It is important for anyone planning to groom Shih Tzu to know the correct way to groom. With Shih Tzu show dogs there is absolutely no room for mistakes. Grooming a Shih Tzu show dog could represent the difference between winning and losing. Correct Shih Tzu grooming, however, is also important for pet Shih Tzu. Some Shih Tzu owners want their Shih Tzu do look the way a dog of the Shih Tzu breed should look.
A Shih Tzu owner, whether pet or show dog, should know how to care for the Shih Tzu properly at home. Any Shih Tzu grooming done at home should be done by using the correct procedures. There is correct and incorrect way to bathe your Shih Tzu. Shih Tzu has different types of coats that need different types of care.
To groom your Shih Tzu successfully at home you need to have a basic knowledge of how to groom, how to correctly scissor or clip your Shih Tzu. This will help you take care of your Shih Tzu at home or, at least, to keep the Shih Tzu looking presentable between professional grooming.
Beginner Shih Tzu Groomer Qualifications:
1.A sincere love for the Shih Tzu. 2.The ability to handle scissors with a steady hand.
If there is no problem in handling the scissors, handling the remaining equipment can be learned easily.
Everyone who owns a Shih Tzu should have some grooming knowledge and be able to have pride owning a well-groomed Shih Tzu. Grooming your Shih Tzu can fun and satisfying as well as safe and sure.
There are several categories of Shih Tzu owner groomers:
1.The single-Shih Tzu owner who doesn't have time to do the main grooming but wants to keep the Shih Tzu looking well groomed. 2.There is the person who enjoys Shih Tzu grooming once in awhile to prove he can do it.
Correct grooming knowledge is valuable to both categories of Shih Tzu owners. If you are a Shih Tzu owner who wants to do all your grooming at home, you must know the grooming requirements of the Shih Tzu as well as the professional does to get the desired results.
Most Shih Tzu show dog owners groom their own Shih Tzu even if they hire professional handlers. A Shih Tzu owner must know accurately every step of grooming for his particular breed.
Shih Tzu grooming can be compared to human beauty culture because it is the beautification of the Shih Tzu breed. The art of Shih Tzu grooming is aimed at creating a reasonable facsimile of a normal specimen of the Shih Tzu breed. The attendance of Shih Tzu American Kennel Club dog shows is an excellent place to observe first hand the best specimens of the Shih Tzu breed.
There are basic steps applicable to grooming the Shih Tzu as well as all breeds of dogs. Anyone interested in becoming a complete dog grooming artist, should know how to make all breeds beautiful. A Shih Tzu grooming artist professional should know how best to enhance the appearance of each breed of dog. However, if the Shih Tzu is your favorite breed, one can become known as an ?expert? in grooming the Shih Tzu.
A professional Shih Tzu groomer understands that certain breeds, like Poodles, most Terriers and Spaniels, and the Shih Tzu require far more time and skill to groom than smooth-haired breeds, in which only a knowledge of the fundamentals is required.
History of dog grooming: The dog, including the Shih Tzu, has been the closest animal to the human family. Grooming dogs was the fashion of the aristocracy during the 19th Century. The art flourished during the reigns of Louis XV and Louis XVI of France. The Poodle, however, and not the Shih Tzu, was the favorite breed. Grooming was largely confined to the Poodle. The first recorded grooming parlors were established in France about this same time.
The Shih Tzu has become so much an integral part of the family that going to the canine beautician is as much a ritual for the family Shih Tzu as going to the hairdresser is for the lady of the house. Shih Tzu and dog styling in general has also become so professional and sophisticated that Shih Tzu owners have become as selective about their Shih Tzu's groomer as they are about their own hair stylist.
Origin of the clips: Since the art of dog grooming flourished during the reigns of Louis XV and Louis XVI of France and the Poodle, instead of our beloved Shih Tzu, was the favorite breed in France, the Poodle breed became known as the French Poodle. The first Poodles were water dogs and retrievers. The clip most suitable to them resembled what is known today as the ?Continental clip.? A mane of hair was left on the foreparts while the back and hindquarters were shaven. This clip made the Poodle resemble a lion, and therefore the clip became known in England as the ?Lion clip.?
The American fancy made some variations in the ?Lion clip? and began to call it the ?Saddle clip.? The English Saddle clip calls for the greatest skill in the art of dog grooming.
It is not clear from historical records just when the ?pet clips? originated. Often now we hear of a ?Puppy Cut? for our Shih Tzu, which is a very popular style for a family pet Shih Tzu. However, for the show ring, there is much, much more to grooming our beloved Shih Tzu.
Connie Limon has sinced written about articles on various topics from Careers and Job Hunting, Dogs and Colon Cleanse. 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. Designer dog clothes are offered on the website. Discounts are offered to subscribers. Sign up at:. Connie Limon's top article generates over 135000 views. to your Favourites.