Piper, photo courtesy of Doug L.
#7 Do Body Touch-ups
We are nearing the end of our list on how to keep a Shih Tzu nice and clean in between baths, and have come to one of the most important tasks for this. One of the reasons why body touch-ups are vital to hygiene, is because dogs, of course, cannot wipe themselves after going to the bathroom.
So, it's common for tiny splashes of urine to end up on the underbelly or the flanks and for tiny bits of feces to cling to the fine hairs around the anus.
This alone can make a Shih Tzu smelly and unclean even just a day after a bath. Added to this is the possible elements of a Shih Tzu rolling around outside which can pick up any number of dirty things and you have a recipe for one messy dog.
But, you don’t have to get the bathtub running quite yet because spot cleaning is a fast and easy way to keep a Shih Tzu clean.
For everyday touch-ups, a thick and effective yet gentle grooming wipe like
Earthbath All Natural Grooming Wipes
are perfect. All of their 4 options (fragrance-free, puppy formula, mango tango, and green tea) are awesome. As often as once per day or at minimum once per week, start at the top and work your way down. Swipe over the head, down the neck, over the chest, back, flanks, and legs. You may wish to use a second wipe for the underbelly and the tushie.
Remember that it is easiest to remove bits of feces while they are fresh; once these pieces dry up, they will cling to the coat in such a way that a partial bath in the kitchen sink, if not a full bath, will be needed.
An added bonus of wiping your Shih Tzu down is that you will be removing allergens from the coat, if your guy or gal has allergies.
If your Shih Tzu is a mess
to the point that grooming wipes won’t cut it, but you don’t have the inclination or the time to offer a full bath, you may wish to opt for a dry shampoo like
Wahl No-Rinse Waterless Lavendar Shampoo. This is a foam that is massaged into the coat to loosen and free debris and then is either brushed out or removed with a towel. For Shih Tzu with medium or long coats, we recommend the brush method, since a towel rub can cause terrible tangles.
Cuteness break!
Max, at 16 months old, photo courtesy of Jim Fleming
#8 Keep the Teeth Clean and Breath Fresh
Last but not least, this final tip for keeping a Shih Tzu clean really matters, not just for completing the full ‘clean vibe’ but also to help prevent painful tooth decay and infections which toy breeds are prone to. In fact, 80% of dogs develop some level of periodontal disease by the age of 2 years old.
All Shih Tzu should receive daily at-home dental care as well have their teeth examined as part of their regular wellness checks at the vet.
Note that thick plaque and tartar that has been hardening for years and/or is under the gum line will rarely come off with at-home methods and typically can only be removed by the vet with the use of an ultrasonic scaler. Once the teeth are cleaned in that way, you can then perform maintenance cleanings to prevent them from reaching that level again.
At home, the most effective way to keep teeth clean is to:
Brush the teeth.
Not all dogs are tolerant of this, but it is certainly worth trying since it is highly effective method of keeping plaque at bay. If your Shih Tzu is new to this, start off with just very short sessions and work your way up.
You will want to use an appropriately sized toothbrush and a canine toothpaste since human paste foams (this is a choking hazard) and typically contains fluoride (which is toxic to dogs). Paste for dogs is meant to be swallowed; though, it is recommended to swipe the teeth with gauze once you are done to remove any excess.
A nice kit for this is the
Nylabone Advanced Oral Triple Action Dental Kit
which has both an effective paste and a 3-sided brush which gets all sides of the teeth at the same time is. For puppies and Shih Tzu under 10 pounds, opt for the puppy size brush. For those 10 pounds and up, the adult size is ideal since the larger the brush, the easier it is to use it on dogs that tend to wiggle around.
In addition to that, other supplemental methods include a liquid plaque remover that is added to water (like Nylabone Advanced Oral Care Liquid Tartar Remover), a powder plaque remover that is added to food (like Proden PlaqueOff Dental Care), a dental spray that is spritzed onto the teeth (like Sonnyridge Dog Dental Spray), and dental chews like
Greenie Teenie Dog Dental Chews
which are meant to be given while supervised since these are very hard (they have to be, to remove plaque).
Cuteness break!
Mochi, photo courtesy of Peggy F.
To Summarize
To keep your Shih Tzu clean, you may wish to do some or all of the following tasks:
Every day:
• Wipe the face.
• Brush the teeth. Use additional methods including sprays, water supplements, and/or a dental chew.
Every 1 to 7 days:
• Clean the inner ear flaps (frequency depends on how dirty your Shih Tzu’s ears get).
• Brush the coat (every 2 days for long coats, every 3 days for medium coats, every week for short coats).
• Use a leave-in coat spray each time you brush the coat.
• Apply paw wax (every 7 days).
• Wipe the body down with a grooming wipe or use a dry shampoo as needed.
Every 3 weeks:
• Give a bath.
• Clean out the ear canals.