Shih Tzus: the spunky, lovable breed!

They are popular. They are adorable. They are loyal. Yes, I am referring to the Shih Tzu! This breed is one of my favorites to groom. Somehow they always come out looking perfect after their haircut. My Mom actually has two Shih Tzus and I think they have something to do with my love for the breed. ;) Anyway, like I promised, I am going to show you some of the popular haircuts for the breed!

Lets be honest. This dog is beautiful! I LOVE seeing full coated Shih Tzus because they are just downright gorgeous!! If you want to get your Shih Tzus hair like this one, ask for a very light trim all over just to neaten the body and tell the groomer you do not want the bangs or any hair around the face trimmed. In order for your dogs hair to be pulled back without any loose hairs sticking out, you must grow out the hair for months. Also, the hair on the head will need to stay in a bow or ribbon at all times so it's not falling in the face. Keep that in mind because it's alot of work! It has to be brushed out daily so the bow doesn't cause any matting. It's not easy being beautiful! If you have the time, I say DO IT! You will get many compliments and you'll love the way your dog looks!

This is one of my favorite haircuts on a Shih Tzu! It's neat, clean, and very easy to maintain! Brushing is still needed to keep the hair tangle free. The body was cut with a 5/8 clip comb to keep the hair fluffy and head was scissored nice and round. Round faces are my absolute favorite look on a Shih Tzu. They look like puppies and it gives them a softer look. Let your groomer know you would like a 5/8 clip comb on the body, short round teddy bear face, ears trimmed to the chin, and the tail left fluffy to get this look for your baby.   

The lamb cut is fun and always adorable! A lamb cut is when your dog's hair on the body is short but the legs are left fluffy and neatened. It's a great cut for busy pet parents because you have half the maintenance than you would if you left the whole body fluffy. Brushing out just the legs and the head in half the time is always appealing! You can get the face short like this little one or you can get a longer face. Either way it looks adorable! If you like this particular cut, ask for a #5 lamb cut, a 1" clip comb on the legs, short round teddy bear face, ears trimmed to the chin, and to trim the tail.

The shaved Shih Tzu!! This haircut is heaven sent if your dog tends to get a dirty face easily. Everything on the dog is usually shaved but the tail. Why shave the face? It's easy to wipe tear stains, wipe off food from the mouth, and the haircut lasts a lot longer so you get more of your money out of it. Make sure this is the haircut you want before actually getting it done because it takes awhile to get that beard back! If your dog gets alot of ear infections, think about shaving the ears too. Shaving the ears helps air out any moisture that is in the ear canal. Moisture eventually causes bacteria to form and that's when the brown/black gunk starts building up that you'll see when cleaning the ears. If you think this is the cut for your pup, tell your groomer you would like a #7 or a #10 blade all over on your dog including the face and ears. If you would like the tail shaved too, indicate that as well. The only reason I don't recommend shaving the tail is because they can sometimes look like a "rat tail". If it matts easily, shave it. If it doesn't, keep it fluffy!