Shih Tzu (detailed introduction)

　　Healthy dogs are naturally good at keeping clean. They groom themselves by rolling and rubbing on the ground, scratching and biting tangled fur, and licking their coats. Unfortunately, they may also roll in harmful substances, such as other animals’ feces, which humans find unpleasant smelling and may require grooming or occasional baths.

　　Selective breeding has also changed the texture and length of dog coats, so grooming methods vary and so do the tools chosen.

　　1. How to use a dog hair comb

　　1. First, use a wide-tooth comb (or a stripping comb) to deeply comb through the coat, aiming to open up coarse knots in the dog’s fur.

　　2. Use a fine-tooth comb to separate the undercoat’s fine wool (down hair) and remove dead hair. Be careful not to pull too hard to avoid hurting the dog.

　　3. When fur is matted and cannot be combed, try to gradually untangle it by hand or from the outside before combing again.

　　2. How to use a slicker brush

　　1. Slicker brushes are commonly used after combing, to finish grooming and shape the coat.

　　2. The bristle length of the slicker brush should be long enough to penetrate the coat and reach the skin; too short bristles can cause fur matting.

　　3. Short-bristle slicker brushes suit short-haired breeds, while long-haired dogs need long-bristle slicker brushes.

　　4. When brushing, start from the dog’s head and brush backward and downward in the direction of hair growth; brushing against the direction may damage the fur.

　3. How to use a grooming rake

　　A grooming rake is a square board with curved metal teeth and a handle, used to remove dead hair.

　　4. How to use grooming gloves

　　Grooming gloves can be used on short-haired dogs to groom the outer coat and remove dead hair. However, grooming gloves are not very effective on long-haired dogs.