Naked Shih Tzu

[The Blue Lotus]

I'm so bummed and mad atm.
I took my Tzu in for his grooming session and the guy would not take him because he had a tiny little knot under his harness, he said they could "Shave him down there is nothing else we can do." I brush my dog three times a day it takes 2 hrs each time to brush his floor length hair out. It is not his favorite thing to do so he is always trying to run away or bite the brush or rolling around and making his newly brushed hair a mess all over again.

So I know hubby will freak out if I shave him down like that. I mean FREAK OUT in a massive stroke inducing way! He is so proud of our dog's "show" hair. Sadly, he has no idea what it takes to maintain that pretty coat.

So I bring the dog home and spend three hours combing every millimeter of the dog, snarl free I take him for a bath, and set up the clippers to clean up his stray fur in areas for sanitary needs. I'm so careful washing him to not knot up his coat again, and save for one spot I'm successful.

I take him to the blow dryer and the little sucker shakes the water off and goes rolling and scooting across the floor. >.> Now the whole right side of his body is one giant knot, I spend another 2 hrs and half a bottle of detangling spray trying to work it out, but the dog is losing patience with me and I with him.

I get 90% of this knot out and husband opens the door to the washroom and the dog bolts for freedom.
By the time I catch him he is now one giant knot from head to tail. Now I have spent a whole day messing with this from 11am to 10 pm. I'm over it. I don't care any more, let husband have his stroke I'm shaving the dog butt azz naked.

I took the guard off the clippers and gave him the worlds worst buzz cut.

Husband reacted just as I suspected by putting on a jacket and going out before he blew a stack. However, on the bright side no more knots!

I had to take the dog in and have someone fix the spots I missed because Nai was not cooperating with me during the massive shave.

I filled two of the little wastepaper baskets with dog hair, now he looks silly, but I won't have to worry about knots. I even shaved his toes!

In the future, I think I'll leave the shaving to professionals, but I cannot imagine dealing with that show hair again. How other people do that I've not a clue, it is a full time job just trying to keep it up. Do they train the dog to never move or something?

I'm sad that my dog looks like a naked mole rat, but... I'd rather that the dog and husband are not my biggest fans at the moment that have to break my brains over some hair.

I'll have to get a pic of him before and after, it is comical... well, so sad it is funny at least.

Bottom line, do not Attempt to shave your dog unless you know what you are doing.

Bright side, I can now dress Nai in cute little doggie cloths because his hair I no longer in the way.

 

[A. E. Lowan]

I feel your pain, hon. We have a pair of Japanese Chins, who can also grow very long coats - sometimes even the full "dust mop do" that the Shi Tzu can achieve, but we just flat don't have the patience to mess with it. We live in the woods, and our boys are very active and love to play outside in the brush and weeds. So our solution? We regularly take their furry butts to the groomer and get them trimmed.

This year she went a little nuts and they're both pretty shaved. We compensated by buying them matching Goth sweaters. I think it's hilarious. The pic below was taken after our older dog, Shigure, got shaved and we bought the sweaters, but before his little brother Koji got his trim. He needed it, too! By the time his turn arrived, he looked like Animal from The Muppets.

And yes, that IS a dog in a laundry basket at the foot of the bed.

 

[The Blue Lotus]

Hahaha, Animal is what they call my Nai at the groomers. Because we kept his puppy "muppet" style as he got older.
We just shaved his body and legs, left his tail and head... it is funny but kinda sad too.

Cute babies A.E.