shih tzu owner's survival guide

How to keep your shih tzu alive for the first 3 mos.

1. Take the cute little fur ball to the vet for a physical check up. We learned a lot of things about dogs we never knew before! We were shocked to find out Mischa has an umbilical hernia! It's not serious though, common among shih tzus, and can be corrected by surgery. The Vet advised not to squeeze her too much, and pop it back in if you feel it bulge. The hole in her stomach is about the size of 1/2 an m&m. She's not suffering from it or anything but...poor Mischa! :-(

2. Don't bathe them everyday! I heard of a chihuahua puppy whose owner bathed her everyday, caught a cold and eventually died! The Vet said once a week is okay especially since she's indoors all the time. You can clean her feet and coat with a wet towel (water and alcohol) before bedtime if she's dirty. Occasional baby powder also helps for Mischa! ;-)

3. Protect the eyes. Their eyes are most vulnerable due to their faces being flat. It can easily be poked by objects and is prone to bump into coarse surfaces and edges if she's running and loses control (cute but dangerous! :-o). Again, I've heard of a pug who, while playing in the garden got poked in the eye by some twig sticking out of a shrub and went blind! x-o
Also, the hair around the eyes should be trimmed or checked regularly if you decide to grow it long enough to tie it away (that's cute). ;-P

4. Keep them indoors for the first three months. Before 3 months, they are still vulnerable to catch life-theatening viruses since they haven't completed their shots. They should not mingle with other dogs who might be carriers, or any person who are exposed to other sick dogs. Be aware of where you let her roam freely even if its indoors, you'll never know where other people's germ-carrying-footwear came from.:-

5. Don't tire out the cute, adorable, huggable, and again—oh so cute, live-stuff toy-batteries-included-fun machine. Since they're still too young and too small, they only have so much energy to use. They can get stressed out if they play in turbo charged mode with children or cuddled by too many persons all at once. Like batteries, they need to recharge when they get exhausted.


Every moment with your shih-tzu pup is all worth-while so make sure you love them back everytime you can!

Watch out for Survival Guides Part 2: How To Keep Your Shih-tzu Happy