Giving a Shih Tzu a Bath

Overview

Giving a Shih Tzu a bath is not just for aesthetic purposes; baths are vital for good skin and coat health. The products that you use, the timing of baths, and bathing techniques all play a big role.

This article will cover:
  • The benefits of baths
  • How often to bathe a Shih Tzu
  • The best place to bathe a Shih Tzu, depending on age, size, and tolerance
  • Bathing supplies
  • How to give a Shih Tzu a bath (pre-bathing prep, and step-by-step instructions with photos)
So, let's dive in so that baths are as effective as possible, leaving your Shih Tzu's skin in good health, the coat looking clean and shiny, and your little guy or gal smelling great. 

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The Benefits of Baths

Everyone knows that they should give their dog a bath but the reasons why are not often talked about. Benefits include:  
  1. To wash away body oil. Round-the-clock, the body produces natural oil that seeps out of skin pores and serves as a natural protectant. But, this does not evaporate. It accumulates. And, if it's not properly washed off, it will start to smell bad once enough of it builds up. 
  2. To wash off sweat. Dogs sweat predominantly through sweat glands on the paws and nose. 
  3. To remove dirt and tiny particles from the coat including food bits and irritants such as pollen and/or lawn care products.
  4. To help keep skin balanced and properly moisturized to prevent dry and/or irritated skin. 
  5. To help keep hair healthy and properly moisturized to prevent split ends and poor texture. 
  6. To help treat any existing issues such as allergy-related problems (hot spots, itching, etc.), skin yeast infections, and more. 
  7. To remove odors and help keep a Shih Tzu smelling nice.

How Often to Give a Shih Tzu a Bath

Under normal circumstances, a Shih Tzu should be given a bath once every 3 weeks. If baths are given less frequently, accumulated body oil can start to smell bad and a Shih Tzu's skin and coat will not be receiving the bathing benefits (as listed previously) as often as they should. And if baths are given too often, this can strip away body oil faster than the body can keep up, causing dry skin and other issues. 
If there are moderate to severe skin or coat issues such as very bad hot spots/irritation, severe itching problems, or hair loss, baths can be given more often in order to apply topical treatments or specialty shampoos to help resolve the problem. This may be as often as every day during the first week of treatment and then transition to every 2 to 7 days; the timing depends on the exact issue and the product used to treat it. 

The Best Place to Bathe a Shih Tzu

Shih Tzu puppies may do best in a clean kitchen sink; otherwise, bath time can be quite overwhelming. And, it's important to make baths fun so that they are well-tolerated as time goes on. Adult Shih Tzu over 10 lbs. that have shown a high tolerance for baths and a general love of water and being scrubbed with shampoo, etc., may do just fine in a full-sized bathtub.  

Bathing Supplies

Basic bath supplies:
  • Comb (pre-bath prep for medium to long coats)
  • Two small thin washcloths
  • Shampoo
  • Wash-out conditioner
  • Quality absorbent towel
  • Cotton balls
Optional:
  • Non-slip mat for the sink or tub (or a kitchen dish towel)
A word about shampoo and conditioner: There are lots of aspects that go into choosing the best shampoo and coat products for a Shih Tzu. At the end of this article, you can follow through to read the details of shampoo, as well as specialty products (both medicated and all-natural). 
As a quick summary, since this breed generally has sensitive skin, an exceptional 'regular' shampoo is Earthbath Oatmeal & Aloe Shampoo, along with their matching wash-out conditioner 

How to Give a Shih Tzu a Bath (with step-by-step photos)

Pre-bath prep: 
1. Ensure the sink or tub is clean with no soap or cleaning product residue.

2. Have all of your needed supplies within reach of your dominant hand.

3. Comb the coat. Note this is not needed for those with short or shaved coats. With medium to long coats, the goal is to check for any tangles, remove any dead hairs, and separate hairs to make shampooing more effective. This can be done with the comb that is part of your grooming tools collection (stainless-steel wide-tooth comb). 
4. If you find a mat, take care of this before the bath since the shampooing process can make it worse. First, if you think it's a tangle that you can work out, give it a try. Spray it with a leave-in conditioner to help the hairs slide. 

If you cannot remove it by hand, consider using a mat remover like the Coastal Pet Mat Remover tool. To use this, start on the outside of the tangled spot and work your way in to break it up. Comb in the direction of the hair growth, until it's easy to comb through.
5. For Shih Tzu that are prone to ear infections and/or those that move around a lot as you are rinsing, you may wish to place small pieces of cotton into the outer ear canals to prevent water from entering the ears. 
6. If the tub or sink does not have any non-slip elements, place a small bath mat or a towel at the base to help prevent your Shih Tzu from slipping. 
7. Fill the tub with several inches of warm water. Test the temperature with your inner wrist. Note that cool water will give a dog the chills and hot water can scald a dog. 
Step-by-step instructions:
Step #1: Place your Shih Tzu in the tub and once they are settled, wet the entire body. 
How to bathe Shih Tzu, step 1, wet the coat
A nozzle works best. If you do not have a nozzle, a small cup or bowl can work, though it may not be as effective. Be sure that the coat is thoroughly soak down to the skin. 
Step #2: Shampoo your Shih Tzu. 
How to bathe a Shih Tzu, step 2, shampooing
Do not be shy with the shampoo; it’s important to use enough to thoroughly clean the entire body. Scrub and massage the shampoo down through the coat to the skin. Go over every area other than the face (legs, paws, back, chest, neck, underbelly, armpits, tail, bum). 

Note that the order of this does not matter, but if your Shih Tzu has a particular area that they do not like having touched (like the tail or the paws) do that area last.  
Step #3: Clean your Shih Tzu's face with one of the washcloths. 
How to bathe a Shih Tzu, step 3, clean face
Dip the washcloth into the sudsy water, wring it out a bit, and then gently swipe over the face, making sure to clean very well around the eye area. Swipe over the face as many times as necessary to ensure all tiny food bits or debris particles are cleansed away. Once this is done, use the second washcloth to dry around the eyes. 
Step #4: Once you are done with the face, gently clean the genital area, using the washcloth. 
Step #5: Rinse the shampoo out. 
How to bathe a Shih Tzu, step 5, rinse
It is important to rinse very well. Even if you are using a superior shampoo, it is meant to do its job and then be removed. Any residue will prevent the conditioner from doing its job. Once you think you have rinsed it all away, rinse the coat for an additional minute. 
Step #6: Now it's time to condition the coat. 
How to bathe a Shih Tzu, step 6, conditioner
If you don't use a conditioner, you're only doing half the job; it's vital for good coat health. During the shampooing process, hair cuticles open. A wash-out conditioner helps smooth them back down. Otherwise, the coat can be extremely vulnerable to contact friction, arid air, and more.
How to bathe a Shih Tzu, step 6, part 2
Apply a generous amount to the coat (or to your hands first) and take your time massaging this into the coat, reaching every area and being sure to work it down to the hair tips. Once it's applied, leave it on for a full 5 minutes. You can keep massaging lightly or just allow your Shih Tzu's coat to soak it up.  
Step #7: Rinse out the conditioner. Note that you may need to drain some water out before you add more in while doing this. Also, you do not need to, nor should you, go overboard with rinsing the conditioner out. Leaving perhaps 5% or so still in the coat, to be transferred to a towel, is just fine and can actually help protect the coat if the towel happens to be less than ideal in regard to softness. 
Step #8: Remove your Shih Tzu from the bath into a quality towel. 
How to bathe a Shih Tzu, step 8, towel
Carefully remove your Shih Tzu from the tub, place them down into the center of a towel, allow them to shake, and then gently wrap them up. Do not rub the coat, the goal will be to pat them dry (more ahead) before air-drying or blow-drying. 
Photo credit: Bathing photos are courtesy of Sue of Serendipity Shih Tzu in Washington State, one of our personally recommended breeders.  

Drying a Shih Tzu After a Bath

There are two basic options: Air drying and blow-drying. Which one you choose will largely depend on the length of your Shih Tzu's coat and their tolerance for a drying method. 
shih-tzu-being-dried-blow-dryer
Porter, photo courtesy of Laura Toma
Towel drying/air drying. This is a popular option for puppies and adults with short coats. And, it's an easy method as long as you won't be heading outside with your Shih Tzu on a chilly day before the coat is dry. 

You'll simply use an absorbent towel to blot and dab the coat to soak up excess water, taking care to never rub. Rubbing the coat with a towel can cause damage (such as split ends, if done chronically) or lots of mats and tangles (if the coat is long enough for that) and in fact vigorous rubbing can utterly ruin a long coat, sometimes with irreversible damage. 

Once you're done with the towel, lightly spritz the coat with a quality leave-in conditioner spray like Nootie Daily Spritz, massage it through the coat with your hands or use a brush to distribute it, and allow your Shih Tzu to air-dry.
Blow-drying. Working in sections, mist the coat with your chosen leave-in, holding the bottle 5 to 6 inches away, and spraying about 1 inch from the roots. Go over all areas with the wide side of a two-level comb and comb down from roots to tip. 

Once you're sure that all hairs are separated and the conditioner has been distributed, set the blow-dryer to warm (not hot) and hold it 5 to 6 inches away. While moving it side-to-side, use your hand to work through the hair. 

Once the coat is dry enough to be separated (not clung together due to being wet), you can then finish off by using a pin brush while you dry. If you see any areas that seem to need it, light amounts of additional coat spray can be spritzed on. 

Related Articles:

The Best Shampoos and Coat Products for Shih Tzu - If you are not 100% confident that you are using the right products, see what is recommended and why. This article includes specialty shampoo for itchiness, hot spots, and other common problems. 
How to Remove Tear Stains on a Shih Tzu - Tear stains refer to rust-colored areas under and around a dog's eyes. They can be stubborn and hard to remove. Read out tips to rid them for good, for a tidier-looking Shih Tzu. 
Shih Tzu Hair Styles - Cute options that can really change the appearance of this breed. Reader-submitted photos of sweet Shih Tzu puppies and dogs. 

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