Shih Tzu: What should an owner prioritise during the first month?
For a Shih Tzu puppy, the first month should be predictable, quiet enough for sleep, and built around small successful habits. Keep the setting and handling predictable, especially if touch or busy movement already raises the dog's tension. Prioritise sleep, predictable toilet opportunities, gentle handling, socialisation, and one or two easy cues before adding distractions. Repeat one calm routine across several days before adding a new place, person, surface, or cue.
What matters in the first month
Shih Tzu's grooming is recorded as A Shih Tzu with a long coat requires daily brushing. Here, that matters because it changes how much handling, coat care, and gradual conditioning belong in the routine.
The first few habits to build
- Prioritise sleep, predictable toilet opportunities, gentle handling, socialisation, and one or two easy cues before adding distractions.
- Let the grooming note (A Shih Tzu with a long coat requires daily brushing) determine which handling step comes first and how much care is reasonable in one session.
- Repeat one calm routine across several days before adding a new place, person, surface, or cue.
Get help if
Get veterinary or behaviour support if the puppy cannot settle, eat, sleep, or recover between ordinary routines.
References
Height: 9-10.5 inches
AKC page PageMap DataObject > height
Weight: 9-16 pounds
AKC page PageMap DataObject > weight
Life expectancy: 10-18 years
AKC page PageMap DataObject > life_expectancy
Grooming: A Shih Tzu with a long coat requires daily brushing. Use a good-quality wire brush with flexible pins, and layer the hair to be sure you reach to the skin. A bath about every three or four weeks will help to keep the coat clean and at its best. Remember to comb the mustache and topknot daily, and gently clean the corner of the eyes with a damp cloth.…
AKC page Grooming > official section copy
Exercise: The Shih Tzu was bred to be a house companion. As such, they require minimal exercise. Short daily walks with their owner and indoor playtime will satisfy the activity needs of this small, short-legged companion.
AKC page Exercise > official section copy
Training: Training a Shih Tzu can be both an amusing and a frustrating experience. The breed tends to charm his owner into letting him have his own way, which can result in a chubby, less-than-completely-housebroken pet who is difficult to groom. Because Shih Tzu are such people dogs, training methods based on praise and rewards work best. Harsh corrections should…
AKC page Training > official section copy
Official breed description: That face! Those big dark eyes looking up at you with that sweet expression! It's no surprise that Shih Tzu owners have been so delighted with this little 'Lion Dog' for a thousand years. Where Shih Tzu go, giggles and mischief follow.
AKC page About the Breed > official breed description
Recommended parent-club health tests: ['No recommended health tests']
AKC page Health > Recommended Health Tests From the National Breed Club
Official breed standard: http://images.akc.org/pdf/breeds/standards/ShihTzu.pdf
AKC page The Breed Standard > View Full Breed Standard
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