If you have a Shih Tzu, you understand that their happiness is yours as well. Keeping a Shih Tzu happy should not be looked at as a job. Rather, you should view it as part of your own health and wellbeing. The happier your Shih Tzu is, the healthier they are and so are you.
What follows are five simple ways to keep your Shih Tzu happy, healthy, and content. The best part is that doing what is necessary to promote happiness in your Shih Tzu will work on you as well. Remember to bring everyone who lives in the household on this, so that your Shih Tzu will stay happy.
Proper Care
Schedule routine trips to the vet and look for any signs of distress in your Shih Tzu. This means a combination of feeding them the proper food, good exercise, vaccinations, grooming, and noticing any signs of your Shih Tzu being in any pain or discomfort. By doing the basics, you can help keep your Shih Tzu healthy, which also means that they can stay happy.
Plus, if you notice signs of something wrong or unusual, call your vet for guidance. It may be something temporary or something that needs treatment. Either way, you’ll want to address any issues that arise as soon as you can.
Exercise
Exercise helps both your Shih Tzu and you. This can start with simple walks, but you can extend it to agility training and other physical challenges. By mixing things up, you can keep your dog interested and happy as they tackle something new. But even a simple walk is an adventure for your Shih Tzu. Just remember to do something different every so often so that you and your dog will find something new.
Good Nutrition
Getting good dog food is a start, but just like humans, your Shih Tzu may have special needs in terms of the nutrients they consume. This means that you can supplement the diet of your Shih Tzu with recommended vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients that help keep them healthy.
Teach New Tricks
Teaching dogs trick is nothing new, but most dog owners tend to give up after a few years. Instead, you should find new tricks to teach your Shih Tzu no matter their age. A trick provides a mental challenge that will keep your dog’s attention focused. Once a trick is mastered, you should keep it going every so often to remind your Shih Tzu.
Love Your Dog
Showing affection on a daily basis to your Shih Tzu is the best way to keep them happy. You can schedule some playtime with them, but really it is about paying attention and letting them be a part of your family. That way, your Shih Tzu will stay healthy and happy for a long time with a little daily affection.
A healthy Shih Tzu is a happy Shih Tzu. This means in terms of their physical and mental health, the more you can do to keep them active, feed them right, address their nutritional and grooming needs, and scheduling regular trips to the vet, the better.
