Arizona Sunrise Shih Tzus & Poos

Purebred Shih Tzu Puppies

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Shih Tzus and the Danger of Second-Hand Smoke

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A brown and white liver Shih Tzu puppy posing for a photo next to a toy bear.
Sweet Shih Tzu Puppy

We are all relatively aware of the dangers of smoking cigarettes and marijuana around humans and our pets. But, did you know that second and third-hand smoke pose a risk to our animals’ health as well? Second-hand smoke is the chemical odor that lingers in the air after smoking. Third-hand smoke is the toxic chemical compounds that are left behind on skin, clothing, furniture, floors, etc. I don’t know about your dogs, but my Shih Tzus love to give kisses. Third-hand smoking compounds left on the face and skin may inadvertently harm your dog when he or she licks your skin after smoking.

To make matters worse, studies show that brachycephalic breeds like Shih Tzus are at an even greater risk because of their short nose. This increased risk in short-nosed dogs puts Shih Tzus at an elevated risk for contracting nose cancer, lung cancer, and respiratory illnesses. In my opinion, any type of smoke exposure is not worth the risk.

Furthermore, nicotine and marijuana are dangerous if your dog accidentally ingests either of the two substances. If your Shih Tzu ingests marijuana you must take him or her to the veterinarian immediately. Your Shih Tzu may need IV fluids and other medications to help detoxify from the poisoning.

Pet intoxication with marijuana or nicotine can cause symptoms such as:

  • Vomiting
  • Loss of balance
  • Drooling
  • Hyperactivity
  • Disorientation
  • Low heart rate
  • Frequent urination

The moral of the story here is to keep your dog away from cannabis and nicotine in the first place. Try to smoke outdoors if you’re a smoker. When you come inside from smoking wash your hands and possibly change out your clothes to protect your pet. Make sure to keep all cannabis and nicotine products out of reach to prevent accidental ingestion. In the end, it is our job as responsible pet owners to protect our dogs from harm even if it may be inconvenient to us humans. Our pets trust us to take care of them in the best way possible. 

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Dog Friendly Hotels in Arizona

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Do you have an Arizona vacation coming up shortly? Are you considering bringing your Shih Tzu on the trip? If the answer is yes then you should consider looking into a stay at a dog-friendly hotel. There are a lot of pet-friendly hotels in Arizona to choose from. Check out BringFido.com for a full list.   

It is important when researching a dog-friendly hotel to look for a hotel that will meet your need requirements. Before booking make sure to check out the hotel’s pet policies online. Some hotels have weight restrictions. There may also be a limit on how many pets are allowed per reservation. A fee may be added to the total bill for the pet accommodations as well. Some hotel chains even offer pet services such as doggy daycare. 

Nowadays, more people than ever are vacationing with their pets. A lot of Americans now work from home. This makes traveling with a dog an even greater possibility. Many hotel chains recognize this trend and are making travel accommodations to make hotel stays convenient for individuals who work from home and their furry friends. Some hotels such as the Shay even offer dog beds for pets.

Before you get ready to head out on the next vacation with your pooch make sure to have travel essentials ready for your dog. Preparing in advance will help the trip go more smoothly. I’ve put together a couple of blog posts on how to make traveling with your pet a breeze. If you will be flying with your pet check out this post. If you will be driving with your pet click here. Feel free to check out the list of dog-friendly hotels I have put together below.

Pet-Friendly Hotels

  • Aloft-Phoenix airport-Phoenix
  • Hilton Phoenix Resort at the Peak-Phoenix
  • La Quinta by Wyndham-Flagstaff
  • Residence Inn by Marriott-Flagstaff
  • Grand Canyon Plaza Hotel-Grand Canyon
  • Residence Inn by Marriott North Happy Valley-Phoenix
  • Sky Rock Inn of Sedona-Sedona
  • Loews Ventana Canyon Resort-Tucson
  • Arabella Hotel-Sedona
  • Westin Kierland Resort & Spa-Scottsdale
  • La Quinta Inn & Suites Phoenix Scottsdale-Scottsdale
  • The Scottsdale Resort & Spa-Scottsdale
  • Residence Inn by Marriott-Prescott
  • Aloft-Scottsdale
  • Fairmount Scottsdale Princess-Scottsdale
  • The Wigwam-Litchfield Park
  • The Phoenician-Scottsdale
  • Bed and Bagels of Tucson-Tucson
  • Red Lion Inn & Suites-Goodyear
  • Element Chandler Fashion Center-Chandler
  • Crowne Plaza Resort San Marcos Golf Resort-Chandler
  • Home 2 Suites by Hilton Glendale Westgate-Glendale
  • The Windmill Suites-Sunrise
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How to Deal with Grief after Losing a Shih Tzu

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I have recently learned that the loss of a Shih Tzu can be incredibly hard to stomach. Our pets are part of the family. Death is a hard pill to swallow when it comes to our beloved Shih Tzus. Grief is necessary to deal with loss, but it is often difficult to cope when something so dear to our hearts is ripped away.

Blossom a gorgeous chocolate Shih Tzu puppy from my breeding program passed away unexpectedly not too long ago. This was the first time as a Shih Tzu breeder that I have had to deal with the grief of losing a puppy. Blossom was perfectly fine the night before when I went to bed. I sleep with my puppies near my bedside for the first couple of weeks. I didn’t hear any complaining in the night.

When I woke up in the morning she was gasping for air. I was relieved that my vet was able to see her right away. The vet believes she most likely aspirated breast milk. The vet said aspirating fluids is more common in flat-faced breeds like the Shih Tzu. Unfortunately, Blossom didn’t make it.

It was a tough decision deciding whether or not to share the news with my followers. Sharing grief with others makes us vulnerable. But for me, sharing grief also helps with the healing process. Many of my followers on my website and social media have become very fond of Blossom over the past couple of weeks. I thought they might want to know the news even though it is bad.

Breeders often talk about how hard it is to lose a puppy.  But I thought this would never happen to me! It’s hard to picture something until it happens to you. When I became a Shih Tzu breeder, I only thought about the magic of bringing beautiful puppies Into this world and raising them. I never thought about how heart-wrenching it would be to lose one of these precious souls.

I’m here to tell you that nothing could have prepared me for Blossom’s sudden death. I’ve tube-fed puppies, clamped umbilical cords, and delivered stuck puppies but dealing with the death of a puppy that I brought into this world was not an easy task.

I shed many tears after Blossom left this world. I cried because my heart was in agony. To make matters worse, it was Mama Daisy’s birthday, and instead of celebrating she had to mourn the loss of her puppy. I cried because Blossom would never get the opportunity to take her first steps or celebrate a birthday of her own. I cried until I could no longer cry anymore.

Life is very precious and unpredictable. None of us know how long we have with our loved ones which includes our beloved pets! So in honor of Blossom make sure you make each moment with those that you love count! May you rest in Peace sweet Blossom! You will always have a very special place in my heart.

Dealing with the loss of a Shih Tzu is incredibly hard! Below are some suggestions to hopefully help you deal with the grief:

1. Allow yourself to grieve: Pain may be uncomfortable but it is a normal part of the grieving process.

2. Memorialize your pet: Create a memorial or pay a tribute to your Shih Tzu. You can write a poem or frame a photo to remember your pet.

3. Reach out for support: Talk to family members or friends who understand how important your pet is to you. Sharing your feelings and memories with people you trust can provide emotional relief during this tough time.

4. Join a pet loss support group: A support group is a great place to express your feelings to others who are going through the same thing.

5. Keep a diary: Writing about your memories and feelings might help release pent-up emotions which may be a positive outlet.

6. Get professional help: If your grief becomes overwhelming or lasts for a long time, consider talking to a counselor.

To sum things up, grief is a natural response when dealing with the death of a pet. The grieving process may take time. Healing doesn’t usually happen overnight. You must allow yourself to grieve to heal even though it may be easier to keep things bottled up. Make sure to seek support from family or a counselor for additional support.

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How to Teach a Shih Tzu Puppy the Sit Command

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Female chocolate Shih Tzu puppy laying on a blanket.
A Female chocolate Shih Tzu puppy resting peacefully

Training your Shih Tzu puppy is a crucial part of responsible dog ownership. One of the most basic commands that your Shih Tzu puppy will need to know is the sit command. This essential command teaches your puppy to sit down and stay in that position until released. In this blog post, I’d like to dive deeper into the steps required to teach the sit command.

Most puppies have no problem pleasing their owners and following simple commands especially if there’s a treat involved. The sit command can come in handy in a variety of situations. First of all, imagine you’re at the park and a rabbit is hopping around in the near distance. If your puppy knows the sit command you can potentially keep your puppy from running off after the rabbit.

Scenario number two, you’re hosting a Thanksgiving party at your home. Your new puppy loves to greet guests by jumping up on them. If your puppy knows the sit command you can protect Aunt Betty’s legs from getting scratched up. If you have control over your puppy he or she will be a lot safer in many situations. Below are the steps that are necessary to teach a puppy to sit.

Step 1: Set up the Training Environment

Before you begin to teach the sit command, it is important to make sure to properly set the stage for training. One important thing to consider is whether or not the area is free from distraction. Puppies don’t have a large attention span and may have trouble focusing on learning in an environment full of distractions. As your Shih Tzu puppy becomes a pro at learning various commands you can provide more challenging environments.

Step 2: Choosing the Best Approach

Deciding what training approach to use when teaching your Shih Tzu puppy to sit is important. I recommend Positive Reinforcement Training. I believe rewarding your Shih Tzu puppy for good behavior is a key to success.

Positive Reinforcement Training involves praising your puppy when he or she does something right and offering a tasty treat. The puppy learns to associate correct behavior with receiving a reward. In return, the puppy is more likely to follow the command. The use of punishment during training is never the solution and may be very harmful to your puppy.

Step 3: How to Teach the Sit Command

To teach the sit command to your Shih Tzu puppy follow the steps below:

Step 1: Hold a treat close to your puppy’s nose.

Step 2: Move the treat up, towards the puppy’s head, causing his or her butt to lower to the ground. As the puppy’s butt hits the floor, say “sit” and reward the puppy with the treat.

Step 3: Repeat this process at least once a day if possible. Each training session should be around 10 to 15 minutes. You can slowly reduce the use of the treat as the puppy starts to understand the sit command.

Step 4: Once your puppy has a solid understanding of the sit command be sure to continue to practice regularly. If you don’t use the command for a long time, your puppy may forget the command. In this case, you might need to do a short refresher training session.

In conclusion, there are many benefits associated with teaching puppies basic commands such as sitting. Teaching commands helps strengthen the trust bond between the puppy and the owner. More importantly, teaching basic commands can be life-saving for your Shih Tzu puppy.  With Positive Reinforcement Training and a well-structured training approach, your Shih Tzu puppy can quickly become an expert at learning basic commands. 

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How to Train a Shih Tzu Puppy to Stay in Place

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Teaching your Shih Tzu puppy the “place” command is beneficial for many reasons. First of all, the “place” command helps puppies learn self-control. Self-control is essential to any effective training program. Teaching “place’ also helps provide puppies with a place to go when they need downtime. Moreover, teaching the command may assist in eliminating undesirable behaviors like jumping on people.

The place command can be taught in a variety of ways. I like the method listed below.

1. Choose a Spot

Before you start teaching your Shih Tzu puppy the place command, it’s essential to look for an ideal spot in the house to conduct training. The spot should be easily accessible, free from distractions, and stress-free for your puppy. If you have spare room that would be an ideal place for training a puppy. You can use a dog bed to serve as the “place” you want the puppy to go to when using the command. Once you’ve found your ideal spot, try to familiarize your Shih Tzu puppy with the new area by using treats and positive reinforcement.

2. Pick your Command Word

It’s critical to use a specific command word that you’ll use every time you want the puppies to go to their designated area. You can choose any command word you desire, but the most commonly used word is “place.” Whenever your puppy goes to the desired spot, simply say the word “place.”

3. Always be Positive 

Positive reinforcement is the most efficient way to teach the “place” command to young puppies. Whenever your Shih Tzu puppy goes to the designated spot, give them a lot of praise, and reward them with a tasty treat. Over time, your puppy will begin to recognize that going to their designated spot when told comes with a reward.

4. Slowly Increase Training Sessions

Shih Tzu puppies don’t have a very big attention span, so when you first start teaching the “place” command, start with short training sessions. Initially, ask your Shih Tzu puppy to stay in place for only 15 to 30 seconds, and then gradually increase the time in place. If your puppy tries to leave before the desired time is up, gently guide him or her back to the spot. Use a treat if necessary and remember to say the command word “place.”

5. Be Consistent

Consistency is vital when it comes to teaching Shih Tzu puppies new commands. Ideally, you should practice the place command daily, gradually increasing the duration. The goal is to give the puppy a solid introduction to the command. But, if new owners don’t work on the command frequently it will fade from the puppy’s memory. Also, please remember to be patient and positive. Puppies thrive when their owners use positive reinforcement and are patient with training. Punishing a puppy for not getting it right is never a good idea!

In conclusion, the “place” command is an easy way to teach Shih Tzu puppies self-control while providing them with a safe spot for downtime. Using positive reinforcement and remaining consistent during training sessions is key when it comes to teaching new commands. Gradually increasing the duration will ensure that your puppy masters the command over time. Following the above tips will help teach your Shih Tzu puppy the “place” command safely and positively.

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How to Safely Switch your Shih Tzu Puppy to a New Kibble

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A liver & white Shih Tzu puppy on a unicorn bed.

Switching Puppy Kibble

If you recently bought a new puppy and are thinking of switching to a different kibble you need to consider a few things before you make the switch. First of all, you will need to learn how to choose a kibble that your puppy will thrive on. Furthermore, you must learn the process for weaning your puppy off the old kibble and on to the new food. This will help avoid stomach upset if this is a food your puppy has never tried before. 

Deciding the best food for your new Shih Tzu puppy is a tough decision. You want to make sure the new food is nutritious. Not every food on the market is good for your new puppy’s health. Often pet food contains unhealthy additives and chemicals. I’ve written another blog post where I dive deeper into what constitutes pet food as healthy. Click here if you want to learn more about the subject.

Next, you need to learn how to decipher a pet food label. The ingredient list on a pet food label is usually put in order based on weight. The ingredients that make up a large sum of the weight are listed first. Meat should always be the first ingredient unless your dog has some type of special dietary requirement. 

Watch out for products that don’t name the type of meat in the product. For example, meat meals can even include road kill. Often meat meal is sourced from another country of origin as well. All of the ingredients in the dog food should come from the United States in my opinion. 

Have you ever seen the term poultry by-products on a bag of kibble? Poultry-by-products can include anything from chicken feet to turkey feathers. These ingredients are put in the food to boost the protein content while saving money. Poultry-by-products usually contain minimal if any nutritional value. Furthermore, the by-products may cause gastrointestinal issues in your pet.  

When it comes to carbohydrates less is best. Our pets usually do fine with a small amount of natural carbohydrates in their food. But, dogs don’t need a ton of carbohydrates. Some fresh berries and carrots added to the food is typically not a problem. The problem is when pet food companies try to stuff carbs into the food to cut back on healthy protein. A telltale sign for instance is when you see corn on the ingredient list several times in different places. The manufacturer usually plays with the wording to make the obvious less obvious. For example, the words corn, corn flour, and corn meal may all be part of the ingredients. 

Now let’s talk about how to transition your Shih Tzu puppy to a new food. Dogs like humans aren’t always keen about trying something new. Furthermore, if your puppy is trying the food for the first time it is best to go slow to avoid stomach upset. If your dog already tried the food before there is no need to go slow. But, if this is a brand new food, I suggest gradually increasing the new food over a week. 

Step one is to replace about 1/4 of your Shih Tzu puppy’s old food with the new food. If your puppy eats a few times a day simply divide the new food by three and mix it with the old food. Continue feeding the new food at this portion for a few days. Watch out for the following signs of gastrointestinal upset:

  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhea 
  • Excessive gas
  • Nausea

If any of the above symptoms develop take a break for a few days. Try to introduce the new food again in a few days. If stomach issues develop again you may want to return to the old food and consider looking for a different alternative dog food. Not every food agrees with every dog.

If your pet is cruising along with no gastrointestinal issues you can move on to an increase of 1/2 new food to 1/2 old food. Once again, follow this regimen for a few days. The next step would be to increase the new food ratio to 75% for a couple of days. The final step to complete the transition would be to offer a full meal of the new kibble as long as your pet isn’t having tummy troubles.

Please make sure to talk with your Veterinarian as well before switching your puppy to a new kibble. Your vet may have specific guidelines that he or she wants you to follow. Also, it is important to make sure that the food you choose to feed your puppy is either for puppies or all life stages. Puppies have different nutritional requirements compared to adult dogs. Also, look for the AAFCO (https://www.aafco.org/) seal on your pet food of choice. AAFCO is responsible for making sure that pet food companies adhere to certain set standards.

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