Has anyone got a Shih tzu??

[pandagirl03]

Hello, We are considering getting a shih tzu puppy. I have read up quiet alot on them and from what i have found out think this is the right dog for us.

I would love to know if anyone has one and if anyone knows the sort of thing i should look out for when looking at puppys.

We have a dd 3yrs old, a biggish garden and a dog walking field and canals near us. I also know they need grooming but is there anything else i need to know or consider. Many thanks

I had them as a child and my mum still has one.

They're lovely, well natured dogs. Quite lazy as well. My mum walks her dog every day but sometimes it hides behind the sofa as it doesn't want to go.

I believe they can be prone to heart problems - thats certainly what my 2 died of. I think they were about 11 and 10 when they died so fairly decent ages, but both had been poorly and on medication for a few years before they died. They were half brothers though, so maybe bad blood? My mum's current dog is 8 and seems fit, though slightly highly strung. It had a nervous breakdown when my parents divorced and she can't leave it in the house even for 30 mins by itself or it wrecks everything in sight. However I suspect that if she'd ever bothered training it, etc then that may have been of some benefit.

The grooming is a lot as their hair can be almost wool like. Mum now gets her dog professionally clipped and it takes less time grooming it than the dogs I had when I was young.

Lol Stripey, sounds just like the one next door to me, she is the laziest dog I've ever met! She is nice though. I'm not usually very keen on small dogs but she has wormed her way into my affections by being sweet and well-behaved, not at all yappy or snappy. Unfortunately the one in the house opposite is both of those things so I suppose as with any dog, most of it is down to training. The yappy one has an assortment of bows for it's hair - 'nuff said.

Are they prone to eye problems? I believe both my neighbours' dogs have to have eye-drops.

Thanks for the advice, will bear all that in mind. Has anyone else any advice for me.

They are lovely dogs so long as they're not spoilt or will turn out yappy/snappy.
Just walk past the 'doggie waste of money boutique' section in pets at home.

I've never had one with eye problems. As a breed they're generally not yappy, I believe they were bred to be some sort of temple guard dog in China. More of a warning dog than a doberman though

Mine would bark if someone came to the door but were very friendly. Very happy just to sit snoozing most of the day. My mum's dog is very good with my 7yo dd. The dog is a year older than dd so has had to put up with her when she was a toddler, etc (my mum used to look after dd when I was at work). In 7 years he's only snapped at her once - even then he didn't draw blood, so more of a warning. This was last year and she pinned him down on the sofa - old enough to know better and serves her right!

I love my shih tzu. Beautiful creatures!

I would say you go girl!

Thanks for all the advice, just to let you all know i got my beautifull baby boy on saturday. He is 8 weeks old and is lovely. DD loves him too and he loves her too.