**Note for puppy pick up**
If your picking up a puppy that you are giving as a Christmas, Valentine or Birthday gift, make sure the dog has been confirmed to go home.
I say this to everyone but i understand that as we get closer to the pick up day, some people start to get anxious to take the dog home.
But I must warn you that because a puppy is 8 weeks old does not mean they will be ready to go home. I am not the kind of breeder that lets a puppy go based only on their age.
Our puppy pick ups will be done anywhere between 8 to 12 weeks of age. This is why: At 8 weeks old they go for their 2nd set of shots. At this time the dogs are evaluated for a few things: eating on their own, gaining weight at a good rate, pooping good with the food they are on and nursing with mom. If one of these things are off or not up to par they will not be cleared to go home. Instead they will revisit the vet on a weekly basis until everything is perfect. The last thing I'm going to do is send a dog home because someone is in a rush for any type of reason. I don't need the feeling of disappointment from displeased families calling to tell me that their puppy is sick or has died.
My priority is the health of my puppies.
The best thing to do if you want to get a puppy for the holidays is make a card with some of the puppies pictures to give as a present. In this way you'll have the card as a reminder of the little baby that will be coming home to you very soon.
For Holidays
I, as a responsible breeder, will not let the puppy go on a busy holiday unless the new owner will have everything ready for the puppies coming which includes things I have listed in the Available puppies section at the bottom. This is a safety precaution as I do not want the puppy overwhelmed on it's first day at it's new home with all the people walking around and loud noises disturbing their peace. It also raises a concern of a possibility that someone might accidentally step on the puppy. To avoid that I will ask that the new owner either pick the puppy up a few days before or after the holiday or keep the puppy away from the crowd for the night. It might be an exciting thing for you to have a new member of the family but to the puppy it's a new experience that needs some getting used to. If the puppy is frightened or does not feel comfortable he/she will get sick and in the worst case, die. This is why I set these rules, to avoid the cost of vet bills and the heartbreak of death.
you have no idea what it is like to be a breeder...the unseen hours
and hours put in to give you a wonderful puppy
The puppies are demanding little devils and to give you
a happy, healthy puppy we put in the hours it takes...
I DO THIS BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT I LOVE...
...YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IT TAKES TO BRING YOU
THAT BEAUTIFUL, HAPPY, HEALTHY PUPPY!!!!!
SHIH TZU DESCRIPTION The Shih Tzu is also known as the
Chinese/Tibetan Lion Dog or
the Chrysanthemum Dog. It is called the chrysanthemum dog because its
face looks very much like the flower.
The
Shih Tzu is one of the most popular of the Toy breeds. It is well known
for its long, flowing, luxurious hair, which covers all of its body. It
has a round head, pleasant expression, and large, round, dark eyes. Its
ears are large and covered by the coat. Shih Tzus are very small and
compact in size, with a broad, deep chest. Their tails are curved and
covered with fur. Shih Tzus can be any color, and tend not to shed. Their hair is in fact a double layer, with a woolly
undercoat below the longer hair. Shih Tzus are small dogs, and are
slightly longer than they are tall.he Shih Tzu is a sturdy, lively,
alert toy dog with long flowing double coat. Befitting his noble Chinese
ancestry as a highly valued, prized companion and palace pet, the Shih
Tzu is proud of bearing, has a distinctively arrogant carriage with head
well up and tail curved over the back. Although there has always been
considerable size variation, the Shih Tzu must be compact, solid,
carrying good weight and substance.
Recognized
Registries: AKC, CKC, FCI,
ANK, UKC, KCGB, ANKC, NKC, NZKC, CCR, APRI, ACR A.C.A.
Temperament:
Shih Tzus are known for being sturdy, attentive,
energetic, and responsive dogs. They are best suited to being companion
dogs, and are generally easy-going and affectionate. When in a playful
mood, Shih Tzus can be feisty and mischievous. Because they are alert
and attentive dogs, they make good watchdogs who are fond of barking. If
surprised or startled, they can be snappish. Shih Tzus love attention
and being spoiled. They are very clever and can be trained, although
they are known to be stubborn and a trainer consequently needs to be
very patient. Shih Tzus generally get along well with other pets and
older children. They do not do well with babies or toddlers, as they
have a strong sense of self-importance and can be jealous of little
children.
Caring for a Shih Tzu:
Shih Tzus are fairly easy to take care of, as they do not
require a great deal of exercise. If the owner chooses to keep the hair
long, it will require careful daily grooming. If not groomed regularly,
tangles and painful mats can develop. Many owners tie the hair on the
top of the Shih Tzu’s head into a distinctive topknot so that the dog
can see more easily. The hair can, however, be trimmed in order to keep
grooming needs to a minimum. Most Shih Tzus enjoy outside exercise or
simply running around inside a house or yard. Their eyes are sensitive
and need to be cleaned regularly
Weight
Range: 9 to 16 lbs. Chinese imperial: 6-9 lbs. Tiny Imperial: under 6 lbs.
Colors:
All colors are acceptable.All
colors permissible," but adds the words, "a white blaze on the forehead
and a white tip to the tail are highly prized."The white blaze, collar,
socks and tail-tip combine to create a highly prized ensemble" of a Shih
Tzu.Scroll down for color chart.
Trainability: ShihTzu’s are alert and spunky little dogs who are
endowed with loads of character. They are royally dignified and
sometimes arrogant. They are stubborn and cleaver dogs who can get
snappish if they are surprised or peeved.
With
Children: This breed does well with polite, careful children.You
must always be careful with children holding puppies.Puppies can be
dropped .When it comes to children and puppies, it’s all about rules no
matter what size breed is chosen. Children learn by example. If adults
in the home are responsible with pets, the kids will follow that
example. Simple things like cleaning up after, feeding, watering and
securing the location of a puppy are essentials that any child can
easily be taught. My children learned how to take care of dogs by
watching us
Other Pets: Shih Tzu are generally good with other pets.
Climate:
This breed is sensitive to the
heat.
indoor / Outdoor: Shih Tzu are good apartment dogs. They
are fairly active indoors and will do okay without a yard.
Exercise Required: The Shih Tzu is a naturally active dog
but they still need some encouragement to exercise. Do not overfeed
this breed or it will quickly become fat.
Life Range: 14 to 16 years
Shih
Tzu are considered non-shedding because they don't lose hair like
breeds we classify as 'shedders'. A Shih Tzu looses hair like people,
one strand at a time. Of course, all animals, including people have to
get rid of hair, dander(skin flakes), etc... at some point in their
life, in order to regrow more hair, skin, etc...
BRINGING
THE NEW PUPPY HOME
Your
new puppy will be undertaking alot of stress from moving from one home
to another. So to for the puppy to feel secure I use crates,Crates are
like a den to a dog, they feel safe and secure in.,before I ship my
puppies ,I let them get used to thier own little den,Crates are for the
safety of your dog.I leave my crates open and my dogs go in on thier
own.They love thier crates,It is thier own place to get away from it all
and they all know which crate is thier own crate.If you feel bad about
cooping up a puppy in a crate buy a play pen for puppies that will keep
the puppy safe and allow the dog place to play.Petsmart has those also.I
put the crate inside and wee wee pads,toys,and water bottle and food
and they are safe ,fed and secure.Your puppy's first night can be a
miserable experience since he is used to sleeping in a cozy nest with
his mother and littermates. You can substitute a hot-water bottle and a
ticking clock wrapped in a towel to substitute his mother's presence and
heartbeat. You can place his bed next to yours for the first few days,
so that you can comfort him if necessary. If he cries or whines comfort
him, then leave him alone. If you weaken and take him to bed with you,
you may be creating a new problem that you will have to break.
Puppies tend to roam and if left alone to do what they
please they will come into trouble.Would you leave your baby alone
roaming the house?No ,so treat your puppy like you would a newborn or
toddler.Couches and human beds should be off limits to a puppy until it
can climb up on it's own... The NEW PUPPY WILL CRY.The puppy has just
left it's surrounding it has known from birth.It usually takes a week or
more for the puppy to adjust to leaving its old home.Puppies tire out
easy so for the first weeks. Dont ever wake up a sleeping puppy to
play.Let them sleep.Chew toys like raw hide and pig ears will save you
alot of chewed up items in your home.Puppy's are teething and need
something to chew on.Puppies also get bored so doggy toys will keep them
occupied,I would recommend not giving a puppy anything with sewed or
buttons that can be swallowed.I advise reading about puppies so you
will know what to expect and that will make you and your new puppy
happy.
Hyperglacemia When a puppy gets a
bit too much exercise it can become stressed out, they might seem unable
to stand or listless. This usually means that they have a low blood
sugar problem. Like all toy dog puppies, You can solve that problem
with a quick trip to the vet or by dropper/spoon feeding your dog some
sugar water, Nutrical (or any good high calorie dietary supplement). We
suggest you keep some Nutrical around at all times. It is essential
that you treat this problem right away by giving your pup the supplement
or sugar water. Otherwise they can go into shock. Remember that your
puppy needs to take time for feeding and rest.
You
shouldn't take a young Puppy jogging with you! If you're planning more
then just a short walk around a short block, leave your pet at home. The
same applies to play time or long rides in a vehicle. DO NOT OVER-PLAY
WITH YOUNG PUPS. Inform any children in the house that over-playing with
the pup can cause it to become very sick. Limit the time a puppy spends
in a vehicle (especially in high or low temperature zones). Long road
trips or rides can stressout a puppy and expose him or her to
unnecessary health risk.
Blue
eyes that persist throughout life can occasionally be found in Shih
Tzu. Such blue eyes (actually, often dark or light gray rather than
bright blue) are found in blue dogs. Blue Shih Tzu lack a needed color
gene for black. Their color is therefore dilute; they also have blue
pigment on their muzzles, noses, lips, footpads, and eye rims. Like
liver-pigmented dogs (which have light brown eyes and pigment rather
than the more common black), blue Shih Tzu are rare, but are perfectly
acceptable in the show ring. All colors and markings are permissible in
our breed. Nevertheless, blue eyes are unacceptable in the show ring in
any color except blue. Light eyes of this kind do not affect vision, and
blue-eyed Shih Tzu make fine pets. Potty Training
Most
new puppy owners have a lot of questions regarding potty training.
Generally, they ask is my puppy going to arrive potty trained. What do I
have to do to potty train my puppy? Many ask about the potty pads, the
dog litter, crate training and outside potty training. The situation
depends upon the new owner and their life circumstances.
Your
new puppy will be started on potty training but will not be fully
trainable until about four months of age or older.
Here
are some methods I have used.
Crate
Training or Outside Training- I
generally crate train all my dogs. This helps if I have company arrive
or a large family get together. The dogs have a place to go that is
their very own and out of the way. Start by crate training for short
periods of time, approximately two hours. When it's time to bring the
puppy out, take the puppy outside to potty and play for awhile. Always
walk with them into the area of the yard you wish them to potty. Stay
with them outside until they have potty. Sometimes, this may take a few
minutes. Afterwards, offer food and water, twenty minutes later take
them back outside to the same area to potty. Do not leave the puppy
unattended inside the house unless in the crate or in area that is easy
to clean up. Place toys the puppy might enjoy playing with inside the
crate. Many of the toys with areas to hide food are enticing. If you
catch the puppy in the middle of the accident say "NO" in a large voice
and then take them outside to the potty area.
Potty
Pad -
Potty pad training or news paper is very similar to outdoor training.
You must take the puppy to the pad until they get the idea. Potty pads
do cost some money and have to be changed regularly. You can purchase
ones that can be washed as well. Sometimes, the puppies find them fun
to tear up.
Dog Litter - Litter training is similar to potty pad training. You
must take the puppy to the litter on a regular basis until they learn
to use the litter. You will need to purchase a litter pan that is
stable enough to hold the puppies. I have found they can sometimes tip
these over.
What I need to tell you all that which ever method you
use the most important thing is
consistency. I never leave a puppy that is
not potty trained unattended in an area that I don't want an accident.
Also, there are many good books and literature available at the
library.