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shihtzu

Read and learn more about shihtzu. For more, visit the Dog Breeds website DogBreedsFAQ.com

Q: What are the odds of a registered shihtzu having one blue and one dark eye?
Is this a defect or a very special trait? How many shihtzu pups will be born with one blue eye and one dark eye?

A: The AKC breed standard;-
Eyes – Large, round, not prominent, placed well apart, looking straight ahead. Very dark. Lighter on liver pigmented dogs and blue pigmented dogs. Fault: Small, close-set or light eyes; excessive eye white.
The KC & FCI breed standards ;-
Large, dark, round, placed well apart but not prominent. Warm expression. In liver or liver-marked dogs, lighter eye colour permissible. No white of eye showing.

Looks like it’s a fault, or defect, under any reputable registry. It is something that should be removed from the breeding pool.

As for “How many shihtzu pups will be born with one blue eye and one dark eye?” the answer should be none but poor specimens can crop up occasionally.

Q: How do I get a Shihtzu and Poodle to get along?
Right now I am staying with my family while my husband is overseas and I have a “perky” female shihtzu and my family has a “typical” female toy poodle.

For the most part they are fine, but once a day they get into a really big fight. It seems to have gotten worse. At first my shihtzu thought the poodle was just playing, but now she realizes that she is serious, and they fight pretty hard.

How do I get these two to stop fighting? It really makes me nervouse I don’t want them to hurt each other and I don’t want my shihtzu to start getting violent. HELP!

A: the poodle is the dominate dog since your in the dogs house so to end the feud you will have to let your dog learn that its not the alpha dog and that the poodle is the boss. the only way to settle it is tie them up near each other but not close enough to bite each other and leave them alone together for a day and they will stop fighting

Q: What is the best and healthy food for my 6 and a half month old shihtzu puppy?
My shihtzu puppy is 6 and half months old currently taking pedigree puppy food. I want to change this diet since I heard Pedigree puppy food is not the best outthere. Anyone has any recommendations?

A: I am still feeding my 11mo old shih tzu Solid gold Hundchen Flocken Puppy (lamb) . Solid Gold is the only food i will feed any of my dogs there are a total of 6 dogs 4 being shih tzu’s.

http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_reviews/ for a list of good foods look for the 5-6 star rateings

Q: I just got a new dog, I already have a shihtzu. How do I help them get used to each other and not fight?
My son was playing with the new dog, the dog had a tennis ball and took it to my son, when my son grabbed at it the dog growled a little and my shihtzu went NUTS, she started fighting with the dog. If anyone has advice on how to stop this please help. He was just playing, it was a friendly growl.
They have met in person on common ground in a park first, and seemed to really get along well, it is just this one thing when he plays and growls mine gets upset and wants to jump him. I think she is protecting my son, but I want to help her realize it is ok they are playing.

A: When you first get a new dog you are suppose to let them meet somewhere outside, not in his yard, and let them play and get use to each other before you bring them home. I would try it anyway, b/c Ive seen some dogs never get a long when you stick another in the house.

Q: What is the best place to advertise quality Shihtzu puppies?
I have a recent litter that I’d love to get posted online. I have a website and have had it for years but recently moved so am starting all over again. I’d love to know the best place to advertise to get quality people who are looking for a great quality Shihtzu. You can reach me at Dawn@LotsaLoveShihtzus.com

A: There is a very active Shih Tzu forum online at http://forums.doghobbyist.com/forum.php?catid=149 It is Doghobbyist’s most active forum, filled with many quality Shih Tzu owners, some of whom have owned Shih Tzus for many years, show their dogs, etc. You may want to register (for free) at Doghobbyist and post about your puppies on the ST forum.

Q: Is raw vegetablses or fruits good for my 7-month old Shihtzu puppy? and which kind?
I sometimes feed my shihtzu little pieces of apple. I hope it is ok. Anyone who know, please let me know whether it is ok to feed them fruits or vegetables, and what kind.

A: Apples and similar fruits like peaches, pears,plums,apricots are good raw as long as you peel the skin and take out the seeds/core.
Here are some more good raw fruits and vegetables that are safe to feed you dog:
Tomatoes
Romaine Lettuce
Carrots
Celery
Oranges (again avoid including the seeds)
Bananas
Alfalfa Sprouts
Green/Yellow/Red Peppers
Yams
Sweet Potatoes
Asparagus
Parsnip
Turnips
Zucchini
Mustard Greens
Fresh Pumpkin

Broccoli, Cabbage and Cauliflour are okay to feed but only in small amounts and not very often because if fed frequently it can cause thyroid depression.
Avacado is also okay to feed in small amounts also but avoid the leaves , pit, seed as they are toxic.

Avoid:
Eggplant
Cherries
Mushrooms
Onions
Grapes, Raisins & Prunes

Q: how do you get gum out of shihtzu puppies hair?
We have 2 small 13 week old shihtzu puppiess, and they just started wandering the house. They keep on going into the garbage, hence, they keep getting gum in their hair. they always pull away when we try to brush it out, and baths don’t work either. there has been a snowstorm recently from where i live, so i don’t think it’s wise to cut their hair either. I don’t know what to do. Any ideas?

A: To remove sap, tar, paint, chewing gum or other sticky things from your dog’s coat, there is nothing that beats salad oil! Using a a small dish or a cotton ball, thoroughly soak the area with the oil. Work the oil into the sticky or hard place with your fingers. Blot off the excess oil with a paper towel, and wash the area with dog shampoo. Repeat this procedure if there is anything left in the fur. Don’t let your dog walk around the house until you shampoo the area, otherwise you will be cleaning up oily smears and foot prints from everywhere you don’t want them.

Peanut butter can work just as well as salad oil (but don’t use those low fat versions!).

You should never try cleaning your dog’s fur with acetone, paint remover or paint thinner. It is highly toxic and can do permanent liver or kidney damage. Salad oil and peanut butter works very effectively and if your dogs decide to lick the area, they will be ingesting something that is good for them, instead of being toxic.

Q: My Shihtzu shows pink around his paws, what can I do?
My Shihtzu is constantly licking his paws. They are now pink. Is it a food allergy? Any remedies?

A: My Maltese had the same problem. I had too feed him plain foods ie boiled chicken & rice & a good quality dry feed. Also keep hair cut around his pads & tell him no when he licks them. Now if he gets into wrong feeds he starts again but as long as we keep to vets suggested diet all is well. Some dogs get it from an allergy to grasses as well. Never feed milk or any human processed foods as they are a real trigger for most.

Q: My puppy is a border collie, toy poodle, and shihtzu. How big will he get?
My puppy is about 4 months old. He is a mix of border collie, toy poodle, and shihtzu. He is black with a white stripe on the back of his neck with brown paws. His paws are kind of big but I don’t know much about dogs. People keep telling me he’ll get pretty big. But he’s not very big now. Id say about 15-25 pounds. I’d just really like to have an estimate of how big he’s gonna get.

A: As a general rule of thumb, with most dogs you can guess what size they will be in proportion to its paw size. The breeds you mentioned are all smaller breeds, so it sounds odd that he is already close to 20 pounds. I would say, from the information you have given, and this is just a guess, that he will end up being 35-45 pounds….

I hope this helps you!

Q: My 5month old shihtzu has just over the past 3weeks developed a over hanging jaw?
is this normal in a shihtzu, should i take her to vets?
she is eating and drinking fine.
thanks
her bottom jaw is bigger and more stck ot than top! x

A: Do you mean the pup has an under bite or an over bite?An under bite is where the bottom jaw sticks out past the upper jaw.An overbite is where the top jaw sticks out over the bottom jaw.At this age she is having a growing spurt and this affects the jaw.Added; An underbite is common in this breed.She should have no issues .

Q: Dog allergies, my shihtzu keeps scratching and scratching, ideas ?
I have a 3 yr old male Shihtzu and I knew he would get a reaction to any food change or such and start itching, but now he seems to be itching all the time. What can I do ? I have only had him bathed and groomed once a month and I no long feed him anything but the same food. If it is like human allergies, it could be ANYTHING !! I don’t know where to start. ?? It is not fleas ! He has sensitive skin .

A: It is most likely allergies from his food.
Foods that contain corn, soy, wheat, by-products, colors, chemical preservatives such as ethoxyquin, anything with euthanasia drugs in it(website in sources), or Menadione are low quality.

Grain free high quality dog foods:
Evo
Orijen
Wellness Core
Blue Wilderness
Taste of the Wild

There are more on the market if those are too dificult to find, but the wellness can most likely be found in a petstore and if you have a feed store that is near you, those others should be easy to find.

With richer foods, you have to feed less. If your pup starts having loose stool, try lowering the food and mixing in plain mashed pumpkin(not the pie filling).

Another option:
Dogs are supposed to have meat, bones, and organs, preferably fresh, wholesome, and unprocessed. This is why many feed a homemade raw diet.
ww.rawfed.com/myths
www.rawmeatybones.com
www.rawlearning.com
A raw diet is typically cheaper than kibble worth buying.
For a dog fed raw, it is typically 2 to 3 percent of the dogs ideal body weight. Most raw feeders start at one percentage and adjust it as needed.

This site can tell you some great info about dogs and their diet s.

http://www.bigdogsporch.com/index.php

Here is a list of low quality dog foods:
Nutrience(Menadione, corn is the second ingredient, chicken flavor is questionable…etc)
Petguard organic
Nutrisource(another version of nutro)
Lifespan(full of corn)
Lick your chops
Karma(Way too many grains even if it is organic)
Evolve
Drs. foster and smith
Addiction foods-wild kangaroo and apples(flaxseed too high on list, look for something else if possible)
Della Natura – Wenaewe Adult(way too many seeds and oils, equivalent of birdseed)
Purina
Science diet
Beneful
Pro plan
ol’roy
royal canin
Iams
Eukanuba
Cesar
Nutro(involved in recall)
Mighty Dog
Pedigree
Burns
Back to basics(corn)
Azmira
Racheal rays dog food
Anything found in a grocery store or recommended by your vet.
Vets sell foods for kickbacks. It isnt a matter of nutrition, it is for financial benefits.

Q: My 5 months old shihtzu having a hard time in breathing and makes noise a lot of time.?
My vet said it’s because they have such a short nasal passage and need surgery soon. I read a lot of articles saying the same problem with shihtzu. We are thingking to go on with the surgery next month but im not sure that after the surgery she will have same breathing problem coz it’s only normal to shihztu.

A: Bring it to the vets, then ask your Veteranarian if your dog should take any anti-biotics.

Q: How much will my shihtzu-poodle weigh as an adult? When will she stop growing? Is there a way to stop growth?
I have a shihtzu-poodle, when I got her she was 2.2lbs. at 10 weeks. Now at 15 weeks, she is 4lbs. The breeder (I think lied) and said she will be around 6-7 as an adult. I am not overfeeding her and she gets ample exercise. Not sure how big she will be??? I was hoping to get a toy size dog around 5-7lbs. Are there any healthy ways to stunt her growth?

A: she’s a shi-poo? You can tell just about any dogs adult weight by tripling the 8wk weight. So if she is 2.2 at ten weeks you would figure about 6lbs adult weight.
People slow growth by food restriction, but it is not kind or humane. Just let her be what she is supposed to be. Enjoy your dog.

Q: How much and how often should I feed my shihtzu puppy?
She is two weeks old and smaller from the rest of the litter. The mother tries to feed, but the pup does not stay attached for very long. Any advice? This pup has a lot of catching up to do.

A: You can’t give it any solid or semi-solid food yet. She’s too young. You need to bottle feed her for at least another 4 weeks then wean her off the bottle. Talk to your vet about what milk-type formula you should be giving her and how much/how often. Good Luck. I have 3 Shih Tzu’s – what a great gentle breed.

Q: How do you stop a Shihtzu who has a dustmite allergy from constantly licking its hind quarters?
This has been diagnosed by vet. Definitely not fleas! Dog put on half a steroid tablet per day by vet. Regularly hoovering bungalow. Trying spraying with lavender water at moment. Will try Tea Tree Oil. Dog has undergone a thorough health check by the vet.

A: It’s great that you pinpointed the specific irritant and it would be impossible to completely remove dust mites from the dog’s environment so you will need to provide supportive care. There are many antihistamines that you can use OTC. I have tried Benadryl, Claritin, Tavist and none have worked as well as Chlortrimetan. But it is a long process to figure out what works best for your dog and the vet will have to give you proper dosages. Steroids such a Prednisone are effective but also come with side effects and I did not want to keep my dog on it long term. And it is very important to follow the vets instructions regarding the steroids such as tapering off so you do not cause shock to the organ systems. You may also want to consult a vet dermatologist and as far as your home, thoroughly vacuum EVERY DAY and invest in a good household Air purifier.

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