one, even though she was starting to review breeders. I saw this pup yesterday and this little girl is a very persistant pup with a mind of her own...... LOL

Anyone ever own this Shih Tzu breed and what your experience was with them?


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## xoerika620xo (May 25, 2012)

Shih tzu's are really sweet and laid back. I grew up with a family who only had shih tzu's. My moms dog Lola is so tiny and sweet, we say she's attached to my mothers hip lol she loves my mom so much, if my mom goes on vaca Lola takes it hard, she won't eat or anything so my mom doesn't really go anywhere because she feels bad. She doesnt really like to socialize except with gizzmo. My aunts dog gizzmo is the total opposite he loves people and everything he is so friendly we call him the angel because he was ran over by a truck twice ( the front wheels and then the back wheels) the vet said he wouldn't make it and surprisingly he did. The day we all went to say our goodbyes he got up and jumped ontop of my aunt basically telling her " I'm not done yet" and now he is as healthy as can be! Like Lola though hes attached to both my aunt and uncle and my aunt travels a lot for different doctors. She just left from seeing gizzmo for a whole week and the minute she left my uncle said gizzmo hasn't left the door, he lays right in front of the door waiting for her. 

Be sure to watch the ears, and eyes. They are also known to get tumors. Your mom has a great dog a friend for life.


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## Sadie53 (Dec 27, 2012)

*Shih Tzu*

Oh my gosh. I have a shih tzu and had another one prior. They are quite stubborn. They are very animated but oh my god they are funny. If your Mom's dog is very flat faced like mine you have to be careful in hot weather. They over heat very fast. I have had a hard time housetraining mine also. To be honest the one I have now who is 10yrs. old and never has been fully trained. The one I had previously was the same. She was with us for very close to fifteen years. I hope I helped you a bit. 
:curtain:


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## xoerika620xo (May 25, 2012)

Corine Dokic said:


> Oh my gosh. I have a shih tzu and had another one prior. They are quite stubborn. They are very animated but oh my god they are funny. If your Mom's dog is very flat faced like mine you have to be careful in hot weather. They over heat very fast. I have had a hard time housetraining mine also. To be honest the one I have now who is 10yrs. old and never has been fully trained. The one I had previously was the same. She was with us for very close to fifteen years. I hope I helped you a bit.
> :curtain:


Wow it's crazy how different they all are. My post and yours sound so different lol. My moms and aunts have been house trained since they were babies. Both have never used the bathroom in the house since they were small. Lola is 6 years old and gizzmo is 8 years old 


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## cubbysan (Mar 13, 2007)

My forum name is the name of the shih tzu I got for my 11th birthday. I had him until I was 28. They are very long lived and healthy dogs for the most part, mine was a puppy mill so we might have had issues because of that.

They are very intelligent, but very hard to housebreak. I don't think mine was ever 100 percent, but then again, we did not have resources like GRF and Nature's Miracle back then to help us out. Mine would bite and growl at me if he did not want to be picked up or have his medicine.

Although he was very healthy, we had issues with his eyes from the fur growing around it or for all I know it could have been extra eye lashes. He ended up with dry eye, so we had to give him artificial tears for the last ten years of his life. We also had occasional ear infections and anal sac issues.

They are pretty much a one person dog and very loyal to "their person". Very stubborn. Very good watch dogs, not nuissance barkers. They think they are bigger than they are, and have no fear.

They do not shed.

Mine was a very picky eater, he would sometimes go days without eating or only have a bite.

Mine got along very well with other dogs, cats and bunnies.


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## Tuco (Jan 3, 2013)

Stubborn and little balls of hyperactivity, that can also be quite yappy


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## Tuco (Jan 3, 2013)

Yappy*


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## Rob's GRs (Feb 25, 2007)

Tuco said:


> Stubborn and little balls of hyperactivity, that can also be quite yappy
> 
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


May I ask what you're basing this upon since you did not say so?


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## Goldens R Great (Aug 19, 2010)

I'm sorry I have no experience with shih tzus so I can't offer any advice or give you any insight, but bless your mom for adopting from a rescue!


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## Rob's GRs (Feb 25, 2007)

Goldens R Great said:


> I'm sorry I have no experience with shih tzus so I can't offer any advice or give you any insight, but bless your mom for adopting from a rescue!


The poor little thing has kennel cough as well..... My mom is happy to have another dog now ever since her little (adopted) toy poodle passed away a few months ago. I know the rescue was concerned about her adopting the dog as my mother is in her late 60's and the adoption coordinator thought this dog could out live her.... My sister fosters for that Rescue and had a few things to say and help in her getting the pup. Otherwise I think my sister was going to be fostering for another rescue after that..... LOL. Beside if the pup out lives my mother either my sister or I would then be owning a Shih Tzu.


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## Goldens R Great (Aug 19, 2010)

Rob's GRs said:


> The poor little thing has kennel cough as well..... My mom is happy to have another dog now ever since her little (adopted) toy poodle passed away a few months ago. I know the rescue was concerned about her adopting the dog as my mother is in her late 60's and the adoption coordinator thought this dog could out live her.... My sister fosters for that rescued and had a few things to say and help in her getting the pup. Otherwise I think my sister was going to be fostering for another rescue after that..... LOL. Beside if the pup out lives my mother either my sister or I would then be owning a Shih Tzu.


That's too bad about the kennel cough. Poor little girl. 

I'm glad the rescue decided your mom could adopt her and that's great your sister helped out with that. How nice for your mom to have a new little pet since I'll bet she's really been missing her little poodle. 

Hopefully your mom and her new puppy will have a lot of years together!


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## OnMyWay2MyDreams (Feb 13, 2011)

I like shih tzus. I will get another one day. The one I had came to me with lots and lots of issues from Day 1. He was a good dog, was a little hard to potty train but we did it. He even peed in my bed when he was a pup!:doh: He hated for me to groom him, he did a little better when a groomer did it but even then got to a point we had to use a slight sedative. :uhoh: That was his only fault. 

He was a lap dog through and through. He had a special connection with my grandfather when he lived with my parents. They were buddies so I ended up leaving him at my parents house instead of taking him when I moved out. I wanted to do surgery on him for his retained testicles that had been put on hold for bleeding issues but when my grandfather got sick with cancer I couldn't risk the surgery until after my grandfather passed away. By that time he had them turn into cancer and it was too late. He was only 5 when we had to PTS him. He also ruled the roost over the big dogs. My first golden loved him, my boxer was scared of him. Rusty would tell him who was boss, then the boxer would run away. It was quite a site.

Tell your Mom to enjoy every second..and to make sure she sticks to her guns with potty training and take her to groomer young so she gets used to it. I had worked for a boarding/grooming kennel when I got him and for some reason mine still hated it! Lol


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## Rob's GRs (Feb 25, 2007)

Here is a picture of Sophie....


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## Seagodess (Dec 6, 2012)

DH's parents bred shiz tzu's for a while. They are great dogs. Very relaxed and layed back. They require a LOT of grooming though.


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## Goldens R Great (Aug 19, 2010)

Sophie is adorable!


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## cubbysan (Mar 13, 2007)

She is adorable!


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## Wendy427 (Apr 4, 2009)

awww Sophie's a cutie-pie!


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## Cheri (Feb 2, 2013)

We share our life with a shihtzu. Our Chloe is the most amazingly patient and kind little girl with all four of our kids. She IS stubborn (showed with taking a year to potty train her). She is very loyal to everyone, but more so to myself. She is only happy when someone comes to the door, or she thinks she hears something . She is the most amazing cuddle buddy. Where I am, she is. Our Chloe is 5 years old and in wonderful health. I find keeping her eyes clean and making sure she is cool in the summer as she can overheat extra quick (I believe has something to do with the short nasal passage). 
Your mom will DEFINATELY enjoy her new baby. They really are sweet little dogs with such a big heart!
Here is a picture of my Chloe, just before her trip to the groomer.










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## love never dies (Jul 31, 2012)

Look at Sophie - so cute


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## xoerika620xo (May 25, 2012)

Awww Sophie is adorable 


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## OnMyWay2MyDreams (Feb 13, 2011)

Awe look at that face! I want to give her a big smooch!


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## Ninde'Gold (Oct 21, 2006)

Well, I have a puppy that's half Shih-Tzu. He's CRAZY haha. But his other part is Jack Russell Terrier.

He barks like crazy, can jump 5 feet high, he argues with you when you tell him he's bad and is over all a jerk LOL. But he's hilarious and I love his personality. 

He'll go out of his way to steal socks and slippers and loves dirty tissues :lol:

He's 10 months old now and it starting to calm down...


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## laprincessa (Mar 24, 2008)

My boss has two, recently lost one to nasal cancer and since got a new puppy. She's doing a fund raiser in the Fall in memory of Zoe. Would you like a link to her page?


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## kwhit (Apr 7, 2008)

Just saw this thread...

Sophie is an absolute doll! :smooch: I have worked for years in grooming shops and I can honestly say that all the Shih-Tzus that I've met, and I've met hundreds, have been really sweet dogs. Always great with their grooming and always happy. Never met a shy one, everyone was their friend. 

Just have your Mom groom, (brushing/comb), the puppy every day. Get Sophie used to being handled and touched/brushed everywhere on her body. This is important for every breed, but especially those that will require regular grooming. The grooming is pretty time intensive if done correctly and if they're matted it's a mess. They'll usually have to be stripped if they're close to the skin. As soon as she's had all her shots start taking her to the groomer. Even if the first few visits are just sitting there to get used to the atmosphere of a grooming shop. There are a lot of different noises, (barking, blow dryers), and she'll do better if she knows what to expect and is already used to it when she goes in for her first full grooming.

Make sure the groomer she chooses has a lot of experience with puppies. They take a gentle touch and many groomers don't have what it takes. I had one groomer that I would book all my puppy/first grooming clients with because she was so gentle. All the puppies/young dogs would leave happy and when they came back, they were never scared.


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## xoerika620xo (May 25, 2012)

Just wanted to check in. 

How is Sophie ?


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## Rob's GRs (Feb 25, 2007)

I just saw her this evening. She has grown a little bit but is a little ball of energy. She is in the puppy biting everything stage......


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## A1Malinois (Oct 28, 2011)

Ruby, my older girl is a Shih tzu/Poodle mix. Shes very well laid back, doesnt care about much. We raised her that way. A couple people on my street have Shih tzus and they are all really great. On the street behind me theres two. One has gone after Lincoln 5 times in a course of a year and broken skin on 3 of those occasions. The other one is pretty nasty but has yet to escape the yard to do anything. 

Raised properly they make wonderful dogs....raise the wrong way and you will have a monster on your hands


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