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The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

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Original poster

Shih Tzu's - any advice?

15 replies

Ananke99 · 26/10/2015 20:08

I've been looking for a small breed of dog that would fit in with our family.

A friend of a friends Shih Tzu had puppies 9 weeks ago and is now looking for homes for them. I originally hoped to get a rescue dog, but all the ones I have contacted said they wouldn't rehome with us because of the age of my children (8 & 3)

Has anyone got a Shih Tzu & willing to tell me pros/cons of the breed?

OP posts:

mrslaughan · 26/10/2015 21:33

I have not got any comments about the breed (but know a few - big personalities!), BUT go onto the Kennel Club website and find out what the minimum health screens are for this breed (as recommended by the KC, and note those will be the minimum, a reputable breeder will often do more), and at the very least make sure (and see evidence) that the dam and sire have had these............
you should do this for all sorts of reasons, not least that taking home a puppy is the beginning of the journey, you want to know it has had the best start in life, and that you are getting a healthy (and happy) puppy/dog.

mrslaughan · 26/10/2015 21:35

sorry to add, this just all screams backyard breeder - as most reputable breeders (who health screen and then do all the appropriate socialisation, temperament assessment) will have waiting lists for their litters.

ginmakesitallok · 26/10/2015 21:35

I dont have one but have heard that they are very hard to house train?

mrslaughan · 26/10/2015 22:06

actually - kennel Club is useless - have a read on the uk breed club website

insan1tyscartching · 26/10/2015 22:41

Ours is a shih tzu poodle cross I'd say his shih tzu traits are he is stubborn as a mule, he might be small but he thinks he's big and he loves people, wants to be with us and the centre of things at all times. Eric was house trained in a fortnight so no trouble with that here. He is very vocal though,he thinks he can talk and snorts, sneezes, whines, howls, growls and yaps throughout the day to let us know what he wants.

Dieu · 27/10/2015 02:52

DON'T DO IT, OP!!

Only joking I have a 5 1/2 month old Shih Tzu pup (male) and he is absolutely GORGEOUS. Proper picture postcard cute. Takes ages to get anywhere because people stop to chat about him, but I don't mind that . He's a friendly wee chap (good with humans and other dogs) and remarkably stocky - no health worries whatsoever so far, touch wood (word of advice though, do not deviate from their diet, as the results can be catastrophic with a long coat, if you get my meaning!). He doesn't shed hair, yet has the most beautiful coat. He is lying beside me now fast asleep, snoring and snorting like an old man. We love him.
HOWEVER, the toilet training has literally had me in tears. Even at nearly 6 months old, he will still frequently pee and poo inside (especially the peeing) and think nothing of it. When he does eventually come out the other side, I will need to have all my beautiful hardwood flooring ripped up and replaced. It smells, and he can actually piss a river. They are INCREDIBLY difficult to housetrain and all the chat about them only wanting to please their owners is bullshit! They can be very stubborn indeed. Please be wary of breed generalisations too, as these wee dogs are very much individuals. Ours dislikes cuddles and will not sit on your lap (this bucks the trend for males, as they're supposed to be the more affectionate)! He can actually be fairly aloof, but we love him and he us.
One day he will be a smashing wee dog (he is, by the way, non destructive unlike many breeds), but for the moment I can't see too far past the toilet training. Ours also has terrible separation anxiety.
If you do go for this breed, you must get your shit together before his/her arrival. I thought I was well read and prepared on the matter, but I really wasn't. There are things I would do oh so differently, but I guess the same could be said of any pup!
Like any breed, there are definite pros and cons, but I have never known another breed so difficult to toilet train. If you do decide to take one on, please make sure you have plenty of time to deal with this. The puppy stage is hard work, but it WILL all be worth it ... and did I mention how beautiful he is?!

Focusfocus · 27/10/2015 05:42

I've got a Shih Tzu x Bichon Frise and the total number of oroblems with her gave been ZERO!

She was toilet trained by 9 weeks and a gentler, kinder soul we haven't met.

insan1tyscartching · 27/10/2015 07:55

Would agree with Dieu Eric is no lapdog he'll walk for miles,chase a ball, play football or perform tricks, climb and jump like a goat he's far too busy to want to sit on your lap. He's a big personality in a little dog and he makes people smile.

Dieu · 27/10/2015 08:15

The ease of toilet training in Tzu crosses MUST come from the other dog!

SheSparkles · 27/10/2015 08:22

We have a shih tzu X bichon too and he's utterly adorable. I'm not sure which characteristics he has from each breed but we've also had no problems. He came to us at 8 weeks old already crate and pad trained so house training was a doddle, he's not destructive (apart from his own toys) and he isn't a dog, he's a small person in a furry suit!
Absolutely agree about the diet though-find what he's good with and stick to it-outs still has the food he was weaned onto-justvthenadult version now

peasareevilcreatures · 27/10/2015 13:08

I've a shih tzu cross poodle and she was easy to toilet train but I have heard that shih tzu's can be tough.
Her stubborness is totally shih tzu too.
She's a lovely lovely cuddle monster but can bark for England, apparently Shis tzu's were bred as guard dogs. Be prepared for lots of brushing too, they have gorgeous silky hair but it can mat quite easily, and factor in the cost of regular grooming.
Oh and they follow you everywhere!

peasareevilcreatures · 27/10/2015 13:09

.....and steal your socks at every opportunity!!

YouveCatToBeKittenMe · 27/10/2015 13:17

I have a Shih Tzu cross too and I'm now thinking he must be more coss than Shih as he was as easy to tooilet train as any other dog I've had, he is affectionate, not as stubborn as my spaniel and really loves cuddles.
I do need to clip him regularly, his coat doesnt really moult, the loose hair just seems to get caught and develop into lots of liitle knots if he's not regularly brushed - I clip him quite short.
He is lovely though, my first 'small' dog and everyone loves him. He is quite naughty, loves to dig holes in the garden and gets on the kitchen table as soon as he is left!

TrionicLettuce · 27/10/2015 13:52

They can be affected by a number of heritable health problems which currently can't be tested for so you absolutely need to make sure the breeder is very well versed in the health problems they can suffer and that they've really done their research into the lines they're using.

Also, being a brachycephalic breed they need to be bred with extreme care, with a huge amount of consideration given to their conformation to try and avoid conditions caused by having an extremely flat face.

This page lists all the conditions they can suffer from and shows which can currently be tested for.

FlameFireNora · 27/10/2015 20:32

I have two male Shih Tzus, both second hand so I know nothing about their breeding.

One we got when he was 10 months old, he would spend all day on my lap if he could, he is scared of everything, when we got him he was house trained but for months if anything scary happened (like me taking the bin out) he would be stood there with a tiny puddle under him where he had wet himself, as he got more confident this stopped, although when we got the other Shih Tzu he did a few protest poos inside. (They are now best friends). He is a very small dog.

Our second Shih Tzu is the exact opposite, we got him at 4 months, and he was pretty much house trained, no problems except what you would expect from a puppy settling into a new home, he has grown into a big boisterous dog, he loves to have a cuddle but won't sit on a lap for any length of time he prefers to be stretched out on the floor.

They are very good watch dogs, in other words they bark at the slightest thing !

They have naturally long coats so they have to be brushed every day, and as mine are country dogs and love long muddy walks I find I have to have them clipped every 6 weeks, so you either have to do a lot of work to keep them tidy and comfortable, or you have to spend a lot on getting them professionally groomed.

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