How to Bathe a Shih Tzu Puppy at Home: Washing & Grooming Guide

Co-authored by Lancy Woo and Glenn Carreau

Last Updated: February 11, 2023 References Approved

If you're the proud owner of a Shih Tzu puppy, it's important to bathe them periodically for skin and coat health. What's the best way to get your puppy used to bathing and ensure their coat is cleaned and conditioned? Bath time will be an enjoyable experience for both of you with proper preparation and bathing technique. Read on for a complete guide to bathing a Shih Tzu puppy, how often to wash them, and handy cleaning tips!

Things You Should Know

Place a towel or rubber bath mat in the bathing area and set your supplies within reach. Comb your puppy's fur and place cotton balls in their ears.
Wet your Shih Tzu puppy's fur first, then shampoo and condition their bodies. Wash their faces with a washcloth, then dry them with a towel and a small hair dryer.
Give your Shih Tzu puppy a bath every 3 weeks, starting when they're about 3 months old. Help them acclimate to bathtime slowly, so they accept and enjoy it.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Preparing for the Bath

1
Ensure all the products you need are within arm's reach. To bathe your Shih Tzu puppy, you'll need puppy shampoo, puppy conditioner, a pin brush for small dogs, a grooming comb, a clean towel, a washcloth, cotton balls, a small hair dryer, and puppy treats. When everything is close by and easy to reach, you can keep the bath running smoothly without having to run and grab anything halfway through.^{[1]
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- If you plan to groom your puppy after the bath, you'll also need canine nail clippers and ear cleaner.
- Generally, the best shampoos for a Shih Tzu contain all-natural ingredients. Look for soap-free dog shampoo designed to soothe and hydrate your puppy's sensitive skin, and consult your veterinarian for their opinion.^{[2]
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- Human shampoos and conditioners may irritate your puppy's skin, so be sure to use products specifically for dogs.
2
Set up a bathing area by laying down a bath mat or towel. Since Shih Tzus are small, you can easily bathe them in a sink or bathtub. Pick where you want to have the bath and spread a rubber bath mat or towel on the floor of the bathing area; either will keep your pup comfortable by giving them a good foothold in the tub, so they don't slip while getting the bath.^{[3]
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- Ensure the sink or tub is clean before bathing your Shih Tzu puppy. Clear out any leftover soap or cleaning product residue, then lay down the bathmat.
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3
Place small pieces of cotton in your Shih Tzu's outer ear canals. Since a dog's ear canals trap water that gets in, it's helpful to block your puppy's ears before bathing them. With the cotton in place, water is less likely to get into the ear canal and cause an ear infection. Wedge a cotton ball in the pup's outer ear canals, but don't push them too hard. Be gentle and press the cotton lightly into place.^{[4]
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4
Comb out your puppy's coat to get rid of mats and tangles. Use the pin brush to check the puppy for mats (areas of clumped fur) and smooth out their coat. When you find mats, gently untangle them with your hands and the grooming comb; avoid yanking hard on your pup's fur. Brush all the way down to the skin, smoothing the puppy's silky coat and coarser undercoat as well.^{[5]
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- Brush down the puppy's back in the direction their fur grows, so the movements feel natural and comfortable to your Shih Tzu.
- Mats get even harder to brush through when the puppy's fur becomes wet, so it's best to get the coat as smooth as possible before going forward with the bath.
- If your puppy is prone to getting mats in their fur, you can also use a detangling spray to help smooth it out.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Giving Your Shih Tzu a Bath

1
Wet your puppy's body gently with lukewarm water. Use a handheld showerhead or sink nozzle, if you have one, to gently soak your pup's body down to their skin. You don’t need to fill the tub with water since you’re spraying it over your puppy. Avoid their face and ears for now; you'll have the chance to clean those individually later. Gently hold your pup's head up to avoid getting their face wet.^{[6]
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- If your dog doesn't like the showerhead or you don't have one, fill a pitcher with lukewarm water and pour it over them instead.
- A gentle stream of water is best because it helps your puppy relax and get comfortable with the sensation of running water on their body.
- When it's time for the bath, bring your puppy to the bathing area rather than trying to call them over. Go pick them up and carry them over to the sink or tub, talking to them in a quiet and soothing voice to keep them calm.
- Remember that dogs run a little bit warmer than humans, so a little bit more than lukewarm is okay for them.
- Make sure to use a gentle pressure when wetting the dog's body. Remember that it's a puppy and you shouldn't use force.
2
Rub shampoo over the pup's entire body, except for their face. Pour a small amount of shampoo on your hand and scrub it into your puppy's coat, all the way down to their skin. Start at the back of your pup's neck and work your way back to their tail, lathering every body part, including the Shih Tzu's legs, paws, back, chest, belly, back, underarms, tail, and the area around their rectum.^{[7]
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- Take the opportunity to massage your puppy as you work.
- Pay particular attention to your puppy's belly and the area between their back legs, which tend to get very dirty.
- Keep holding your puppy's head upward when shampooing them to avoid getting shampoo in their eyes, ears, and mouth.
3
Clean your Shih Tzu puppy's face and genitals with a wet washcloth. Dip a clean washcloth into the soapy water, wring it out slightly, and swipe it carefully across your puppy's face first. Wipe thoroughly around their eyes and the corners of their mouth until all food bits and dirt are gone. When it’s clean, pat the area around their eyes dry and use the wet washcloth to clean their genitals next.^{[8]
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- Remove all the tear stains and excess goo around the puppy's eyes as you wipe. Shih Tzus have shallow eye sockets, which makes them prone to excessive tearing and subsequent reddish-brown tear stains.
- Use a dog tear stain remover to get the stains off your puppy's face.^{[9]
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4
Rinse all of the shampoo out of your puppy's coat. Residue from the shampoo can make your puppy's skin itchy and uncomfortable, so rinse their coat thoroughly to remove all of it before moving on. Dog coats are thicker than human hair, so several rinses may be necessary. Rinse with lukewarm water until it seems all the shampoo is gone, then rinse your pup for another minute after that.^{[10]
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- You'll know all the shampoo is gone when you no longer see suds in your puppy's coat or the water in the bottom of the sink or tub.
- If your puppy is wiggly in the bath at first, use their collar or harness to hold them in place as you work. Keep one hand on the puppy holding it in place, and complete the bath with the other.
5
Apply conditioner to your pup's coat and wait 5 minutes before rinsing. Pour a generous amount of conditioner onto your hands and gently massage it throughout your puppy's coat. Cover every body part with the conditioner, working from the roots of the fur to the tips. Let the conditioner soak in the pup's fur for 5 minutes, then rinse most of the conditioner out of your puppy's coat.^{[11]
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- If your pup doesn't want to sit still for 5 minutes (typical if they're new to baths), spend that time massaging them and working the conditioner into their fur.
6
Dry your Shih Tzu with a towel and apply a leave-in conditioner. Get your puppy out of the tub or sink, let them shake some water off, and wrap them in a clean towel. Soak up excess water by blotting and dabbing their fur until it's damp, then spritz their coat with a canine leave-in conditioner. Hold the bottle about 5 inches (13 cm) away from the pup as you spray, and gently cover their body with it.^{[12]
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- Don't rub your puppy with the towel as you dry them off. Rubbing can damage their coat and cause split ends; stick to blotting the water off instead.
- Once the conditioner is in place, massage the puppy's coat with your hands to distribute it evenly.
- Shih Tzu fur is typically long and silky, so it needs extra protection to stay moisturized between washes. That's why a leave-in conditioner is so helpful!
7
Blow-dry your pup's fur gently on a low setting while brushing it out. Dry the rest of your puppy's coat using a small handheld blow dryer. Keep the dryer on its lowest setting to protect the Shih Tzu's skin, which can be damaged by high heat. Comb through the fur with a hand for a few minutes; then, when the puppy's coat is dry enough for the strands to separate, use a brush to smooth their fur out again.^{[13]
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- Keep the blow dryer's nozzle about 6 inches (15 cm) away from your pet's coat as you work.
- Be sure to remove the cotton balls from your puppy's ears after you're done drying them off!

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Shih Tzu Puppy Bathing Tips

1
Start giving your Shih Tzu baths when they're about 3 months old. It's important to start bathing your puppy while they're still young so they acclimate to it and embrace it as a normal part of life. Give your puppy their first bath when they're 3 months old and continue to bathe them monthly, so it becomes an easy routine for your pup as they mature.^{[14]
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2
Acclimate puppy to bathtime slowly in the days before their first bath. Give your pup time to get comfortable with the process and familiarize them with bathtime sights, sounds, and sensations. Run the water to get them used to the sound, and let your puppy sniff all the supplies you'll use to groom them. Get them used to being handled by touching their paws and ears and rubbing them all over.^{[15]
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- Acclimate your puppy to the blow dryer by showing it to them while it's turned off. Then, turn it on but face it away from the pup. Gradually move closer and gently blow on their fur until they're not frightened of the blow dryer.^{[16]
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- Play relaxing music for your puppy and massage them on any spots they normally enjoy being petted. This can help keep them calm throughout the bath!
- Give your puppy plenty of verbal praise and treats when they respond positively to the acclimation process. Rewarding them will prepare them for a positive experience at bath time.
3
Clean out your Shih Tzu's ears after each monthly bath. Starting with 1 ear, fill your pup's ear canal with a dog ear-cleaning solution. Massage the base of the ear for 30 seconds, then step back and let the puppy shake their head. When they're done, gently wipe out their ear canal with a cotton ball and then move to the next ear.^{[17]
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- As you wipe out their ears with a cotton ball, don't go further than a knuckle deep into your puppy's ear canal.
- Your puppy's ear hygiene is just as important as the rest of their body! Generally, it's a good idea to clean a dog's ears once a month.
4
Trim your pup's nails after their bath as part of the grooming process. It's also a good idea to trim your puppy's nails at the end of a bathing session, especially since it's something they'd typically get at the groomer's. Using a pair of canine nail clippers, trim your puppy's nails to about 2 mm (.08 in) above the quick, which is the blood vessel that runs halfway through your puppy's nail.
- The pink quick is easy to identify if your puppy has light-colored or transparent nails. If they have dark nails, trim a little bit at a time and stop when you see a gray or pink oval in the cut edge of the nail—that's the quick.
- It also helps to start clipping your puppy's nails while they're young, so they get used to it and accept it as a part of life—just like bathing.
- If you're not comfortable with trimming your puppy's nails, a veterinarian or pet groomer can easily do it.
5
Bathe your Shih Tzu puppy every 3 weeks. Shih Tzus need regular bathing, but they certainly don't need to be washed every other day! Plan to give your puppy a bath every 3 weeks; waiting longer can cause their natural body oils to accumulate and smell bad. Meanwhile, washing a puppy too often strips away their natural body oils too fast, drying out their skin.^{[18]
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- The only time you might need to bathe your Shih Tzu more often is if they have skin issues that cause irritation and itching. In those cases, your puppy's veterinarian can prescribe a treatment for them.