Cages

Your cages in the Shih Tzu Groom Shop are best on a wall near your table. The cages, like your other equipment, should be set up for maximum efficiency. You should start your Shih Tzu Groom Shop with a minimum of a unit of four cages. You can add cages as your business increases. With two cage units you should be able to handle as many as ten Shih Tzu per day. If your business grows larger, you can devote a separate room just for cage units. A back room is usually an ideal spot for this.

Bathtub

When you install your tub consider your height. The tub should be installed waist-high for the operator’s comfort. A nice place to store bathing materials is beneath the tub.

The rest of the work area in your Shih Tzu Groom Shop should be planned and organized with an eye toward expansion. As your Shih Tzu Groom Shop business grows, you may need to hire another groomer, or bather, or more helpers. You will need to plan on adding three or more grooming tables.

Don’t forget a comfortable chair for times when one can sit during the day. A separate room for a break area is ideal.

Electrical Power

One of the most important things your Shih Tzu Groom Shop must have is sufficient electrical power. The more power the shop has, the better. Good lighting is a must. Daylight is the best light of all. Lots of windows can provide your Shih Tzu Groom Shop with much daylight and also places to display other for sale items. Regardless of the amount of daylight your shop has, however, you will still need your lights on at all times. Outlets in the right places and sufficient current to support the load are an absolute necessity.

The outcome of this interbreeding eventually became the Shih Tzu. The Chinese called the Shih Tzu “Tibetan Lion Dog.” The Apso was also involved with the interbreeding practices. The Tibetans called the Apso, “ApsoSeng Kyi” or “Apso Lion Dog.”

The Chinese tried to retain the characteristics they admired, which was the unnaturally short face and broad head, the wide barrel-like chest and the low-to-the-ground look.

The Tibetans, however, could not hold these same characteristics because of the climate and environment of their land. Tibet is an area of high altitudes. The very short face with restricted nasal development (which incidentally gives many Shih Tzu lovers a great pain to deal with at times) and the heavy body and short legs of the Chinese Shih Tzu would be at a disadvantage in these conditions. They could not breathe and survive in the high altitudes of Tibet. The Lhasa Apso could survive in Tibet. The Tibetans produced a dog slightly modified from the Chinese dog of a similar ancestry which was the Lhasa Apso.

The Tibetan Terrier (also involved in the exchanges between Tibet and China) is probably closes to the basic canine with a long head, compact and natural in conformation. Then comes the Apso, which begins to show the influence of some of the Chinese type. This influence resulted in a smaller dog, shorter on leg than the terrier relative, shorter nose than the terrier, and the teeth and jaw formation revealed a shortening of the face. The eyes are more frontally placed.

The eyes of the Shih Tzu have always been one of its most valued signature characteristics. I have never met a Shih Tzu that did not have a warm expression that radiated through its eyes. Some Shih Tzu has this characteristic greater than others. They are almost human-like.

When comparing the Shih Tzu to the Apso, one can see the most distinct Chinese characteristics. I have had Shih Tzu that look as if you are absolutely looking right at a Chinese in person. I am amazed at how the Chinese accomplished this. It truly was a work of art, as they did not breed according to pedigree as we do. They bred according to a picture of their minds of what they wanted the Shih Tzu to look like. Most of the time, their goal was to create the Shih Tzu to resemble what they thought a Lion should look like, and they apparently also, created Shih Tzu to resemble themselves in the face.

Smallness must have been fashionable and something of a status symbol in both the Apso and the Shih Tzu as well as the Pekingese. The Pekingese were also involved in the interbreedings to reduce size.

It should be noted here, however, that this article addresses the history and development of the Shih Tzu breed. The American Shih Tzu Club’s Code of Ethics clearly states it is against their rules, ethics, standards to breed our present day Shih Tzu with any other breed. It must be understood that this article is not an endorsement of any kind of practice that is against the rules and regulations of The American Shih Tzu Club or the American Kennel Club. This is an article regarding the history and development of our Shih Tzu.

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When first Shih Tzu imported into England in 1930, the Shih Tzu were classified as Apsos. The two breeds were distinguished as separate in 1934.

The Shih Tzu of Scandinavian background were in an even different category during this same time period. It is not documented anywhere of any of the Shih Tzu Scandinavian lines being mistaken for Lhasa Apso, even after importation into the United States. Their appearance was so different of the Lhasa Apso that there was no likelihood of confusing the Scandinavian Shih Tzu lines with the Lhasa Apso.

There was a considerable amount of fear expressed by the British Shih Tzu Club of potential “disastrous” crossbreedings in the United States. They encouraged future American purchasers to avoid any further confusion between the Shih Tzu and Lhasa Apso in the U.S.A.

The American Shih Tzu Club code of ethics plainly states that crossbreeding a Shih Tzu with any other breed, whether it be with Lhasa Apso or the Pekingese breed, is strictly prohibited. This code of ethics should be adhered to by all Shih Tzu Purebred Breeders.

The two breeds of the Lhasa Apso and the Shih Tzu have been kept separate now for many years. A suggestion to help distinquish the two breeds from one another is to always show the Shih Tzu with the long sweep of hair on the top of the head tied with a rubber band into a top knot, the hair above the head then fanning out into a “palm tree.” The Apso has its long hair of the head styled as parted n the center, then mingling with the ear featherings.

The fact that both Shih Tzu and the Lhasa Apso have common ancestry is highly probable according to all the documentations found in our history of the two breeds. However, one should continually look for and appreciate the subtleties of the different characteristics of Chinese Shih Tzu and Tibetan Apso. They have become two quite distinctly different breeds.

The earliest “Lion Dog” in Tibet were probably long-haired and small and somewhat similar to the Maltese in type. As the cultural and religious ties between Tibet and China flowed over the centuries, the exchange of dogs no doubt became mutual between them. The Chinese have been most certainly known to interbred their small dogs, of which were more varieties than the Shih Tzu, with the long-haired Tibetans, and something similar occurred in Tibet without much reason to doubt this fact.

Again, however, I want to emphasize here: The crossbreedings mentioned in this article is a part of our past Shih Tzu History. The Present Day American Shih Tzu Club’s Code of Ethics clearly states that crossbreeding a Shih Tzu with any other breed, is strictly prohibited and against the Shih Tzu Purebred Ethics for a Shih Tzu Breeder of the Purebred Shih Tzu. We must all adhere to this Code of Ethics.

We have been told that the empress Dowager did not approve of the use of “cruel practices” to stunt the growth of the dogs, the passages written by Colonel Burkhardt and this unknown writer seem to imply the imperial eunuchs tried to keep the Shih Tzu small by strictly selective breeding. This selective breeding was approved of by the Empress, according to a Mrs. Dixey. The breedings were not always successful so far as producing the uniform “smaller” size Shih Tzu, which most likely accounts for the smaller size Shih Tzu appearing in many different bloodlines of breedings between larger Shih Tzu, and not that the appearance of a smaller Shih Tzu in the litter is merely the “runt” of that litter. We all know that whatever is in the past of any dog’s bloodline can appear in the present. This goes for size the same as for health or any other genetic positive or negative influence on that litter.

The years immediately following the 1912 revolution, Colonel Burkhardt also tells us the mating was very haphazard. Some 20 years later there is still complaints in Madame Lu’s booklet regarding the “great variety of size and weight.” The same could have been said of the Empress Dowager’s Imperial Palace Goldfish which probably increased in size with the breakdown of controlled breeding. The Empress Dowager had many other pets besides the Shih Tzu.

There is strong support for the above viewpoint in the China Weekly Chronicle of June 10, 1934. The report was on Peiping’s First International Dog Show held on June 7, 1934. The paper states that the Lhassa Lion Dogs were, “on the whole, disappointing in spite of their numbers, showing too much deviation from the standard, especially in size, suggesting the necessity of careful breeding to the standard in the future.” Well, what exactly was that standard? The official Peking Kennel Club’s official standard did come until four years later. It is uncertain what standard is referred to at this earlier date, but is strong evidence that the question of size in the Shih Tzu has always, absolutely always been a very hot and controversial issue. I am not totally surprised about the myths and lies being spread in the years of 2004 onward about the production of smaller size Shih Tzu being a direct cause of someone being an irresponsible breeder and in-breeding or line-breeding close relatives just to achieve a smaller size Shih Tzu and obtain more money for that Shih Tzu along with the lies that these smaller type Shih Tzu are very “sickly, full of health problems, and only the runts of the litter.” This is not the reason we have smaller Shih Tzu among us.

All Shih Tzu breeders should have a strong grasp of Shih Tzu history to be able to communicate the facts surrounding the development of our present day Shih Tzu . (Please see Shih Tzu – The Hotley Contested Shih Tzu Size Part III).

One fact that remains is that the breed is in the Toy Group. The Shih Tzu should therefore be “Toy” in size.

In the Shih Tzu breed’s early days in the United States, there were several reasons for the controversy over size in addition to personal preferences. None of these reasons have been documented as being “a small size Shih Tzu has more health problems,” or….a small size Shih Tzu is produced by excessive irresponsible in-breeding and line-breeding of close relatives.

During the years between 1967 and 1972 when the Shih Tzu was striving for recognition there was many arguments and much material of correspondence produced regarding their size, and exactly what size should the Shih Tzu be. There had been strong evidence of cross-breeding of Shih Tzu to Lhasa Apso to achieve a desired size once the standard was established. There was also a substantial amount of correspondence and documents revealing that cross-breeding to reduce the size of the British imports had been practiced. Many confused people bred small Lhasa Apso to undersized or small Shih Tzu to try to get what they wanted. This did not become a trend and was not considered the ideal way to create the correct size Shih Tzu according to the set standard now in place.

There are also times in history of the Shih Tzu when using other breeds was necessary. Establishing the Shih Tzu is of a very long history, of which many different people were involved, with many different ideas of what the Shih Tzu should look like. On the question of size, there are definite historical facts to account for the smaller sizes in which none are stated to be: “If a small size Shih Tzu is produced, it is ONLY the runt of that litter, and will be full of health problems, or a sickly Shih Tzu.” Neither do the historical facts about size of the Shih Tzu document the smaller Shih Tzu were a result of irresponsible in-breeding and line-breeding of close relatives.

According to a well known Shih Tzu fancier of our Shih Tzu history, Colonel Burkhardt, the imperial Shih Tzu (meaning those Shih Tzu bred in the Chinese Imperial Palace by the Empress Dowager) were occasionally interbred with the Pekingese “to reduce the size.” This particular Shih Tzu fancier, Colonel Burkhardt, wrote from first hand experience of Peking Palace life not long after the 1912 revolution. (please see Part II of Shih Tzu – The Hotly Contested Question Of Size).

First prepare a visibly stillborn Shih Tzu puppy for resuscitation by using the bulb syringe and shaking-down method several times to clear the airway as much as possible.

Wrap your hand around the Shih Tzu puppy’s chest, your fingertips against the rib cage just behind the elbow. Pump your fingers two or three times in rapid succession to stimulate the heart. This action expels the oxygen in the Shih Tzu puppy’s lungs. Quickly follow the pumping by covering the Shih Tzu puppy’s muzzle, mouth and nose with your mouth. Blow gently. Do not blow too hard. You could rupture the Shih Tzu newborn’s delicate lung tissues. Do not blow air you have exhaled! Use your cheeks only to gently push fresh air into the Shih Tzu puppy’s lungs. Give the Shih Tzu puppy four breaths, then repeat the finger-pumping action over the lungs and heart. It may be necessary to repeat these resuscitation measures of breathing and pumping for as long as 20 or 30 minutes before the Shih Tzu puppy may respond sturdily on its own.

Check the Shih Tzu puppy’s color after four or five minutes of resuscitation. Are the Shih Tzu puppy’s pads and gums pink or blue? If the gums are white or bluish white, it may be too late to save this particular Shih Tzu puppy. If the Shih Tzu puppy’s gums and pads on the paws were pink at birth, and pink in response to your resuscitation efforts, there is a chance the Shih Tzu puppy can be revived.

Once the Shih Tzu puppy is resuscitated and breathing well on its own, give the Shih Tzu puppy a final brisk toweling. Thoroughly dry the Shih Tzu puppy, causing it to cry and use its lungs. Give the Shih Tzu puppy back to its mother.

Identifying Puppies:

Nail polish to the Shih Tzu puppy’s toenails can be used to identify look-alikes. For example, the right front foot toenails of one Shih Tzu puppy may be painted red, another Shih Tzu puppy’s painted in pink. The left forepaws on two other Shih Tzu puppies, and the hind toenails on four additional sibling Shih Tzu puppies is left. With two colors, eight Shih Tzu puppies of the same sex and color may be readily identified from birth onward.

Many Shih Tzu puppies born one color change as they grow. At this time the Shih Tzu puppies no longer require identification by nail polish. Do not enter into your notes or notebook the birth colors of Shih Tzu puppies.

It is best for Shih Tzu puppies to begin nursing as soon as possible. Some Shih Tzu puppies born vigorously have from the time of birth a strong instinct of where to go and how to begin nursing. Other Shih Tzu puppies will take time to begin nursing and may require your assistance. The sooner a Shih Tzu puppy nurses, the less chance there is of losing it.

Shih Tzu matrons will shed hair along the abdomen prior and after whelping. However, since the Shih Tzu has so much hair, it is likely you will need to trim close also. The best is to shave down the entire abdomen and genitalia area just prior to whelping. Shih Tzu puppies can ingest air while nursing if hair remains around the mammaries. The presence of hair also collects milk and promotes rapid bacterial growth and can cause illness in the Shih Tzu puppies, which can lead rapidly to death.

Heavy mammary glands require daily washing and thorough drying of the entire abdominal area until the Shih Tzu puppies are weaned. The Shih Tzu dam’s milk glands should always feel pliable, being moderately soft although heavy and full feeling to your examination. Your Shih Tzu matron is in trouble should there be any hardness in an entire individual gland or row, visible redness and/or red streaks or yellowish or bloody discharge expressed. Placing a bandage over the nipple of the affected teat is usually sufficient to stop very young Shih Tzu puppies from nursing. Use a small amount of camphorated oil of Vicks VapoRub to stop older Shih Tzu puppies from nursing at an infected site. Seek veterinarian care for your Shih Tzu matron. Nursing from infected mammary glands could cause serious illness and diarrhea in the Shih Tzu puppies.

You rarely see a piece of rope around a Shih Tzu’s neck for a collar these days. You are more likely to see a diamond necklace around the Shih Tzu’s neck these days. Plain old collars are just no longer appropriate for our best of friends, the Shih Tzu.

Shih Tzu collars and leashes today not only serve a practical purpose but they can make a fashion statement as well and be every bit as fashionable as the best pair of shoes and matching purse you own. Most people usually buy one or two good collars during the life of their Shih Tzu.

For those conscious of dog fashion, however, there is absolutely no limit just the same as all the matching shoes and purses you own in your closet. Fido with a fashion conscious owner probably has his own closet as well.

For many of us, Shih Tzu are one of the most important things in our lives. It is easy to realize why we want to adorn them in the very best of dog fashion designs.

Dog fashion also includes beds and bedding. Throwing down an old blanket is gone for the true Shih Tzu lover. A true Shih Tzu lover will choose the Shih Tzu’s bed as carefully as he chooses his own bed.

The Shih Tzu lover wants a comfortable, cleanable and durable bed for our best friends to sleep and lounge upon.

Dog fashion designers are drawing up new plans everyday and compete with each other to try and provide us with what we want.

Our choices in beds and bedding for our Shih Tzu companions are unbelievable and sometimes make having just one nearly impossible. Just the minute you purchase a very special bed for your Shih Tzu, you will see another one even more special.

A day spent relaxing with your favorite companion, the Shih Tzu, means also to dress your Shih Tzu in dog luxury robes and dog pajamas that can even match your own lounging attire.

The world of dog designer clothing and accessories is quickly becoming a billion dollar industry as fashion designers and marketers scramble to meet and fulfill the needs of us humans.

There is a lot of love being spent on our little friends, the Shih Tzu! And there is a lot of money being made by those who know how to create and market their dog fashion designs.

Our little friends are hearing our messages of love toward them. I think there is no other breed that loves to be pampered as well as the Shih Tzu. So have fun with the millions of choices in dog fashions we have today for our beloved friends, the Shih Tzu.

Shop online and save yourself some time for dog fashions for your Shih Tzu. Online dog fashion shops are absolutely by the millions I believe and they feature everything you can imagine and cannot even imagine. Dresses, shoes, hats, just everything you own for yourself can be duplicated in dog fashions. You will find dog fashions for your Shih Tzu for every type of lifestyle imaginable.

Shih Tzu loves all that attention.

Dressing the Shih Tzu in clothes makes them feel extra, extra special. It is a bonding experience for you and your friend, the Shih Tzu, which you don’t want to miss out on.

Gone are the days we throw out a ball for the Shih Tzu to fetch and return to us. Just play “dress-up” with your Shih Tzu and you will find an even more intimate relationship with him will develop.

If you want to bring out the real “human qualities” in a Shih Tzu, dress him or her up in dog fashions to your heart’s content. You will create a best friend who will stick closer to you than a brother or sister!

The Shih Tzu that belongs to celebrities is known to wear some of the most fabulous-looking collars. The celebrities love to dress their Shih Tzu in the finest and most fashionable collars for their Shih Tzu.

Throughout history people have adorned their dog’s necks with jewels, brass and velvet. We are not the first generation to love our dogs. A dog-collar museum at Leeds Castle in England displays a collection of collars from medieval times to the nineteenth century. Many of those collars include the same kind of identification information we put on our dog tags today.

The collars you choose for your Shih Tzu should provide comfort and safety as well as adornment. A collar that does not fit properly can create sores. A collar that is too loose can allow your Shih Tzu to slip out. A collar that is not sturdy can break just at a time you need it most to be strong enough to hold your Shih Tzu in safety. Finding the right fit is the first rule when purchasing collars for your Shih Tzu.

Do not put a huge collar and leash on a little Shih Tzu. It can irritate your Shih Tzu’s throat. The little guys under 8 pounds should have a collar that is 3/8-inch wide. Bigger Shih Tzu can use a collar 5/8-inch in size.

If you have a bigger and more active Shih Tzu ensure that the collar is strong. If your bigger Shih Tzu suddenly flies to the end of the leash after a cat while on your walk, you will be glad he was wearing a very strong collar and leash. Once I was walking one of my 10 pound Shih Tzu’s on a sidewalk that surrounded a lake. The ducks on the sidewalk suddenly flew into the water, and right after them went my Cindy and almost me too. Without a strong collar and leash that day she would have ended up in the lake for sure (I am unsure if Cindy can swim), but my first instinct would have been to run right after her and I for sure cannot swim. Luckily I was able to pull her back.

Look for well-constructed buckles and collars made of leather or other materials that won’t fall apart right at the “wrong” moment.

Be sure your Shih Tzu’s collar is secure around his neck. Otherwise he could learn to get his head out of the collar. Put your thumb or other fingers inside the collar. If you can fit more than one finger comfortably between collar and your Shih Tzu’s neck, the collar on a small Shih Tzu is too loose. Collar fitting can also be determined by the size of your Shih Tzu’s head. If your Shih Tzu has a big neck and a little head, the collar has to be fitted snug around his neck. If he has a skinny neck and a large head, the collar can be looser.

Whether you pay $5 or $100 for your Shih Tzu’s collars, think about quality, comfort and safety before you buy. It is fun to find stylish collars, but just be sure your Shih Tzu is comfortable and safe as well.