The Shih Tzu’s coat for the show rings requires extra care. Some show people actually keep their Shih Tzu confined and caged to preserve the coat, or they wrap the coat or oil it. Those who do keep their show Shih Tzu confined and caged pay a price in loss of muscle tone in their dogs. Not all show people practice these methods for preserving their Shih Tzu’s long show dog coats. It is also a myth that all show people do not allow their show Shih Tzu to go for long walks, to play and just in general to lead a normal life. For those who do allow their show Shih Tzu do lead a normal life keeping the coat glamorous requires a lot of extra effort, and much more grooming than for the pet Shih Tzu.
Coconut oil is considered helpful as a means of preserving the coat of a show dog Shih Tzu. If you do oil the show dog Shih Tzu coat you must remove the oil completely before each show. If you do not remove all the oil the coat appear limp and feel wrong. It can also be uncomfortable to be around a Shih Tzu that has been oiled. There are good oils on the market, however, that do not have this effect on the coat and it may be worth trying them if the Shih Tzu’s coat seems to need it. Wrapping the coat in tissue paper protects the Shih Tzu’s coat, but you lose some of the pleasure of seeing your dog in full coat with his hair flowing as he moves. I do think this is a beautiful, beautiful sight of the show dog Shih Tzu. The tissue wrapping sort of reminds me of the days when women ran around the house for house with their hair in curlers.
Probably the best thing to do if you are just starting out taking care of your Shih Tzu show dog’s coat is to experiment with different methods of preserving the coat until you find what works best for your dog. Much the same type of procedures a pet owner must go through, although a lot more intense and time consuming as the Shih Tzu show do requires so much more in the way of grooming.
One thing is for certain if you start out with “bad hair” it is virtually impossible to make it good enough for the show ring. When purchasing your show potential Shih Tzu it is wise to study the lines to find out which have good hair in their genes. This way you can just continue to keep it looking good.
The topknot and whiskers also need very special attention on the show dog Shih Tzu. The white whiskers on a parti-coloured Shih Tzu must be really, really white to look good. It seems this is especially true for the black and white Shih Tzu.
Some older methods of keeping the whiskers white was to wash them at least once a day with a solution of boracic powder, a teaspoon to a pint of water. This mixture is wiped into the whiskers, being careful to get none in the eyes and then rinsed away. One of the keys to keeping whiskers white is above all to dry them immediately and keep them dry. An older method of drying them was to work in some fuller’s earth or talcum powder, brushing this out and repeating until the hair was absolutely dry. If you allow the Shih Tzu to dry his own whiskers he will rub and rub until dry doing nothing but harm to the length of the coat. Another problem you run into with all this washing is that the hair becomes dry and brittle. You will need to dress the whiskers with a little coat conditioner from time to time.
A method of preserving the hair of the topknot is to use several bands along the length of the hair to hold it to the back of the head. You can also plait the hair to achieve the same purpose. Use neither of these methods just before a show as both methods will cause kinks in the coat of which you do not want.
It is always wise to review the rules of the American Kennel Club about the use of oils and conditioners on the coat of a show dog. Any substance used to alter the natural color, texture or body of the coat is usually prohibited.
About The Author
Connie Limon. I raise Shih Tzu Puppies for Sale. Visit us at http://www.stainglassshihtzus.com and sign up for our newsletters. We have the Shih Tzu in a variety of colors, the small AKC standards, imperials and teacups at reasonable prices.
4 Steps To Eliminating Blood Sucking Fleas
Step One: Know your enemy
Fleas are the most common external parasite found on dogs and cats. A single flea can bite your pet over 400 times a day, leading to itching and painful scratching, which can in turn lead to reddening, irritated skin and hair loss in the area, or cause more serious (and costly) skin conditions like dermatitis (rashes or tiny crusts) caused by an allergic reaction to the flea´s saliva. They can also transmit the serious tapeworm parasite if your pet swallows an infested flea while self-grooming. In a single day, a flea can consume more than it´s body weight worth of blood, which can provoke serious anemia to your dog or cat. In some cases such as extreme infestations or in the case of young, ill or old pets, this can lead to death.
Step Two: Find the Flea
It is important to detect the presence of fleas on your pet before they can reach the harmful levels described above, where your pets suffering becomes evident. When the fleas first make their appearance on your pet, you might be deceived into thinking that their scratching, nibbling or licking their hair coat and skin is part of their normal grooming routine.
Therefore you must check your pet periodically, especially during warm seasons or indoor conditions (heater or fireplace in use inside the house). Carefully look for fleas around the head, neck and ears of your pet, and inspect the armpits and legpits. You might see small dark fleas moving around, but don´t be misled if you don´t see them as they are very good at hiding between skin folds and fur.
The best way to determine the flea´s presence in your pet is to search their coat for flea feces. To do this, rub or comb (you can use a special flea comb) your pet´s coat and dump the collected hair or litter into a damp white paper towel.
If your pet has fleas, black flecks will fall onto the paper and turn red or rust color when wet. The reddish color comes from the blood sucked by the flea and transferred to the feces. If the black flecks don’t become red then it´s just regular dirt. You can also test your pets resting place with this method.
Remember that the feces are food for the larvae, so it keeps the flea´s life cycle rolling on. (Nasty! I
1000
guess we all do it in a sense, but fleas literally grow/come from their parents crap! Remember to repeat this procedure periodically, especially if your pet has been enjoying the sunny outdoors.
If you do find fleas, you must act fast against them, as they can rapidly invade your home. Fortunately, fleas are getting easier to control as there is a wide range of safe and effective products available in the market to fight them.
Step three: Attack and Destroy the Flea
Most flea problems can be eliminated by treating the fleas directly on your pet. You can take your pet to a vet so he can determine if a prescription medication is necessary, or you can use over the counter products, such as flea collars, sprays, shampoo, liquid, topical products and powders that can be applied directly on your pet´s body. Some products kill only adult fleas, while others prevent the eggs from developing. Deciding which method is best for your case may require consultation with a veterinarian.
If your pet is seriously infested, you will need to treat their resting spot and possibly your home. Frequent vacuuming of the areas your pet frequents will usually get rid of fleas at their different life stages (eggs, larvae, or adult fleas). Authorized pest control services may also treat your pet´s outdoor environment in severe cases where this is required. It is also very important that you treat any other pets in your home, as fleas can jump from one to another.
Step 4: Prevention (This should be step one, but if you are reading this it’s probably because you already have fleas!)
Due to the flea´s rapid expansion rate, they can be hard to eliminate completely, therefore prevention is essential. So whether you find fleas on your pet or not, many veterinarians recommend treating pets monthly as part of their health care routine.
It is especially recommended to treat your pet at the beginning of the warm seasons, as fleas thrive in warm environments. Vacuuming your pet´s favorite spots frequently will also prevent the fleas from reproducing and invading your house. Taking these simple steps, you and your pet can enjoy a flea free environment year round.
By: Joseph Warthon
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