shih tzu owners....I have questions

We have shih tzu as a potential breed we are interested in along with the spaniels. I have a few questions.....
Where did you get yours?
What was the cost?
How are their temperment?
Any difference in behavior between males or females?

I met a breeder through our sitter and the puppies are adorable. These doggies live the good life. She is selective who she sells to and has the parents on site and access to her vet for questions.
We are interested but want to know of any quirks or concerns any shih tzu owners experience with the breed.

Thanks so much. Our heads are spinning. So many breed choices and places to get them.

Re: shih tzu owners....I have questions

Re: shih tzu owners....I have questions

We have a shih tzu! She is the love of my life... seriously!

She is super sweet and cuddly. I think they are a great breed! She isn't a barker either (only when someone knocks on the door!)

Re: shih tzu owners....I have questions

My first dog was a shih tzu & he passed after xmas,, i am now the proud owner of another shih tzu. I have to say they are great dogs,,
they dont shed,
they are easy to train,
very loyal .
good lil lap dogs,
etd to say they do have tons of energy as puppies..

also I had males both dogs, I didnt wann deal with the whole AF thing with a girl..

Message edited 3/16/2009 3:41:08 PM.

Re: shih tzu owners....I have questions

thanks so much!!!

Re: shih tzu owners....I have questions

Posted by toni-mike

My first dog was a shih tzu & he passed after xmas,, i am now the proud owner of another shih tzu. I have to say they are great dogs,,
they dont shed,
they are easy to train,
very loyal .
good lil lap dogs,
etd to say they do have tons of energy as puppies..

also I had males both dogs, I didnt wann deal with the whole AF thing with a girl..

Re: shih tzu owners....I have questions

I have two Shih tzu's. One a boy who is 4 years old and a girl who is 1 years old. Both have been nuetered/spayed.
I bought both from a breeder and spent a total of 1200 on them. My boy, who is my baby is VERY good - he was very easy to train, very good around children, never sheds and is such a good natured dog. My little girl, she was not easy to train, she has the complete opposite personality then my boy; and she's very hyper I think b/c she is still a puppy. Although, I remember when my boy was her age he was not as hyer as she is now. Over all they are great dogs!

Re: shih tzu owners....I have questions

I have had 2 Shih Tzu's. My first one (family dog) was bought from a breeder somewhere in Selden (can find out if interested, I think my parents paid about $1,000) he lived till he was 15.5 years and was a great loveable dog. My new shih tzu is 10 months and we got him from a friend of a friend (not breeder).

In my opinion Shih Tzu's are very loveable, have great temperment and have great "personalities". They are also very good with young children.

I have only had male Shih Tzu's but friends of the family have had females and I havent noticed any major differences.

I dont think I could ever possibly go for another breed of dogs!!

Re: shih tzu owners....I have questions

you can check petfinder.com to see the shih tzus on there. there's a ton. if you insist on buying a puppy, i can find a real reputable breeder for you. do NOT go to pet stores (especially canine corral, they sell sick dogs and have had many suits against them for dogs dying.. you will ONLY find puppy mill & backyard breeder produced dogs from pet stores) let me know. I rescued 2 of my babies and bought my dachshund from a reputable breeder so i did my homework and know what to look for in a breeder. shih tzus are great lap dogs but make sure you can upkeep with the grooming. it requires alot of brushing and cleaning the tear ducts everyday. otherwise their hair gets matted and long. so take into consideration the cost of grooming when thinking about monthly costs for a new dog. good luck

Re: shih tzu owners....I have questions

I'm the proud mama of 2 Shih Tzu's. They are both male. Sadler is almost 4 and Kasey will be 2 and I have to say they are the best dogs to have. DH had his lab and when I moved in with Sadler he just fell in love with the breed and that is when we got Kasey. (I have pics of them in my album)

Sadler I got from a breeder upstate NY.
Will Rose Shih Tzu. You should google it. Her web site is very informative and it could really answer some of your questions. He was $700.00. She might have stopped breeding and if thats the case then I'm sorry.

Kasey we got in Portland which is now where we are living.

They don't shed, they are very easy to train, they are also very smart.

I neglected to mention the upkeep on their hair. I brush mine every night while we are laying in bed together. They play with each other and it tends to get matted but, when Sadler was an only child (hehe) he never got matted so it shouldn't be an issue for you.

They also need hair cuts every 6 weeks and their anal glands expressed (which the groomer will do)

Message edited 3/20/2009 6:05:24 PM.