Shih Tzu before and after grooming for a short hair cut

This is Toby, he is a Shih Tzu. His owner loves to keep Toby short and manageable, which is great for a pet Shih Tzu. The sole purpose of the Shih Tzu (Chinese) is companionship and house pet. This breed should be alert, lively and friendly. They require minimal exercise, but his coat is high maintenance and needs daily brushing. The Shih Tzu should be groomed every 4 weeks if left in a longer coat or 5 - 8 weeks if done in a short style like Toby's. The products I like to use on Toby are:

Isle of Dogs No. 30 Detangle Formula Shampoo, Isle Strengthen - which gives conditioning, volume and hold along with Isle Thicken - that is a conditioner, volumizer and hold, both are from the Vanity Series.

For his haircut I use a 3 3/4 blade on my Andis clipped and hand scissor his legs, head and tail. He sure is a cutie.

Grooming The Shih Tzu

Hi I'm Gizmo
The Shih Tzu is a dog that requires a good daily brushing. I like to use a slicker or bristle brush. Most owners of these little dogs prefer to have them clipped and trimmed in a short style. This way the coat stays free from mats longer and is much better for the skin. A topknot can be fashioned on top of the head so that the dog can see properly, but many owners like the visor look. The ear hairs must be plucked out of the ear canals and cleaned so ear infections do not occur. The area around the eyes are very important to keep clean so wiping them daily is highly suggested. Toe nails must be trimmed often to maintain good foot health. This breed sheds little to no hair and are good for allergy suffers.