Are Shih Tzus easy to groom?

The grooming reality for Shih Tzus

What the coat needs

Shih Tzus have a low-shedding coat that keeps growing rather than dropping out. That is great for allergies and the hoover, but it means the coat mats if neglected and needs professional grooming every 6 to 8 weeks plus regular brushing. Skip it and the coat felts into painful mats that often have to be shaved off.

Time and cost

Plan on a professional groom every six to eight weeks at roughly £40 to £70 a time in the UK, which adds up to a few hundred pounds a year. Learning to brush and tidy at home between visits saves money and keeps mats at bay.

The bits every dog needs

Whatever the coat, the basics are the same. Trim or file nails every few weeks so they do not click on the floor or splay the toes, check and gently clean ears to catch infections early, and brush the teeth several times a week to head off the dental disease that is common and costly in dogs. Start all of this in puppyhood so handling becomes routine rather than a battle.

Personality and cooperation on the grooming table

Bred purely as a companion. The Shih Tzu lives to be with people and is perfectly happy in a flat.

Affectionate dogs often enjoy the physical contact involved in brushing, treating it as attention rather than a chore, which makes building cooperation considerably easier. Outgoing dogs tend to welcome the groomer as a new social contact, which generally makes handling and cooperation easier to establish than with a more reserved dog. A playful dog can turn a grooming session into a wrestling match unless it has learned to settle first, so short, calm sessions early on build better habits than long ones.

Training and temperament during grooming

Building tolerance for handling

Shih Tzus often need more patient, gradual desensitisation to accept handling calmly, and skipping that early groundwork tends to make every grooming session harder than it needs to be.

Vocal protest during grooming

Shih Tzus bark a moderate amount generally, and an occasional grumble during a fiddly part of grooming, such as nail trimming, is not unusual.

Family involvement and other pets

Shih Tzus are generally good with children, and older kids can often be taught to help with simple brushing under supervision, which is a useful way to build the dog's comfort with being handled by different people. A resident cat is unlikely to be bothered by grooming sessions, and shed hair from brushing is worth clearing up promptly in a multi-pet household either way.

Grooming costs across a dog's lifetime

Shih Tzus typically live 13 to 16 years, and grooming needs tend to change with age: older dogs often have thinner, more sensitive skin and less patience for long sessions, so shorter, gentler grooming suits a senior shih tzu better than the routine that worked at two years old. Insurance for a Shih Tzu in the UK typically runs about £20 to £45 a month, and skin problems from neglected coat care, matting, hot spots, and infected ears among them, are a common reason that cover gets used. Starting handling and brushing early with a Shih Tzu puppy, which typically costs around £700 to £1800 in the UK, makes every grooming session for the rest of the dog's life considerably easier.