Shih Tzu lovers out there!!

I don't have a solid black, but they are pretty common.  More and more show people are starting to like them and purposely breed for them.  My first Shih Tzu, Libby, was a brindle.

One of my Shih Tzu's was white/brindle when I got her, she changed to  mostly gray/white. My other one is black/white.
 

Hi, just poking through Idog and found this part of it.  I own a shih tzu and she is a tan colour with a little white on paws and tip of tail, and a cute tip of black on each ear.  Pretty common I think.  I am calling in as I am having allergy problems with her and have tried looking on line to specific shih tzu sights to see if I can get a better insight into the breed.  Someone once told me that shih tzu's have a lot of allergy problems.  Just wondering if this is the case.  I love my girl and want her better.  She is far from a show dog. Cindy

Cindy,
I am having trouble with allergies with my Shih Tzu, Tucker.  His come out as CHRONIC ear infections.  I have done research on my own and have done an elimination diet that has worked so far.. (fingers crossed).  If I am right, he is allergic to all types of fowl so I have him on Venison.
What type of symptoms does yours display?

Hi well Brandie is on a elimination diet as well.  No testing done yet so not sure if it is food or environmental or both.  Still saving up for the testing and questioning it's safety as well as accuracy.  Basically she scratches as her back end (rump area), sometimes the base of her tail area, she also licks at her feet and upper underarm area.  She never gets an ear infection, knock on wood, but has had a bacterial infection on her back.  Bathing her weekly with Solid Gold shampoo and is eating the vet's food, kibble is kangaroo and canned is catfish and she hates them both.  How about yours? 

I have allergy problems with my Tzu (I've had 2 Tzus in my life, and the one who has gone to the bridge had Chronic skin/ear infections. We had to do allergy testing on her and give her allergy shots once a week -if anybody has any questions about allergy testing/shots please PM me).
 
Daisy (my current Tzu) has itchies all over a lot of the time. She has a lot of food allergies- and what she'll do if she gets into one of these foods is lick and itch at her hip and butt (base of tail) area- as well as her tear-stains get goopy and red and produce a lot more tears than if she didn't eat something. Her ears also get very inflamed.
 
She is on Duck and Potato kibble, and we give her probiotics daily (it helps with the yeast on the eyes and the ears- Ashley, you should really try it for your Tzu to see if it will help). The probiotics have really helped her tear-stains and we do a yeast/fungal tinicture if she gets into something that she shouldn't. We stay away from anything that remotely has yeast or grain in it.

It's an ongoing battle for Daisy, but we have found something that works, and we're going to stick with it as long as it takes.  Allergies is one of the hardest problems to treat- in both humans and animals- I know myself because I have been plauged by allergies for years and the doctors still don't know what to do with me!
 
Good luck!

 

My mother had a Shih Tzu before around and after I was born. That dog lived to be around 16 years old. He was a mean dog though. Even with me being a kid he would bit me all the time. Bit a lot of people. But still loved him. 

Hi Laura.  I am interested in the probiotics even though my girl does not have runy eyes it can't hurt right?  Is that the acidiphilius that you get at a drug store for humans.  I have some that I keep in my fridge.  I use to use it when I was suffering from reoccuring urinary tract infections.  Is that what you use on your allergy dog and if so how much should I give and how.  Brandie is a big girl about 25 pounds I think, big for a shih tzu, not fat.  Probably not purebred.  Really hope that I do not have to get into the allergy shots.  Sounds like it is alot of $ if I do from the info I just got on the allergy sight of Idog. Cindy

Thanks so much for the info thedoc617,
I have him on a digestive enzyme called Prozyme.  I am new to the whole probiotics thing, what does it do?  I had Tucker on the NB Duck and Potato but I think he is allergic to fowl so he is now on NB Venison and Brown Rice.  Truthfully, I have never seen him so peppy and happy.  His coat looks great, he has so much energy and he has put on a few pounds (which is good because I always thought he was a bit spindly!).  He is a completley different dog and (knock on wood) he hasn't shown any sign of a reoccuring ear infection and it has been 3 or 4 weeks since he has been of his ear meds.. (which is a good length of time compared to before).  I would appreciate any info on probiotics if you are willing to share.  Anything I can do to make my dogs life better I will try.
Thanks again.

I thought this would be a good spot for my first post. I hope the picture works. As you can see my shih tzu puppy in the photo who is 12 weeks old. Hes a combination color o brown black and white, which i've been told is not the norm for shih tzus.

Hi everyone.  I have a 2year old Shih Tzu on home trial.  His previous owner was unable to care for him anymore.  He has very dry flaky skin, any suggestions on what to do for this?  Any other things I should look for?

Hi Firestorm and Misty,
Welcome to the boards, both of you!
 
Firestorm, what are you feeding him? Do you give him baths frequently?
I give my Tzu fish oil capsuels and that helps her dry skin.
 
As far as the probiotics (noted above) I give Daisy one Enzymatic Therapy Acidolphilus Pearls twice a day. You can get it at Whole Foods Market.

I am feeding him Purina Beneful thats what he was eating when I got him.  Do you have any suggestions for what types of feed to get or to avoid.  He gets a bath once a week because of his dry skin (oatmeal bath) He is clipped because he had bad matts.  I am putting tea tree oil on his dry skin.  Here is a picture of him.  This is Harley he is two.  If you have any suggestions on care or books please let me know.  I have owned many other breeds, but this is my first Shih Tzu he is very good with all of my kids including my 3 year old who isalways watched with him and she has been very gentle and quiet with him.  She also has a dwarf rabbit she is very good with she has had the rabbit since age 2.  I do not let any of the kids do anything with him without supervision.  All the kids have been very gentle with him and he seems to like them alot.  He was an old woman's dog.  He is very lovable and wants to be with us and he will just lay down next to you and stay quiet.  He does have this toy monkey he loves to throw around and fetch.

He's adorable!!
 
But, what you are feeding him, is NOT.  I'd transistion him to something like Natural Balance...one of the allergy formulas, or California Natural.