The long, silky coat of the Shih Tzu resembles a real crown. But along with beauty, this breed also has a special responsibility: without regular care, the charming Beloved runs the risk of turning from a proud ornamental dog into a shaggy “mat” or even a creature that is hard to distinguish from an old wig.
What happens without regular grooming
First of all – the Shih Tzu’s coat starts to pile up in clumps. These clumps not only spoil the dog’s appearance, but also prevent him from moving, pulling the skin and causing pain. In severe cases, irritations, fungal infections, and sometimes even ulcers form under the tangles.
The second problem is the eyes. Because of the characteristic structure of the muzzle, hair quickly gets into the eyes, causes tearing and can lead to conjunctivitis. If the hair around the eyes is not trimmed, the dog literally “disappears” behind the veil of hair.
The third point is hygiene. Shih Tzu are small dogs, and the hair on the paws and around the genitals gets dirty quickly. Without regular trimming and bathing, there is an unpleasant odor, the skin suffers from bacteria, and there is a constant dirty “shadow” at home.
The myth of the “self-cleaning coat”
Some people believe that if you wash your Shih Tzu less often, the coat will “self-clean”. In fact, Shih Tzu’s have no undercoat and their coat is closer to human hair. This means that it grows constantly and needs care just like our hair: washing, conditioning, brushing. If you don’t do this, there is no natural cleansing and only dirt builds up.
How to care for it properly
Professionals advise:
Daily brushing – to prevent collapses.
Bathing once every 2-3 weeks with professional shampoos for long-haired breeds.
Regular shih tzu haircut – for household comfort, most often choose “puppy face” or short hygienic grooming. For show dogs, a long format with a topknot.
Eye and muzzle grooming – hair near the eyes should be shortened or gathered to avoid irritation.
Grooming in a professional salon
Caring for a Shih Tzu at home often turns into a real challenge for the owners. Therefore, the best way out is to entrust this matter to professionals. In the salons of our network V.O.G DOG SALON in Kiev groomers work with such fastidious breeds. Here they will choose an individual format of haircut: from practical “puppy face” for home comfort to classic styling for performance. The groomers will trim the coat, take care of eyes, ears and paws using professional cosmetics.
As a result, the pet will feel healthy and happy. And the owner gets not a wig on his paws, but a real handsome Shih Tzu, which causes admiration wherever it appears.
