Shih Tzu are known for their long hair, but not all Shih Tzu have the same type of coat. There are two different coats that you commonly see with a Shih Tzu: long and short.
When you go to look at Shih Tzu puppies, you may see that some of them have short coats while others have longer coats. This is not unusual—it’s just part of the natural variation in coat length at birth. Shih Tzu puppies are born various hair types, colors and length.
The reason Shih tzu have diffident hair types and colors at birth is because of genetics. Shih Tzu puppies inherit the coat from their parents—this is why it’s important to know how your puppy’s parents look before buying one. You can also tell what kind of hair your puppy will have by looking at its hair when it first gets born.
That said, most purebred Shih tzu naturally have long and silky hair however its usually trimmed down or shaved for ease of maintenance, styling and grooming.
Is Shih Tzu Coat Diffrent Drom Other Dog Breeds?
While many breeds of dog have a single coat, the Shih Tzu’s coat is double layered. It is this texture that makes grooming such an important part of owning a Shih Tzu! While most dogs can be brushed with a brush or comb once or twice per week, Shih Tzu owners must brush their dogs daily or every other day to prevent matting and tangles from occurring. This high maintenance means that many people who do not have time for regular grooming may want to consider adopting another breed instead of adopting a Shih Tzu puppy.
The Shih Tzu also has a very fair coat, which means that their skin can be easily burned by the sun. Because of this, it’s important to keep your dog out of the sun during the day and not let him or her play outside in direct sunlight. The best times for exercise are early in the morning or later at night when temperatures have cooled down.
Growing
The way your Shih Tzu‘s hair grows is very important because it can determine the style of cut you want to give your dog.
If you’ve decided , then your Shih Tzu will need regular grooming, which includes brushing and combing the tangles out of their coat every day.
You should also keep your dog’s hair clean by bathing them bi-weekly. This way, their hair won’t get matted together so easily since there’s nothing stuck in between each strand of hair!
If you’re looking for a quick way to un-tangle your dog’s hair, then clipping it short is probably not the best option. Instead, consider shaving it all off. This might seem crazy at first but it actually works quite well! You’ll need clippers with different size blades so that you can cut through any tangles without causing too much pain or damage to your pet’s skin.
Grooming Needs
The best way to groom Shih Tzu’s hair is to use a brush, comb and hair dryer.
- Use the brush to remove loose hair.
- Use the comb to remove tangles by starting at the base of the tail and working your way up towards the top where it’s easier for you to see what you’re doing since there’s less hair in front of your face blocking your view like when grooming short-haired dogs with no undercoat (like Poodles).
- Dry with a blow dryer or use an undercoat raking tool if necessary (it’s not recommended though because it will cause matting).
Shih Tzu Hair Cuts for Long Hair
There are many different types of shih tzu hair cuts, it’s important to know that the hair on your Shih tzu’s face is very different from the rest of their body.
Below I have included two example videos of haircuts for long haired Shih tzus
Shih tzu Hair Colors
You can find a variety of Shih Tzu hair colors and patterns. The most common are:
- Black & White: Usually white with black markings on the face, ears and tail. Sometimes they have a saddle pattern instead of the usual spots.
- Brown & White: A brown coat with white chest, feet and nose. Sometimes they have tan or gray hairs on their sides that are not present in other colors.
- Red: Red Shih Tzus may have darker reds or light shades like apricot or coppery reds as well as creamier golds as well as darker golds that range from dark honey to almost black hues depending on how much white is present in the coat. The same goes for sable colored dogs which tend to look more golden when younger than when older due to fading with age (just like human hair does).
Conclusion
Shih Tzu dogs naturally have very long hair, but they are normally kept at a shorter length for ease of maintenance. Some mix breed Shih Tzu have short or medium length hair. The reason for this is because the length of their coat depends on their genes and environment. If you want to know what type or length if hair your Shih tzu will have or not before bringing one home, then you should ask your breeder and check out the puupy’s parents.
