The first sense of a Shih Tzu puppy is ?scent.? The newborn Shih Tzu puppy will be able to smell the scent of the breeder immediately after the sac is broken. The Shih Tzu breeder is familiar with litters of Shih Tzu puppies before their eyes open. Up until the Shih Tzu puppy opens its eyes they became familiar with their breeder?s scent through their dam?s coat. Shih Tzu puppies learn where there is and is not a place of milk and nourishment on their mother through scent.

It is advisable that only the Shih Tzu breeder handle puppies during their first two weeks. This does limit the Shih Tzu puppy?s reality of the world around them; however, it is practicing sound early responsible care practices. As Shih Tzu puppies begin to open their eyes they become aware of differences in people. Because of this awareness, a very young Shih Tzu puppy may act violently the first time handled by anyone other than their breeder. The Shih Tzu puppy may begin to struggle or scream to be free. It really is not necessary for other people besides the breeder to handle Shih Tzu puppies during this very early period of their lives. If a Shih Tzu puppy is frightening by early interactions with other people it could set the stage for later mistrust toward all humans. It is therefore extremely important that all early contacts with a Shih Tzu puppy be positive. Once a barrier of distrust is instilled in a newborn Shih Tzu puppy, the puppy can become hard to work with and sometimes even unmanageable as adults. Limiting contact with humans also aids in the spreading of germs to newborn Shih Tzu puppies.

There is a proper way to hold a very young Shih Tzu puppy. You should not ?swoop? a Shih Tzu puppy quickly into your arms, or hold it at arm?s length. Do not ever pick up a Shih Tzu puppy by its legs, ears, tail or scruff. Severe and even irreparable damage can result.

Use the following steps to pick up and hold a newborn and very young Shih Tzu puppy:

1.Place your hands firmly around the Shih Tzu puppy?s body making it feel secure before it is lifted from the whelping box. 2.Immediately begin to snuggle the Shih Tzu puppy closely to your neck, chest or face area, letting the Shih Tzu puppy smell your familiar scent. Here is where the Shih Tzu puppy will feel the reassuring rhythm of your breathing and your heartbeat. The Shih Tzu puppy will remain relaxed. The Shih Tzu puppy will have less tendency to struggle against others first holding them if you will practice these steps from the beginning.

In general, you should not place very young Shih Tzu puppies in your lap, at least until after they begin to walk. They do not feel secure in a lap position at a very young age.

When handling newborn Shih Tzu puppies it is helpful to make ?kissing? sounds near their ears. The sound is similar to puppies nursing. Therefore, repetitious kissing offers the same sense of security and comfort for the Shih Tzu puppy.

One of the earliest conditionings a Shih Tzu puppy encounters is being nestled in secure comfort by its dam while being fed warm milk. When you emit the same type of sounds with repetitious kissing the Shih Tzu puppy responds immediately to your stimulation and will feel secure. The Shih Tzu puppy will snuggle rather than struggle and learn to trust humans from a very early period of their lives. This type of conditioning is important for proper development as an adult Shih Tzu and instills a ?trusting? of humans rather than a ?fear? of humans.

Shih Tzu puppy conditioning beyond diet is a highly important part of a professional Shih Tzu breeder?s job, and will often separate the professional breeder from the ?backyard? or puppy mill breeders.

Author: Connie Limon. I raise Shih Tzu puppies from top champion bloodlines. Purchase and sign up for our newsletter online at: http://www.stainglassshihtzus.com

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Author: Connie Limon. I raise Shih Tzu puppies from champion bloodlines standards and teacup/imperials. Purchase online and sign up for our newsletter at: http://www.stainglassshihtzus.com

The earliest ?Lion Dog? in Tibet had long hair, were small in size and similar to the Maltese in type. As Tibet and China exchanged traditions and beliefs of culture and religion, the exchange of dogs became a two-way affair as well. The Chinese definitely interbred their small dogs, which were of many varieties, with the Tibetans with long hair, and the people of Tibet no doubt interbred their small dog with those from the Chinese people.

The outcome of this interbreeding eventually became the Shih Tzu. The Chinese called the Shih Tzu ?Tibetan Lion Dog.? The Apso was also involved with the interbreeding practices. The Tibetans called the Apso, ?ApsoSeng Kyi? or ?Apso Lion Dog.?

The Chinese tried to retain the characteristics they admired, which was the unnaturally short face and broad head, the wide barrel-like chest and the low-to-the-ground look.

The Tibetans, however, could not hold these same characteristics because of the climate and environment of their land. Tibet is an area of high altitudes. The very short face with restricted nasal development (which incidentally gives many Shih Tzu lovers a great pain to deal with at times) and the heavy body and short legs of the Chinese Shih Tzu would be at a disadvantage in these conditions. They could not breathe and survive in the high altitudes of Tibet. The Lhasa Apso could survive in Tibet. The Tibetans produced a dog slightly modified from the Chinese dog of a similar ancestry which was the Lhasa Apso.

The Tibetan Terrier (also involved in the exchanges between Tibet and China) is probably closes to the basic canine with a long head, compact and natural in conformation. Then comes the Apso, which begins to show the influence of some of the Chinese type. This influence resulted in a smaller dog, shorter on leg than the terrier relative, shorter nose than the terrier, and the teeth and jaw formation revealed a shortening of the face. The eyes are more frontally placed.

The eyes of the Shih Tzu have always been one of its most valued signature characteristics. I have never met a Shih Tzu that did not have a warm expression that radiated through its eyes. Some Shih Tzu has this characteristic greater than others. They are almost human-like.

When comparing the Shih Tzu to the Apso, one can see the most distinct Chinese characteristics. I have had Shih Tzu that look as if you are absolutely looking right at a Chinese in person. I am amazed at how the Chinese accomplished this. It truly was a work of art, as they did not breed according to pedigree as we do. They bred according to a picture of their minds of what they wanted the Shih Tzu to look like. Most of the time, their goal was to create the Shih Tzu to resemble what they thought a Lion should look like, and they apparently also, created Shih Tzu to resemble themselves in the face.

Smallness must have been fashionable and something of a status symbol in both the Apso and the Shih Tzu as well as the Pekingese. The Pekingese were also involved in the interbreedings to reduce size.

It should be noted here, however, that this article addresses the history and development of the Shih Tzu breed. The American Shih Tzu Club?s Code of Ethics clearly states it is against their rules, ethics, standards to breed our present day Shih Tzu with any other breed. It must be understood that this article is not an endorsement of any kind of practice that is against the rules and regulations of The American Shih Tzu Club or the American Kennel Club. This is an article regarding the history and development of our Shih Tzu.

Connie Limon is a Shih Tzu Breeder. She publishes a FREE weekly newsletter. A professional newsletter with a focus upon health and wellness for you and your pets. Discounts are offered to subscribers. Sign up at: http://www.stainglassshihtzus.com

By the 1930’s, the Peking Kennel Club was faced with the existence of a variety of colors. The Peking Kennel Club wanted to do justice to the facts of history regarding the highly favoured Imperial color of Tawny or honey-coloured or Golden – The Yellows. At that time, their Shih Tzu standard read: All colors permissible, single and mixed. Tawny or honey-coloured highly favoured. The British Shih Tzu standard read: All colors permissible, but adds the words, a white blaze on the forehead and a white tip to the tail are highly prized. And now the French Shih Tzu standard of the mid-1950’s comments honey-colored and white are rare and much appreciated.

It has been said the color white in Shih Tzu is recessive and such Shih Tzu should not be bred. However, there is fact that a leading French breeder in Peking – not the Countess d’anjou – had a large number of all-white Shih Tzu. There is question of who actually appreciated the all-white Shih Tzu. Was it the Westerners more than the natives of the Peking? This question arises out of the fact that there seems little doubt that a a pure white dog, being the color of mourning to the Chinese people, was not an asset, because the Chinese people truly hate to be reminded of death. The aversion did not apply to the white markings on the head or the tail. This could also account to the scarcity we now have of the all-white Shih Tzu. Down through time, the American Kennel Club judged them in the Miscellaneous Class, which ran all colors are allowable but in general the darker shades predominate. The white blaze, collar, socks and tail-tip combine to create a highly prized ensemble of a Shih Tzu.

Since the Chinese regarded the yellow-colored Shih Tzu as especially precious we can also understand that it was particularly difficult for westerners to get hold of them. In the Lion Dog Through the Looking Glass (a publication during the 1950’s) it is told that the black and white, and grey and white were the first found on the market at street fairs in China, yet even in their cases exportation was at first forbidden. It seems to me we can conclude, the Shih Tzu owners and breeders of Peking, The Chinese People, were extremely possessive of the Shih Tzu in their favoured color, of Yellow, yet were also somewhat possessive of all of the other colors as well. The Shih Tzu was surely very highly treasured by the Chinese people in those days. They were selfish with them. Makes one think they knew something about them very secret and most likely it was something that brought them great emotional pleasure. All humans are drawn to anything that brings them great emotional pleasure.

When it did become possible to export specimens of the breed, the least favoured colors were the most easily obtainable. Some years later, in the Great Britain show ring the dominant colors were black and white, grey and white and shades of brindle and white with a few solid blacks. Even today, these are the same exact colors I started out with in my breeding of the Shih Tzu. I have a few of the Chinese Yellow, honey, or golden colors. Most plentiful to purchase for me has been the black and the white, the grey and white and the brindles. I still tend to believe our deep hershey chocolate color is a new color in the breed, as is the blue. The American Kennel Club has just recently added the color blue to their list of colors on their AKC registration forms.

Color in the Shih Tzu is so fascinating and to me are the most beautiful shades of several basic colors of the black, gold and grey. We might even owe the highly prized white tips to the tail and on top the head to the very early French breeder who had the all-white Shih Tzu that left us few descendants. White still seems to be harder to find, and does not seem as popular as the blue and chocolate in the years of 2000. I have one white female, Bailey of whom I am hoping to produce other solid whites, but also the chocolates and blue’s as I mate her to my different males. Visit us and sign up for our NEW weekly ezine for future breedings to see what we come up with.

Connie Limon publishes a FREE weekly newsletter. A professional newsletter with a focus upon health and wellness for you and your pets. Coupons for shih tzu puppies and other products are offered to subscribers. Updates of available puppies. Sign up at http://www.stainglassshihtzus.com

Inspect your dog’s toys often. If there are pieces bit off the toy, discard it. Usually small pieces of a toy or chew will pass through a dog’s system, but they could end up causing an intestinal blockage instead.

Flimsy vinyl or plastic toys or balls with squeakers and bells in them usually don’t hold up. Some shih tzu will just tear at the toy until they get the squeaker out. The squeakers and bells also pose a problem of your shih tzu choking on them if he tries to swallow the objects.

Shih tzu like to carry around stuffed toys in their mouth. Get stuffed toys made especially for dogs. Children’s stuffed toys will usually have noses and eyes that can be easily chewed off.

Kong toys are made of heavy rubber and are very durable, which makes a nice choice for your shih tzu to chew on without worry of him chewing off small pieces of the toy and choking. They can be packed with small dog biscuits or bits of cheese to encourage the dog to play with them. They can keep your shih tzu busy for quite a while as he works to get out the treats.

I do not recommend rawhide for shih tzu at all. Stay away from rawhide with the shih tzu. Avoid commercially made pig ears and calf hooves as well. HealthyPetNet has an excellent product called Porky Puffs. Visit my website at Stain Glass Shih Tzu to find a link to the HealthyPetNet website for purchasing these. My shih tzu are just crazy for Porky Puffs. Once you have tried the Porky Puffs and see how your shih tzu love them, you will forget all about any other kind of pig ears, calf hooves or rawhide treats that actually can be dangerous to your shih tzu if those small pieces get hung in their neck or digestive system. You will end up in the emergency vet clinic. Try the Porky Puffs from HealthPetNet, I promise you they are safe, excellent and have that smell dogs just can’t resist.

Nylabones is another excellent product to have for your shih tzu. You can get Nylabone in edible flavors, a huge variety of flavors actually. You can also purchase Nylabones in the plastic form in all kinds of flavors. You really should have Nylabones at all times for your shih tzu. They help during teething periods and times you want to train your shih tzu to chew on something appropriate – a Nylabone is an excellent choice to use during these training sessions.

Never, never give your shih tzu chicken bones or any other type of bone that might splinter.

A very special treat is Marrow Bones. You can buy Marrow Bones from a butcher or in the meat department at your grocery store. They are fairly inexpensive. Select them carefully. Avoid those cut at an angle that have sharp, boney material inside. Choose instead marrow bones that are cut straight across and are circular with soft marrow inside. If you can have your butcher to cut them this way for you, Marrow Bones are always a special treat for your shih tzu. Boil them for about 20 minutes, then cool. Scrape off any sharp gristle on the outside that the dog might otherwise chew and ingest. Give the dog one bone, and freeze the others for later use. Shih tzu love to work at getting out the marrow and this can help to keep them busy, and free of boredom. Once the marrow is gone, fill the bones with peanut butter. Marrow bones also can be filled with dry dog food made into a mush with water, freeze the bones with this filling, then thaw them a bit before giving them to the shih tzu. If the marrow bones get grungy after your shih tzu eats out the treat in the middle, put them in the dishwasher. Toss the bones when they begin to show signs of wear.

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If you need to help remove the afterbirth: First be sure your newborn puppy is breathing well on its own, the sac has been removed from the face, eyes, nose, head and the puppy has either been stimulated by mother or you, the doggie midwife, to breathe well on its own, you can then remove the afterbirth if it does not appear on its own of course. To do this, with one hand about one inch from the stomach of the puppy, grasp the umbilical cord and, with the other hand close to the matron, gently try to pull the afterbirth down and out of the matron, but be sure you do not pull hard on the cord near the navel of the puppy.

If your shih tzu matron does not cut the cord of the newborn puppies, and sometimes this does happen, it is wise to have on hand before the whelping day, a pinch-type clothespin which has been cleaned in boiling water or sterilized in alcohol, or if you prefer, a professional hemostat. The clothespin should be closed on to the cord about two inches from the puppy’s navel. Once you have this in place, cut the cord (with sterilized surgical scissors) on the puppy side of the clothespin or hemostat. Now you have part of the umbilical cord hanging out of your matron with a clothespin or hemostat attached and the puppy should be in your hand with about two inches of umbilical cord left on the puppy. This method prevents the umbilical cord from slipping back up inside the mother.

If the cord hanging from the puppy does not stop bleeding after you have pressed it hard on the end between your fingers for several seconds, you can use another clothespin to pinch it on the very tip of the cord for a minute or two. This should cause the blood to clot. You can tie a piece of string or thread on the tip of the cord, but I have found just pressure with your fingers or the clothespin treatment does stops the bleeding. You can also use the same kind of blood-clotting agents from pet supply houses that you use to stop the bleeding from a toenail cut too close. Cornstarch (cooking type) can be used in an emergency. The cord just dries up and falls off eventually just as they do on newborn human babies. Sometimes there might get to be an infection. I have used just plain Neosporin antibiotic gel a little dab on the area if it does get infected, and this heals up nicely.

The placenta looks like a small chunk of very ripe liver. Yelk!! Birthing puppies is a very interesting and exciting process. I like best, however, when the mother is able and willing to do the entire process while I just watch this miraculous act of mother nature.

Whelping day has always been an exciting time for me and usually it occurs in the middle of the night, which is probably why I have got my entire routine of life on a 3rd shift schedule. Just put on a pot of coffee and relax. After it is all over, give your matron lots of attention and some special kind of food you know she likes. Make it sloppy food for the first few days after the whelping.

Connie Limon publishes a FREE weekly newsletter. A professional newsletter with a focus upon health and wellness for you and your pets. Discounts on shih tzu puppies are offered to subscribers. Weekly updates of available puppies. Sign up at: http://www.stainglassshihtzus.com

Keeping the attention of a shih tzu while training is not always easy. Shih Tzu can be easily distracted, and it is important to not allow the training sessions to be sabotaged by boredom. Making training fun for the shih tzu and the human alike is vital to creating a happy, well adjusted and well trained shih tzu.

Providing random positive stimuli during the day is a great way to keep the interest of the shih tzu. Doing things the shih tzu enjoys, like walking in the park, riding in the car, and playing with other dogs, is a great way to keep the shih tzu?s attention and reward him for small successes.

For instance, in order to reward the shih tzu for coming to you, for instance, ask the shih tzu to come to you, without giving any clues about a walk, a car ride, or other treats. After the shih tzu has come to you and obediently sat down, attach the leash and start the reward. This can be either the aforementioned walk in the park, ride in the car, or anything else the shih tzu likes to do.

Providing some kind of reward, whether a treat, a special outing, or just a scratch behind the ears, every time the shih tzu does something you want, is a great way to keep your shih tzu motivated. If the shih tzu knows something great is going to happen every time he obeys your command, he will be motivated to please you every time.

Distraction training

When training any shih tzu, it is important to not let distractions disrupt the training. The shih tzu must be taught to ignore distractions, such as other people, other dogs, other animals and loud noises, and focus on what is being taught These types of distractions can even be used as rewards when training the shih tzu to come when called.

For instance, if your shih tzu enjoys playing with other dogs, whether in a local dog park or with the neighbor?s dogs, let him play freely with those other dogs. Then go into the park or yard and call your shih tzu. When he comes to you, provide lots of praise, treats and other rewards, then immediately allow the shih tzu to go back to playing with his friends. Repeat this several times and praise the shih tzu each time he comes to you. The shih tzu will quickly learn that coming to you means good things (treats and praise) and not bad ones (being taken away from the park).

If the shih tzu does not master this particular type of training right away, try not to get discouraged. So called distraction training is one of the most difficult things to teach. Dogs are naturally social animals, and breaking away from the pack is one of the most difficult things you can ask your shih tzu to do. Most dogs will be understandably reluctant to leave their canine companions, but it is important to persist.

Training the shih tzu to come to you may require some creativity on your part at first. For instance, waving a favorite toy, or a lure, is a great way to get your shih tzu?s attention and put the focus back on you. If your shih tzu has been clicker trained, a quick click can be a good motivator as well.

Once the shih tzu begins to get the hang of coming when called, you can begin to reduce and eliminate the visual cues and focus on getting the shih tzu to respond to your voice alone. It is important that the shih tzu respond to voice commands alone, since you will not always have the availability of a toy or other lure.

Connie Limon is a shih tzu breeder. She publishes a FREE weekly newsletter. A professional newsletter with a focus upon health and wellness for you and your pets. Discounts are offered to subscribers. Sign up at: http://www.stainglassshihtzus.com

House training is one of the most important elements of creating a well trained shih tzu and trusted family member. Problems with house training and similar issues are the number one reason that dogs are surrendered to shelters, so properly house training your shih tzu can literally save his or her life.

House training a shih tzu puppy does not need to be difficult, but it is important to take the process seriously, plan ahead and take things slowly. Some shih tzu will be easier to house break than others, so it important to work with your shih tzu. Rushing the process can be counterproductive and cause you to have to start all over again.

When it comes to house training a new shih tzu puppy, it is important to know what to expect. Unless the owner is able to supervise the shih tzu puppy round the clock, it is difficult to complete the house training process until the shih tzu is at least six months old. It is important to know this ahead of time so you can be prepared. Young shih tzu puppies have bodies that are constantly changing and growing, and shih tzu puppies younger than six months often have not developed the bowel and bladder control they will need to be properly house trained.

When the owner is not at home, the shih tzu puppy should be confined to a small room and the entire floor should be covered with paper. Of course it is important to puppy-proof the room, that is removing any items on which the shih tzu puppy could be injured. In the beginning, the shih tzu puppy will most likely eliminate anywhere within the room. In addition, the shih tzu puppy will probably play with the papers, chew them, etc. This is perfectly normal and should not be grounds for punishment or distress. Cleaning up each day should simply be part of the routine of living with a new shih tzu puppy. Simply clean up the soiled papers and put down new ones each day.

Time for paper training

During the time that the shih tzu puppy is confined in its little den, it will begin to develop the habit of eliminating on paper. After a little time has passed, the shih tzu puppy will begin to exhibit a preferred place to eliminate. After this preferred spot has been established, the area that is papered should be slowly diminished. The first papers to be removed should be those that are furthest away from the ?toilet?. Eventually, the owner will have to lay down only a few papers. If the shih tzu puppy ever misses those papers, it means that the papered area has been reduced too much and too soon.

After the shih tzu puppy is reliability doing its business only on the papers that have been left, the papers can be slowly and gradually moved to a location of your choice. The papers should be moved only gradually, as little as an inch a day. If the shih tzu puppy misses the papers, again it means that they have been moved too soon and too far. In this case it will be necessary to go back a few steps and start over. It is important not to become discouraged. The shih tzu puppy will eventually understand the concept, and you will be able to choose your shih tzu?s toilet area and move on to the next step.

House training when the owner is home

Obviously the more time you can spend with your shih tzu puppy the faster the house training will go. The objective should be to take the shih tzu puppy to the toilet area every time he needs to do his business. In most cases this will be either every 45 minutes, right after each play session, after he first wakes up or right after he eats or drinks. It is important to provide effusive praise for the puppy when he eliminates in the established toilet area.

As the shih tzu puppy becomes more used to using his toilet area, and as he develops improved bladder and bowel control, he will be able to begin spending more and more time outside his den with his owner in the rest of the home. It is important to begin this process by allowing the shih tzu puppy access to one room at a time. It is also important to allow the shih tzu puppy in the extra room only when he can be supervised. When you must leave the room, be sure to put the shih tzu puppy back in his den.

Connie Limon is a professional shih tzu breeder in Indiana. She publishes a FREE weekly newsletter. A professional newsletter with a focus upon health and wellness for you and your pets. Discounts on shih tzu puppies are offered to subscribers. Sign up at: http://www.stainglassshihtzus.com

Everyone who owns a Shih Tzu puppy or Shih Tzu dog will eventually have to deal with and correct less than desirable behaviors on the part of their companion animal. There are a number of behaviors that should be nipped in the bud, including:

Jumping up on people

This is one of those behaviors that many owners inadvertently encourage in their animals, since jumping up, wagging his tail and the like can be adorable in a young Shih Tzu puppy. When that Shih Tzu puppy is older, larger and heavier, however, this jumping up behavior ceases to be cute and begins to become annoying and even dangerous.

A large, heavy dog jumping up on people can be dangerous to young children and even to some adults, since a large, 100 pound plus dog can easily knock down a child or small adult. Since you as the owner are responsible for the behavior of your dog, it is important to nip this problem behavior in the bud. Not to worry your Shih Tzu will never 100 pounds, however, you still need to be cautious and nip this behavior in the bud before it causes you problems.

The best time to do that, of course, is when the Shih Tzu puppy is still small and easy to handle. When the Shih Tzu puppy jumps up on you or someone else, gently place the Shih Tzu puppy?s feet back on the floor. When the Shih Tzu dog remains standing there, be sure to praise it extensively.

It is also important to give the Shih Tzu puppy an alternative to jumping up. Shih Tzu puppies jump up on people to express their enthusiasm, so it is important to redirect this energy in a more socially acceptable direction. Try teaching the Shih Tzu puppy to present his paw instead of jumping up.

When teaching the Shih Tzu puppy to not jump up on people, it is important to be consistent. Consistency is important in any training program, and all members of the family must understand that the Shih Tzu puppy is not permitted to jump on them.

Pulling, charging and tugging on the lead

One problem you definitely want to nip in the bud is this one. It is important that the Shih Tzu puppy learn to respect the collar and leash now, when he is still small and light enough to handle. Teaching this lesson to a 3 pound Shih Tzu puppy will be much easier than teaching the same lesson to a 12 pound Shih Tzu dog.

Using a good strong body harness or head collar can be a big help when training a Shih Tzu puppy not to pull, or to retrain a Shih Tzu dog that has already learned to pull on the leash. When first fitting a harness, it is important to allow the Shih Tzu puppy to walk around wearing it, so that he can get used to wearing it.

The first thing your Shih Tzu puppy must learn, and the basis of all subsequent training, is teaching your Shih Tzu to heel. Teaching your Shih Tzu to walk quietly at your side on a loose lead is the basis of all Shih Tzu training, and until your Shih Tzu puppy has mastered this vital skill he will be unable to move onto more advanced training.

When walking with a Shih Tzu puppy on a leash, it is important to always keep slack in the leash. If the Shih Tzu puppy begins to pull on the leash, the handler should quickly change directions. The Shih Tzu puppy will then find itself lagging behind instead of forging ahead. The leash will be loose except for the split second it takes to change directions. It is important for the handler to use a quick tug of the leash, followed by an immediate loosening, when teaching this lesson.

When teaching the Shih Tzu puppy to walk properly, it is important to never allow the Shih Tzu puppy to pull you around, or to forge ahead on the leash. Allowing the Shih Tzu puppy to pull you around will teach him exactly the wrong lesson.

Connie Limon is a Shih Tzu breeder. She publishes a FREE weekly newsletter. A professional newsletter with a focus upon health and wellness for you and your pets. Discounts are offered to subscribers. Sign up at: http://www.stainglassshihtzus.com

Whelping a litter Shih Tzu puppies can sometimes be physically and emotionally exhausting for both you and the Shih Tzu matron. Before you take your well deserved rest, be certain the Shih Tzu matron and Shih Tzu puppies are comfortable, each Shih Tzu puppy has nursed well, the heat lamp is not too close, and the heating pad is not turned up too high. At this time it is crucial to maintain proper environmental temperatures. Newborn Shih Tzu puppies are incapable of controlling their own body temperatures. Chilling to any degree leaves newborn Shih Tzu puppies susceptible to infectious disease. Room temperature should be maintained at about 85 degrees Fahrenheit for at least their first few days.

Initially offer your Shih Tzu dam only soft, messy-type foods and supplements of a high quality milk replacement added to her food. I like using Pedigree Lamb and Rice canned formula with Just Born milk replacement powder sprinkled on top or mixed within.

Most Shih Tzu dams are ready for a good meal once whelping is over and the puppies are all settled in nursing well. However, do not worry if she refuses one or two feedings during her first 24 hours of motherhood. Do not expect her to leave her newborn Shih Tzu puppies. If she is too exhausted to eat right after whelping, she will be ready by the next day most usually.

To prevent serious cleanup problems, place four interlocking layers of open newspaper on the floor over heavy plastic film such as that used by painters. Plastic sheeting covered by newspaper saves all flooring, is nonporous, makes any cleanup easy and is inexpensive to purchase.

Use Clorox bleach, ? cup to a gallon of water to disinfect the Shih Tzu whelping box and immediate area. You will need to disinfect daily.

Two days following whelping, offer your Shih Tzu matron soft food mixed with a high quality dog food. I use HealthyPetNet Life?s Abundance and have found it to be the absolute best food for my Shih Tzu.

Your Shih Tzu dam should be seen by a veterinarian for a postpartum examination within 24 hours of whelping. It is not uncommon for a Shih Tzu dam to retain one or more placentas, large amounts of blood and other body fluids in the uterus. It is also possible that she retained one or two Shih Tzu puppies as well. All of these need to be expelled immediately. Retention will predispose the Shih Tzu dam to infection. Many veterinarians will give the oxytocin shot within the first 24 hours of whelping to help her expel any retained fluids, placental material and/or puppies.

Connie Limon is a Shih Tzu breeder. She publishes a FREE weekly newsletter with a focus upon health and wellness for you and your pets. Pet clothing is offered on the website. Discounts are offered to subscribers. Sign up at: http://www.stainglassshihtzus.com

Early in the lives of the Shih Tzu puppies, the very best of care is crucial to well-rounded Shih Tzu puppy development. Dams and their litters do not survive alone. There is more to raising Shih Tzu and the Toy breed puppies in general than truly meets the eye.

Not only does one need to carefully consider the pedigrees and health histories of each mating, but one must continue to study to become an expertise in general puppy care. Yes, there is much, much more to breeding than just putting two dogs together and allowing nature to take its course. Dog breeding is a science. It is a discipline. It is a profession.

Shih Tzu breeding must be carefully thought out and is most definitely a profession that does require specialized knowledge. Regardless of the location of your breeding establishment, whether it is in your backyard, your garage, basement or an establishment that is especially built for breeding purposes, you the breeder is who makes your establishment professional or non-professional. The breeder is who determines what type of establishment, professional or non-professional, the breeding establishment is. Location, such as the backyard, basement or buildings especially designed for breeding purposes does not determine whether or not the establishment is professional.

If a breeder fails in their responsibilities to the early lives of Shih Tzu puppies, it is either through ignorance or lack of commitment. Ignorance, lack of knowledge and lack of commitment more closely defines the ?backyard? breeder, and or those raising puppies in puppy mills. The committed and professional breeder realizes there is no real profit in rearing a litter of Shih Tzu puppies other than the satisfaction of doing the best job possible.

Once Shih Tzu puppies open their eyes the real work and expense of rearing a litter begins. Shih Tzu puppies begin to display individual character traits. It is at this time that Shih Tzu puppies rely more heavily upon the breeder and less with the dam. The professional breeder recognizes and readily assumes the responsibilities of caring for a Shih Tzu litter and does not abandon them to their dam?s care alone.

A large Shih Tzu litter may require supplementary feeding while continuing to allow the dam and offspring full access to each other. Smaller or premature Shih Tzu puppies often require supplementary feeding around the clock. The healthy brood matron should be vibrant, should not carry excess weight nor appear undernourished. An emotionally and physically healthy dam consistently maintains an active and lively interest in her puppies and environment. The professional breeder must be observant enough to care for the captain (the brood matron) just as well as to care for the Shih Tzu litter providing her with adequate food, water and emotional support.

There are very distinctive differences between the ?backyard? unprofessional breeder and the professional breeder, some of which are detailed here in this article. There are many other differences, far too many to mention in one article.

Author: Connie Limon. I raise Shih Tzu puppies from top champion bloodlines. Visit us, sign up for our newsletter and purchase online at: http://www.stainglassshihtzus.com

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