Before you bring home your new cute and cuddly family member, please make the following Shih Tzu puppy needs checklist a high priority.
The first thing you will need is a small collar, a break-away cat collar will do nicely. If you would like to use a buckle collar or slip collar, you may, but only under direct supervision.
Do not leave your Shih Tzu alone when using a slip collar or choke collar due to the fact that she could get it caught on objects and strangle to death. As your puppy grows, check the collar as often as possible to make sure that it is not choking her.
A harness is always a good thing to have in addition to a collar. The main difference between the two is that a harness cannot slip off and do not present a choking risk to the puppy.
As your puppy gets older, check and adjust the size of the harness accordingly.
Shih Tzu Puppy Needs Checklist: Every Puppy Should Have Identification Tags
All pets should have some form of identification tags. Make sure that all-important information is on the tag, such as phone number, work number, or alternate number.
Some people put their address on the tags as well, however, if you’re not comfortable with that, the phone numbers are fine.
A light leash is all a Shih Tzu will need. In fact, a show lead will be perfect. Avoid getting a retractable leash, which can cause injury and are not ideal for training.
Your puppy’s food and water dishes should be ceramic or stainless steel. Abstain from using plastic or rubber dishes, which has the propensity to cause skin irritation as well as rashes around the mouth and chin.
A Shih Tzu will have no problem learning to drink from a water bottle with a sipper tube. You can hang the bottle from an exercise pen or travel kennel door.
This is a better way for a Shih Tzu to drink because the water does not spill and it does not get their faces wet, which could get a little stinky if not dried thoroughly.
Always get your pet top-quality puppy food. If you do not know what type of food to get her, just ask the breeder you purchased her from or her veterinarian for some ideas on what you should feed her.
However, the breeder that you purchased her from should have already given some ideas on what foods to get her. Try not to make too many changes to her diet.
All beds, pillows, and blankets should be made of natural fibers, such as cotton or wool. Many of the bedding and other synthetic pet materials contain allergy-causing items, such as cedar shavings.
Crates Are a Must-Have on Any Shih Tzu Puppy Needs Checklist
A crate can be used as a small little dog house. You can get a plastic travel kennel or wire crate with a removable floor plan.
I love crates because they’re lightweight, easy to clean, well-ventilated, offer privacy, and are non-porous.
They’re also excellent for housetraining. Remember, get a crate that your Shih Tzu can stand, sit, and turn around in with comfort.
An exercise pen or x-pen is a great way for your puppy to play and exercise while under direct supervision. You can find these folding pens in numerous sizes with different attachments for dishes and water bottles.
Safety gates are important because they serve as a barrier for closing off certain areas of the home that you do not want to be accessed by your puppies, such as a stairway or the kitchen. They’re great for preventing escape or injury.
Basic grooming supplies that you should have on hand are stiff bristle brushes or slicker brushes, nail trimmers, styptic powder, puppy shampoo, ear cleaning solution, soft towels, paper towels, conditioning rinse, wide-toothed metal comb, scissors, and nail files.
Your Shih Tzu puppy should have plenty of toys that are safe and interesting to play with. Such as balls, soft chewable toys, and chew toys that are durable.
Abstain from purchasing toys that contain miniature bells, buttons, whistles, or other items that can be seen as a choking risk.
Housetraining pads are also great for puppies. You can find them at pet stores. They’re also called wee pads.
A pooper scooper is also recommended, you can also find them at pet stores in a variety of sizes. Please make a concerted effort to collect as many items as you can on the Shih Tzu puppy needs checklist.
