Shih Tzu Care Bathing

Bathing your Shih Tzu should be seen as an enjoyable event for both you and your Shih Tzu. At first there may be a lot of splashing by your dog and this may cause a big mess, but your Shih Tzu will quickly become use to the bathing and may even begin to like the bathing session.

Shih Tzu’s require more frequent bathing sessions than most other dogs, because of their long hair, and the quicker you get your dog use to the bathing sessions the better.

The frequency of bathing will depend on how often your dog spends time outdoors playing in the mud and dirt. Just remember that dogs have natural oils in their hair and should not be bathed too often.
Enough talking, let’s get down to work.

Steps to bath your Shih Tzu
One person can bath a Shih tzu, but two works better. When you are two people one holds the dog, while the other person does the actual washing.

  1. Fill a bathtub with lukewarm water. I prefer a bathtub that is deep enough so the dog cannot get out of it, but not so deep that your dog runs the risk of drowning. The use of a non slip mat is advisable and make sure you place the bathtub in an area that can be cleaned or mopped easily.
  2. Test the water with your hands to ensure it is not too warm.
  3. Gently lift your dog into the bathtub and watch your dog’s reaction. There should be no signs of discomfort.
  4. Dilute some dog shampoo in water and gently rub the shampoo into the dog’s coat. It is important to first dilute the shampoo otherwise it will burn your dog.
  5. Wash the whole body and pay particular attention to areas that get dirty quickly, such as the lower legs.
  6. Once the whole body has been washed you can move to the face. Although most dog shampoos are manufactured not to irritate the dog’s eyes, it is still advisable to keep the water/shampoo mixture away from your dog’s eyes.
  7. Use clean water to rinse off your Shih Tzu’s coat. This normally takes two or three attempts before the water running from your dog’s coat is totally clean.
  8. Squeeze any excess water from your dog’s coat before you lift your dog onto a towel to start the drying process.
  9. You can use either a blow-dryer or a towel to dry your dog, just make sure your dog does not get cold and test the hairdryer as hot air will cause a lot of discomfort to your dog.
  10. Some owners also use a tear stain remover and a sponge to get rid of any dirty stains on their dog’s eyes. The application of a conditioner directly after a wash is recommended as this will make your task much easier when you want to remove any tangles.

There are few things that will change the appearance of your dog as quickly as a nice bath and blow-dry; a dog you can be proud of and one you want to lift onto your lap. Congratulations, you have just completed an important step in Shih Tzu Care

P.S.

If you found this information useful please feel free to opt into my free mini-course by using the box on this page. In the minicourse I discuss more ways to groom your Shih tzu.