If you want to own a cuddly and loving dog Shih Tzu dogs are the one that you must have. They are known to have a small-sized body that is covered with long soft fur. Most of the people who love this type of breed for their pet are the women because they love to stroke their hands to its long smooth fur and place some accessories on it. Of course there are some men who also loved to have them for their pet but since they are more active than women they prefer to have dogs that are more muscular, that can accompany them to do some activities such as jogging or walking outside.
When you see a Shih Tzu you will wonder if they are real or not because they look exactly like the stuff toys that you can purchase in department stores but the price of a Shih Tzu are not even close to it. If you are planning to invest in this kind of dog you need a lot of money in order to have one. A single Shih Tzu puppy could cost more than 600 dollars but everything will be worth it when it finally grew into a very cute loving dog.
Raising Shih Tzu dogs is not as easy as what you think because it needs a lot of your attention. Unlike the other type of dogs, they are very sensitive when it comes to its environment. They can easily catch diseases that are present in its surrounding and it can immediately affect their health. The most common ailments that they acquire are usually hereditary and some of these are breathing problems and hip dysplasia. They are also characterized as a playful and energetic type of dog but the most common characteristic of a Shih Tzu is their being affectionate to their master.
When training a Shih Tzu it must be done accordingly so that they will not be misguided. It is your responsibility as an owner to help them become a better or a bad dog. Housetraining would be very helpful not only to them but also to you as their owners. The first thing that you should do before training them is to prepare the place where you are going to train the dog. Make sure that there are no materials scattered around that will harm them. One of the useful training that you can teach your dog is using the proper place where they can use as toilet. They must have a place where they can use as their toilet because once they already recognize that area they will no longer use your carpet or garage as their toilet.
Shih Tzu dogs have a life span of 16 to 18 years but in order for them to last this long you must always make them healthy. A daily walk will be enough as their exercise but you can also play with them once in awhile for your bonding moments. Since Shih Tzu has a long soft fur, it will be nice to groom them or even dress them. You can add accessories on their body to make them look more appealing.
More information about Shih Tzu dogs can be found here [http://www.doggienuts.com/dogs-breed/teacup-imperial-shih-tzu-dog].
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