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Question

This may sound a little dumb but are there different species of Shih Tzu?

How come others look like this?

http://i33.tinypic.com/b5lf6p.jpg

and some...

http://i34.tinypic.com/2hxuk93.jpg

Is it just the grooming and how they comb the fur?

If both Shih tzu are pure bred for exampe will they look the same as the first photo if groomed very well?

And how do you grow a shih tzu's fur like that?

Answer 1

No, all Shih Tzus are the same.  Some have better coats than others.  The second dog looks like a puppy, puppies are typically fluffy/curly and shorter haired.  Any adult, well-bred Shih Tzu should be able to grow a full show coat like the first photo, HOWEVER, it requires massive amounts of grooming as well as hair-wrapping to get it to grow that long without breaking or staining.  Basically, the dog's hair is washed, dried, combed, and wrapped, where it stays for several days before being unwrapped, rewashed, redried, and rewrapped.  This continues for the dog's entire show career, after which the coat is typically clipped down for easy maintenance.

Wrapping looks like this:

http://www.bhejei.com/groom-wrapping.htm

It is not practical for any pet owner to keep a full show coat on a dog, and as a dog groomer, I have seen firsthand the results of most people trying to do so.  Typically, after a few months of growing, the owner gets lazy and stops brushing properly, the coat becomes matted solid, and the dog is shaved bare.

There are many fluffy clips available for Shih Tzus to make them look cute without all the extra work of show coats.

Edit:  Yes, the 3rd pic actually looks like a younger show dog, probably a year old or less, the coat still looks a little soft and fuzzy compared to the older dog in the first photo.

Answer 2

Only one breed but the coat quality can be very different. Some people choose to keep the dogs trimmed some have full coat but few dogs can grow a true show quality coat. that is why they sell pups as show quality and pet quality.

Answer 3

No 2 dogs are going to look the same, but that first picture was a dog that is unclipped and is show quality as far as the hair style. The second picture was of a puppy.

In order to have the hair grow like the first picture, you have to brush the dog every day, i suggest from the day that you get it at about 8-10 weeks old. To keep the hair from around the mouth and eyes staining, you would have to pin or tie the hair up

http://www.smh.com.au/ffximage/2007/04/1...

looks bad, but it is what you would have to do. Unless you are planning on showing the dog, it is a lot of work to keep the coat that length. If you have just a pet and not a show dog, I suggest a shorter clip such as

http://www.foxhillsdoggrooming.com/Yoda%...

Answer 4

i think its just the fur becuz the faces looks desame.

yes

probably it depends

bathe it i think everyday

=)

Answer 5

The two pix you originally posted...one looks like an adult show dog, and the second looks like a puppy.

I have a Lhasa Apso (not the same breed of dog, but similar) and he looks completely different now than he did as a puppy and his fur has changed -- used to be fuzzy and soft, now it's more coarse.

Answer 6

Pet shih tzu's are often kept in a short coat because it is easier to groom.

Show shih tzu's have to be kept in a long coat.  If a show dog was trimmed they would look the same the one that is trimmed.

Answer 7

Only one breed of shih tzu.

It's a matter of quality and how you take care of their hair.

Not all shih tzus will grow a full show coat. Most pet quality won't. That first pic is a show coat. The second is either a puppy or has been trimmed up.

It takes months to grow that kind of show coat to the floor. Daily brushing is a must to keep the mats out of the hair.

Edit: Yes, the 3rd pic is a show dog as well.