Reprinted Articles

Shih Tzus make fabulous pets, especially for those living in small homes and don’t have a lot of time to play with their dogs. Shih Tzus make ideal companions for the elderly and for children. It’s no wonder that Shih Tzus are so popular. Unfortunately, this popularity has also lead to some Shih Tzus being treated very cruelly in the name of making a steady buck. Here is the Shih Tzu information your local pet store, selling Shih Tzu puppies, does not want you to know.

These torture chambers for dogs are called puppy mills. There, dogs have no exercise, usually no vet care and live in tiny wire cages until they can no longer breed, then they are shot or pummeled to death. One central Pennsylvania puppy mill worker defended puppy mills as saying that “Puppies are biodegradable.” (Source: Philadelphia Inquirer.) Very rarely do people buy directly from puppy mills - they buy indirectly through pet stores that sell puppies and through web sites.

Now, you may be tempted to buy a pet shop puppy just because he or she has been so mistreated and you want to make up for it. Don’t do it - don’t even walk in the shops, don’t even look in the windows. Since they are puppies, some schmuck will buy them because they are cute. Don’t be that schmuck. You also need to keep the long-term perspective in mind for the future care of dogs in general.

Sometimes Shih Tzu rescues and your local animal shelters might have Shih Tzu or Shih Tzu mix puppies for adoption. Six to nine months of age is one of the times dogs are most abandoned. They’ve passed their really cute puppy stage and cold reality is setting in. If you bought a puppy on impulse (which often happens in a pet store), then you may be saddled with a dog that you are not compatible with.

If you remember only one thing from this article, please remember this - ALWAYS buy your Shih Tzu puppy (or ANY puppy) from a reputable Shih Tzu breeder. Puppies are not like fish or mice which are very social and don’t need a lot of exercise.

The pet store employees usually have so much work to do that they cannot give the puppies the individual attention they need at this critical time. A puppy learns best from eight to fourteen weeks of age. When they miss this window, they will have a hard time learning to be a good pet.

Puppies are highly impressionable from two to four months of age. Whatever they learn during this period usually stays with them the rest of their lives.

That someone will most likely buy Shih Tzu puppy in the window on impulse bereft of any Shih Tzu information can cause the puppy to soon be abandoned. A Shih Tzu breeder makes sure you and the puppy are well matched for life.

Last 5 posts by Rebecca Simpson

• The Pros And Cons Of Getting Your Puppy From A Shih Tzu Breeder - July 18th, 2008
• Know About Shih Tzu Breeders - July 17th, 2008
• Shih Tzu Breeder Information - July 14th, 2008
• Where To Find Shih Tzu Breeders - July 12th, 2008
• Imperial Shih Tzu: Cute and Loveable - June 19th, 2008

Tags: Dogs