Shih Tzu Magazine

The Canine Good Citizen

2011-06-10T15:33:00.000-07:00

by Jack & Wendy Volhard

The canine good citizen or CGC is a certification program from the AKC (American Kennel Club) that rewards dogs that have good manners at home and in public. It was started in 1989 and it is not only a step toward responsible pet ownership, but it lays out the foundation for other activities sponsored by the AKC such as obedience, agility, tracking and performance events. Also important, it is the only AKC activity that includes mixed breeds.

The Canine Good Citizen Test includes the following:

Test 1: Accepting a friendly stranger

Test 2: Sitting politely for petting

Test 3: Appearance and grooming

Test 4: Out for a walk (walking on a loose lead)

Test 5: Walking through a crowd

Test 6: Sit and down on command and Staying in place

Test 7: Coming when called

Test 8: Reaction to another dog

Test 9: Reaction to distraction

Test 10: Supervised separation

You can read the details for each test in the AKC site, by clicking this link.

The book is an easy read, and the authors stress that if you teach your dog anything at all, it should be first that you are pack leader and then at least the sit - stay , down - stay commands for its own safety and your peace of mind. They help you undertake this training with their "Motivational Method" and training schedules that are easy to follow.

Worth mentioning is the information on the "Pack Leader's Bill of Rights" and "How to Become a Pack Leader" by Kt Rourke of Cranbourne Dog Training School of London, England. I have read several books with sections on becoming pack leader on your dog's eyes but even I must admit I was making a few mistakes.

Jack and Wendy Volhard have done important work in the dog training field, developing the Volhard Puppy Temperament Test â€“ for evaluating puppies in terms of dominance and/or submission and the Volhard Puppy Aptitude Test, designed to identify puppies that have a chance to excel in obedience trials.

Show Off your Shih Tzu Dog

2010-11-04T13:58:00.000-07:00

I was surfing the web today, finding some goodies for you (and for myself) and while doing a search for "grooming the shih tzu dog" I bumped into a VHS video that I own called "Show Off Your Dog GROOMING BASICS" by a wonderful lady called Ena Lane. Now this video has the ENTIRE grooming process for a Shih Tzu from daily brushing to pre-bath preparations to blowdrying, to Show top knot making to Maintenance top knots, to ironing the hair for that silky ball gown look.

The most amazing part of the entire thing is that the Shih Tzu Model, if you wish, stays completely still for the entire process. Now I remember my Archie sitting still as well for the most part of the grooming, but this beautiful dog even lies to its side to allow its groomer to completely blow dry his hair. Now that is just a dream come true for every shih tzu owner, isn't it?

Now you might be asking yourself, " What precisely is a maintenance top knot?". Basically, once you have finished bathing and drying your Tzu, you will section off the top knot and whiskers, and wrap them into little pieces of paper and tie them with the rubber bands. The moustache is sometimes wrapped with a bit of boric acid in powder form to eliminate the tear stains (Please careful with the eyes).

Pest Control - Ticks

2010-11-04T13:53:00.000-07:00

Does your Shih Tzu spend a lot of time on the yard? Beware of Ticks and Fleas.

Who would have thought pest control to be a topic covered in the grooming section? All I can tell you is that, during some seasons I spend 95% of the time getting (or attempting to get) ticks off my dogs.
Here in the Republic of Panama, ticks are more of a concern than fleas, but I hear fleas are just as fierce as ticks and can pass on as severe a condition as any tick can so please beware. Some dogs are extremely sensitive to the bite of even one of these little pests. Ticks can cause several illnesses on dogs (called tick borne diseases), which can also be transmitted to humans (like Lyme Disease).

The worst part is, you might not even notice the symptoms, and most times the symptoms vary. Just don't allow that to let you assume these illnesses are OK. These are severe problems that can be fatal to your pet.
The first, being with ticks, acute blood loss, causing severe anemia, which can bring several other problems to the pet. A few tick borne diseases are ehrlichiosis, babesiosis & tularemia.

Make sure that as soon as you detect what could be an incoming tick/flea problem, you contact your vet for instructions on a pest control program to follow. These are killers and keep in mind you could be target too!

Links on Ticks

Lyme Disease Foundation, Inc - http://www.lyme.org/ticks/tick.html
Integrated Control of Ticks and Tick-Borne Diseases - http://www.ruu.nl/tropical.ticks/

Brush your Shih Tzu before you bathe him

2010-10-22T11:58:00.000-07:00

I know, what's that you say? This might not make sense, but the experts say it is the wise thing to do.
This has always seemed like strange advice to me, but it is definitely not that. Before I bought my second Shih Tzu, I did a lot of reading and research. I knew I would have to brush daily, but brushing before bath time always seems like doing the work twice not only for me but also for my dog who has to bear the entire experience.

To this day, I still consider it too much work, but this time will give you a chance to examine your dog thoroughly and clean areas like ears and eyes, and if your dog is mat/tangle free or almost, you can get the last of them out. More importantly, the mats don't get a chance to worsen, which is the case when you don't brush before bath time. Then, if you are careful when bathing, you might only get a few tangles afterwards.

So, decide today and dedicate 5 to 10 minutes to prepare your Shih Tzu for bath time. It will be worth it!!!

Grooming Tip: Keeping it Short

2010-10-20T10:28:00.000-07:00

What is the first thing that comes in to your mind when you think Shih Tzu? The flowing hair? The darling Topknot? There are other alternatives. The Shih Tzu breed is most famous for its long flowing coat and darling topknot. And I am sure many of us go into Shih Tzu ownership vowing that grooming will be a daily delight.

I certainly know I did! And I carried out the promise, too. But my Shih Tzu still got matted, badly so, and once that first mat appeared there was no going back! I wouldn't give up either, thinking it was somehow my fault, that I wasn't grooming him enough hours a day (will you ever forgive me for that one, Archie?), or had the appropriate tools.

I am proud to say that I once, for a span of 3 months, was able to keep Archie matt free, but it took a lot of discipline and long hours. So I thought, "I have it!", and I became proud step mom of a second Shih Tzu.
For two years I would fight the grooming battle, only to lose it and have to shave down Archie. Oddly enough, with my second addition I still felt I somehow owed them the right to have them with a long, beautiful coat. (I am sure they loved the 2 hour bathing process).

But you know what? For us, there is no need. My Shih Tzu are "pet" Shih Tzu, plus the weather in Panama is hot and humid. Their long coats only caused us stress (yes all of us) and the dogs were prone (and later fell prey to) pest and skin problems. Archie developed an allergy to tick bites with constant itching and bad skin odor, and Connor suffered anemia, from acute blood loss due to ticks. All of this because I could not manage the infestation under the thick coats (even at mid length).

So my decision was final, and now every 3 weeks I religiously take them to the groomer for a cut. The hair is so short you can see their skin, but they are so happy it is worth it. I also noticed more energy and willingness to cuddle at night.

So maybe you should consider going this way with your pet Shih Tzu, you do not need to go to extremes like I do, but 1.5 -2 inches of hair is enough for a pet Shih Tzu, and they look pretty darn good!

Make a Habit of Daily Brushing

2010-10-17T21:12:00.000-07:00

As you meet more and more Shih Tzu dogs you will realize that some have lovely silky hair that hardly ever needs brushing, others have more difficult hair (much more). Getting into the habit of daily brushing your dog can keep you and your furry friend out of trouble.

Give your Shih Tzu a thorough brushing at least once a day.

After this becomes a habit, you will notice differences in several areas:

The coat stays cleaner for longer periods of time.
Your Shih Tzu starts feeling closer to you (and starts accepting you more as leader not as its slave like most Shih Tzu will have you believe).
Circulation improves.
Grooming sessions become easier over time
And most important, you become more aware of your dog's overall health.

I cannot tell you how many times I have spotted health problems just before they become troublesome, just by brushing my dogs daily.

So the difference will be noticeable if you can get yourself to do it every day.

Draw or Paint your Shih Tzu Dog

2010-10-04T05:25:00.000-07:00

Lately I have been focusing too much on Archie's illness and the ravages of old age. So I thought I should write about something fun, something I have always wanted to do.

A while back I found this book called "Dogs: How to Draw Them (Pocket Drawing)" by Melvyn Petterson. It's a pocket type book that I think is now out of print (you can probably find a used copy for sale at amazon.com). I have always wanted to paint Shih Tzu, not just my own, but also those lovely prize winners that are groomed so beautifully and perfectly. Last year I did some sketches in pencil, that came out so-so. I traced them on the computer and they became the two Shih Tzu Dogs that you see in the top header of this site.

But I am greedy, I want more. I found a few tutorials on the web of how to paint your pet from a photograph. Also, as always, a list of how to books from amazon (I love Amazon.com, I have bought books from them since 1996 and have never had a problem!)

Free How to paint or draw your pet resources and articles on the web:

    * Tips and Techniques for an Acrylic Pet Portrait
    * Sample Lesson from Draw 50 Dogs
    * Draw a Dog Step by Step
    * How to Draw a Dog - Creature Features
    * Top 10 Tips for Painting Dogs
    * Drawing Dogs like a Pro
    * Learn To Draw a Cartoon Dog in a Car Window

What is a Shih Tzu?

2010-09-26T11:08:00.000-07:00

What exactly is a Shih Tzu? A Dog? A Companion? A friend?

For many people the answer to this question is very simple: a Shih Tzu is a dog breed. For others, it can be something as different and amusing as a "sneeze" (they say Shih Tzu sounds like "a- choo").

For me, Shih Tzu are loving, fun and intelligent creatures. They are a high maintenance breed, but worth every single minute for those of us who are lucky enough to own them.

A Shih Tzu has the ability to win your heart and keep you in awe of its intelligence throughout the years.

For a more thorough description of the breed you can go to the American Shih Tzu Club Home page at http://www.americanshihtzuclub.org/

Become a Dog Obdience Trainer Instructor

2010-09-19T20:27:00.000-07:00

I've always lived with dogs, my family had them around since I was a baby. But I didn't wonder about training until one of my poodles, Max â€“ a lovely black as night poodle -, ran out the door and was struck by a car. I don't remember doing anything about it at the time, I was around 7 or 8 years old, but I do remember an eagerness to always make sure the doors were properly closed at all times.

It wasn't until 1994 that I became serious about researching it. I had this wonderful mix breed called Rocky, he was lovable and he was a great watch dog. If someone new came along or someone he did not like, he would bark, growl and salivate like Cujo. I did not even think about it, when he attacked my maid once. I just thought he did not like her. I tried basic obedience and clicker training, but I was not perseverant. I would keep him in a large run we had in the back yard, but that only made him angrier and more violent. I asked about dog trainers but here in Panama they take your dog, "teach" it the commands, then send him back home. I did not like that, Rocky was already aggressive, I did not want them to turn him worse. Rocky was the first step, he went on to severely attack my maid, later on and then attempted to attack my cousin Nicole who was 2 years old at the time.

My breaking point, however, was many many years later when for several reasons I ended up with three dogs in my household and chaos has been our name ever since. None of them come when I want to, none of them are properly housetrained, none of them can stop barking when someone comes to visit, making my home the equal to a badly run kennel and driving my friends away.

Enter Penn Foster Career School. I am currently mid way through their Dog Obedience Instructor / Trainer course and I have learned so much about dog behavior. As much as I have read through the years, there are a lot of things that you can be doing mistakenly wrong. Their Program outline is very thorough, but sometimes I get edgy because in the beginning they have to lay out a foundation of dog behavior and many of the terms and approaches used in training animals (You can view their program outline here).

Right now, I am beginning the "Commands" study unit, and I cannot be more excited! I already have three students in line: my own 3 year old mix breed Fifi, my best friend's Dachshund, Ginger and for a graduation test run I have my aunt Edna's beagle Chispita (Sparkles in Spanish). As beagles are a bit of a challenge, I am leaving her for last.

I am six modules away from graduation, and taking it one step at a time, but I like the fact that I can take this class as slow as I want or as fast as I can. Penn Foster also has a grooming course and a veterinary assistant course as well. I plan on taking on grooming as soon as I finish this one and then the veterinary assistant course. You can take most of your exams online and download your study guides as well, but there are a few graded projects you need to mail in in order to have them graded.