Shih Tzu haircut options

Decorative dog breeds with abundant coat allow owners to work on the image of a pet. A well-chosen Shih Tzu haircut can win a show or earn millions of rave reviews on social media. But in order for a pet to show really spectacular images, care for its coat must be professional. What are the best grooming options for a Shih Tzu? What should you consider in the process of cutting the excess length yourself?

There are quite a few styles and models of haircuts for Shih Tzu. There are fashionable options for the design of animal fur, show versions, hygienic treatments. Each of them deserves special attention. In addition, there are popular hairstyles for the summer and winter, which allow the dog's body to have enough comfortable thermoregulation.

The simplest haircut is a hygienic one, which involves the removal of tangles, overgrown hair. It is used in puppies and pet-class dogs, not participating in exhibitions, in lactating females. The regularity of the procedures should be 15-30 days. The hairs between the paw pads are necessarily removed, the anus and groin area is trimmed.

A short summer haircut "like a puppy" allows you to give the appearance of a pet the carelessness and enthusiasm inherent in young animals. In this case, all hair on the body is sheared with a machine to a length of 2.5 cm.The shorter option is not recommended as skin irritation can occur.

Show-class dogs need a competent emphasis on their breed characteristics. The canonical hairstyle of Shih Tzu dogs implies the formation of the correct parting from the top of the head to the tail of the dog. The coat falls along its entire length to the tips of the paws, looks flowing and silky. The cover is shortened only in the area around the eyes, and the beard and mustache are neatly shaped.

The most popular short haircut among Shih Tzu breeders. When shortened, the coat begins to resemble the dense plush typical of soft toys. The head and muzzle of the dog take on a rounded shape with exquisite lines. Long hair on the back of the head is gathered in a neat bun or ponytail.

Cute Asian style looks are popular with Shih Tzu breeders. The Korean haircut allows you to give your dog the look of an anime character. For this, the maximum length of hair is preserved on the head and ears, here pigtails or tails are formed on both sides of the head. The beard and mustache are cut short to form a rounded muzzle.

The "highlight" of the Korean-style haircut is the creation of a short "skirt" on the legs, the body practically loses its coat, only plush is preserved here. You can choose stylish clothes for your pet, tie bows or use bright hairpins.

All dogs of the Shih Tzu breed, regardless of gender and age, require careful care. What is the difference between grooming girls and boys? An exhibition haircut is one for all and does not imply a significant departure from the canonical silhouette. But in grooming - hygienic or fantasy - there are variations.

Looks good on boys Shih Tzu haircut "teddy bear". Universal - unisex - is considered a "puppy" hairstyle that gives youth and enthusiasm to a dog in any age category. Girls are traditionally cut more fantastically - in the Korean style or more variably, leaving an elongated hair on their heads, frills on their paws, forming playful tails or pigtails.

When grooming Shih Tzu dogs at home, you need to take care of a complete set of necessary tools, accessories, necessary for every groomer. Among them there should definitely be:

• rotary hair clipper;
• trimmer with a set of additional attachments;
• regular and thinning scissors of a convenient size;
• a set of brushes for detangling wool;
• metal hairbrush;
• a collar or a special trimming knife;
• tweezers for pulling out excess hair in the ears;
• spray or aerosol to facilitate combing;
• shampoo and care balm.

Grooming of a puppy and an adult dog traditionally begins with bathing and brushing. Dirty wool will not work properly, you also need to remove and disassemble the tangles beforehand. At home, you can independently process the head and paws, but only a real master can beautifully cut an animal according to the scheme for an exhibition or apply a fashionable technique.

The order of hygienic - everyday haircuts of the Shih Tzu - will be as follows.

• The machine shortens the coat on the chest, neck, body of the animal to a length of 2.5 cm. "Skirt" is also cut to fit the overall length. You only need to drive the typewriter according to hair growth, using a special attachment.
• The groin and anal areas, abdomen are carefully trimmed. A clipper without attachments is used here, you can choose a separate miniature version for trimming delicate areas. Long hairs are preliminarily removed with scissors.
• The hair between the paw pads is removed completely. The legs are trimmed from top to bottom. The limbs after the haircut should look even, without distortion of proportions.
• How to cut your face properly at home? This is where scissors come in handy. For the beard, it is necessary to maintain an oblique angle, the eyebrows are trimmed in the direction of growth. In the ears, protruding hairs are removed, the haircut should be short around the nose and eyes.
• All areas of the body cut with a machine in the final of grooming must be trimmed with scissors.

The repetition of the procedure is carried out as necessary, taking into account the speed and intensity of the growth of the coat.

How to properly care for the coat of a Shih Tzu dog after grooming? A cropped pet will look impressive only if enough attention is paid to it. Among the measures recommended to maintain an attractive appearance of the animal, the following can be distinguished.

• Regular brushing of the coat with special anti-tangle sprays. The procedure is performed using a metal comb and a special brush with hard bristles.
• Periodic bathing of the animal - on average, three times a month, every 10 days. Before and after this procedure, the wool is thoroughly combed, mats are removed. Conditioner and balm are used during washing.
• After taking water procedures - thorough treatment of wool with antistatic compounds or special aerosol fixatives.
• Ponytail shaping for everyday wear. They are created on the beard and crown of the animal.
• Use of silk walking overalls during every walk.

When cutting a Shih Tzu, inexperienced craftsmen or the owners themselves often make mistakes that can be completely avoided.

But if possible, it is better to immediately contact a specialist. The stress experienced by both the dog and the owner when creating the first haircut can lead to a distorted silhouette or pain in the animal.

You can often hear about the following common mistakes made during grooming:

• excessive moisture or overdrying of the coat when clipping - can lead to a violation of the normal structure of the hair;
• poor disinfection, neglect of hygiene;
• attempts to carry out a haircut without untangling tangles, combing;
• refusal of thinning;
• complete removal of hairs in the area of ​​eyebrows, whiskers (including vibrissae);
• inexperience in handling a typewriter, skin damage;
• excessively loud and noisy actions that frighten the dog.

It is worth paying attention to the fact that you can still cut a Shih Tzu as a puppy. Already from the age of 6 months, it is worth gradually accustoming the animal to small hygienic procedures to keep the coat in order. It is worth praising and encouraging the calm behavior of the pet, reinforcing the positive emotions from grooming. In this case, as it grows up, the dog will not associate the grooming process with something unpleasant.

Groomers easily deal with the whims and nervousness of animals.Before starting a haircut, it is imperative to walk the animal, then redeem it. Only a clean, slightly damp wool will allow you to give your hair the desired shape.

When grooming a Shih Tzu at home, you should arrange a place to do the work. It should be non-slip, well-lit, and draft-free. There should be enough space around the clipping table for two people - if you need to fix the pet, it should be convenient for both the master and the assistant. It is worth stocking up with an antiseptic in advance in case of cuts.

How to make a home haircut for a Shih Tzu, see below.