Shih Tzu Grooming – Techniques Of Ear Cleaning And Nail Trimming

Ear Cleaning: Cleaning the ears of your Shih Tzu is a simple
chore. With the Shih Tzu being a long-haired breed, problems can
arise if ears nor cleaned regularly. The hair in the ears of a
Shih Tzu will grow long, knot up, mat and eventually interfere
with proper functioning of the Shih Tzu’s ear canal. Infection
of your Shih Tzu’s ears can result.

You will need a bottle or can of ear powder easily obtained
through pet supply manufacturers. Squirt the powder directly
into the ears of your Shih Tzu. The hair will become dry and
brittle and is easily plucked out with your fingers. Pluck the
hair out of your Shih Tzu’s ears with a quick, firm motion until
the ears of your Shih Tzu look clean. You can also use a
hemostat to pluck the hair out of your Shih Tzu’s ears.

Be sure to purchase ear canker powder as it has the additional
benefit of helping to control canker and ear mites in your Shih
Tzu. Swab your Shih Tzu’s ears gently with a cotton swab dipped
in mineral oil or rubbing alcohol.

Nail trimming: Keeping your Shih Tzu’s nail trimmed is
important. Without regular trimming, your Shih Tzu’s nails may
grow so long that they actually throw the Shih Tzu off his
natural balance and act as a source of irritation. Neglecting to
trim your Shih Tzu’s nails also detracts from the look of an
otherwise well-groomed Shih Tzu.

Nail trimmers and techniques: Guillotine type nail trimmers are
the best to use on your Shih Tzu. Hold the trimmers vertically.
Grasp the foot of the Shih Tzu firmly, hold the leg up towards
you, carefully trim each nail of your Shih Tzu. It may sometimes
be unnecessary to trim the nails on the hind feet of your Shih
Tzu as they seem to grow much slower than the fore feet. If
dewclaws are present on your Shih Tzu, trim the dewclaws as
well. The shorter you keep your Shih Tzu’s nail, the better, and
frequent trimming will help tighten the feet and improve the
dog’s balance. Be careful about the “quick.” The “quick” is a
vein that can be easily observed in most white and light-colored
Shih Tzu when the toenails are “white.” The “quick” is more
difficult to identify in toenails of darker colored Shih Tzu.
More often that not, these are black rather than white in the
darker colored Shih Tzu.

Nail bleeding: If the nails of your Shih Tzu bleed after
trimming, or if you trim them to close to the “quick,” there is
no need for alarm. Always have on hand one of the antiseptic
coagulants which you can purchase through any pet supply
manufacturer for your Shih Tzu. These substances will stop
quickly any bleeding. Using a cotton swab dab a little of the
powder on the bleeding toenail of your Shih Tzu and hold it with
a little pressure for a few seconds. The bleeding should stop
quickly.

The best time to trim the nails or clean the ears is before you
bath your Shih Tzu so that all traces of blood or powder will be
washed away. However, the nails of your Shih Tzu will be softer
right after bathing.

Nail grinding: A finishing touch in trimming nails is the use of
a nail grinder for your Shih Tzu. A nail grinder will polish off
the rough edges of the Shih Tzu’s nails. The Oster Corporation
makes a nail grinder favored by many professional groomers and
handlers. Caution is advised when using a nail grinder on your
Shih Tzu’s nails. If the Shih Tzu bends his head during the
process, some part of the fringes could get caught in the
grinding wheel causing the Shih Tzu considerable pain.

If your Shih Tzu objects strenuously to nail grinding, it is
advisable to not force the issue since grinding is mostly for a
cosmetic effect.