"HEALTH IS WEALTH"
The basic start for owning a Shih Tzu is acquiring a HEALTHY SHIH TZU, no less. With the rising cost in Animal Health Care, we have to do ourselves a favor by being aware that your puppypurchase is for a healthy puppy for this is a new start of your life together.
It is very hard to determine if your puppy is free of genetic diseases as these disease entitiies will prop up moments later in the life of the puppy, several weeks to months after your purchase. This is why THE SOURCE of your puppy should be from somenone you can trust. The breeder knows his/her puppies best and will stand by the puppies they have bred and will always be there for you and your puppy.
The Pet Shop salesboy/salesgirl WILL NOT! This is why puppy purchases in pet shops are discouraged, not unless you have a WRITTEN HEALTH GUARANTEE from them accompanied by an OFFICIAL RECEIPT (not just a SALES INVOICE, remember, a sales invoice is only a statement of an account and does not acknowledge receipt of your full payment for the puppy).
By purchasing a puppy direct from the Breeder, you can assess the Parents of the puppy. How it was cared for plus you have "after sales" service! Most breeders will be willing to guide you should problems arise along the way.
So many things can go wrong with an unhealthy puppy. This results to frequent vet visits and consultations, expensive prescribed medications to hospital confinement to mounting vet bills and if you are unfortunate, even resulting to eventual death of the puppy. The emotional burden, not to mention the expenses the new owner has to deal with . . . It is just not worth the experience for you and your family. So spare yourselves the ordeal, know what clues you are looking for in a healthyShih Tzu Puppy.
THE EYES HAVE IT
A shiny pair of expressive eyes, clear of discharge is reflective of a healthy puppy. The Shih Tzu is the most popular breed in the country today because of its pleasing and most friendly personality plus its most beautiful facial expression, made possible by its BEAUTIFUL PAIR OF EYES, round, shiny and black, with dark eye rims, very expressive and never too prominent or bulging. Check the eyes for any wound or superficial ulcerations or whitish spots- indicative of past eye injury. A defective eye will squint and will have eye discharge that maybe purulent and foul-smelling.
SOUND MIND AND BODY
A Shih Tzu is a Shih Tzu because of the temperament this breed is so famous for: "outgoing, happy, affectionate, friendly and trusting towards all." A healthy Shih Tzu puppy will be wagging its tail as you cuddle it, always happy to see you, as if it already knows you! It loves to be with everyone and anyone, always trusting and willing to please you, always so full of life!
The body of the Shih Tzu is described as a sturdy, solid and sound little dog that is rather heavy for its size.
It is never light as a toy dog. It has good bone and substance. When you feel the body, ribs should not be prominent nor notably felt. A good appetite is a bonus as puppies with voracious appetites have no problem thriving and adjusting to a new home.
MORE IS BEAUTIFUL
The Shih Tzu is an abundantly coated dog, it has a DOUBLE coat (not single and definitely never TRIPLE). The undercoat is the "second coat" beneath the main coat. A Tzu with sparse, dull coat may be reflective of something else going on in that questionable puppy, like having poor appetite due to a liver problem perhaps or broken coat due to constant scratching from fleas and ticks? (tick bite dermatitis) . . . The list goes on. Be wary of such occurences.
Never decide on a puppy based on coat color alone. Most colors FADE! All coat colors are permissible but what is required in a Shih Tzu is a BLACK NOSE, BLACK EYE RIMS AND BLACK LIPS - this goes for all colored Shih Tzu except in liver or blue-colored Shih Tzu (which will have liver or blue nose, respectively) as for example a Red Shih Tzu will have a black nose, not a liver-colored nose! and with black lips and black eye rims.
LOVE THE SKIN ITS IN
A Healthy Shih TZu will have a whitish to slightly pinkish glowing skin, free from parasites, dandruff, rashes or any lumps and bumps! Always scan the skin, glance it thru by gently pushing the coat with the palm of your hand from tail to head direction as you observe the puppy's skin condition. Poor skin condition at such a young age of the puppy is a warning sign! Tick bites not only cause an allergic reaction on their skin but in time will cause blood parasites in your puppy that will affect its general health in the long run -Babesiosis and Ehrlichiosis (Read on these tick-borne disease entities).
WALK THE WALK
Always allow the puppy of your choosing (prior to purchase) to walk on the floor and observe. A healthy puppy will be confident of itself, carry its head up high as it walks with its tail gently curved over its back, never downturned. This is what we call HEAD AND TAIL CARRIAGE. It will carry its tail gaily over the back in a loose curve with the tip of the tail just touching the back, in a level topline, with its head held up high. Note for discrepancies such as limping which may be reflective of injury on any of its bones or appendages (fracture from a fall? nails too long?, injuries under and in between foot pads?, etc. . . ). Refusal of the puppy to explore the place and not walking may mean a shy or scared puppy or a puppy caged all the time such that it does not know how it is to be out there.
From Cheers kennel
