Shih Tzu Dog Shows

Author: Connie Limon
Shih Tzu dog shows and Shih Tzu dog breeding attracts the interest of people from all walks of life ranging from royalty to the lady next door. Ordinary family folk attend dog shows and compete successfully with top-quality dogs they have bred themselves. A good dog show judge will disregard all but the dogs themselves when making a final decision. Who you are or where you come from does not matter in good show dog judging. The Shih Tzu dogs have to prove themselves, not the people. The dog game is simply a love of dogs.

Most of the people you will meet at a Shih Tzu dog show share an appreciation for their dogs. As with any hobby or profession, however, there are many different opinions as to what a dog show truly is. You might hear things like: “it’s a cult.” You will definitely hear about the politics and the enormous amounts of money people spend on the dogs and how much the dogs hate it.

Where the dog game takes each participant depends wholly upon the individual interests in the sport. There is a place for everything in the dog game – breeding, exhibiting, judging, training and teaching. The dog game is forever changing. To begin the Shih Tzu dog game journey, you will need a purebred Shih Tzu dog of course.

Where did it all begin? Dog showing actually began in England year of 1859. The first recorded formally organized dog show was held in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England. The Newcastle show was limited to Setters and Pointers.

Dog shows were originally organized as a place for breeders to gather to have their breeding stock evaluated by someone knowledgeable in their respective breed. The decisions were based upon the theory that superior dogs were the most likely to contribute their good qualities to their offspring. A written description of an ideal specimen of a breed was established. These descriptions are known as “breed standards.” Of all Shih Tzu dogs appearing before a knowledgeable judge or person, the dog that possessed most of the characteristics described in the standard won first place. The Shih Tzu dog closest in quality to the first-place dog was placed second, and so on. This same process continues today at dog shows.

If you live in the United States you will most likely be showing your Shih Tzu dogs under the American Kennel Club. The organization maintains offices in both New York City and Raleigh, North Carolina. The AKC is the largest purebred dog registry in the United States, but other domestic registries also exist.

The American Kennel Club is devoted to the advancement of purebred dogs and maintains a registry of recognized breeds. They adopt and enforce rules for dog events, dog shows, and obedience trials, field trails, hunting tests, lure coursing, herding, earth dog trials, agility and the Canine Good Citizen program.

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About The Author

Connie Limon is a Shih Tzu breeder. She publishes a FREE weekly newsletter. Sign up at: http://www.stainglassshihtzus.com

Show Dog Judging The Head, Body And Hindquarters

Author: Connie Limon
The Head:

The show dog judge will ask you to place your Shih Tzu show dog on the table. The Shih Tzu show dog judge will then get the first close look at your Shih Tzu’s expression. He will be looking for proper shape and dark eyes. He will check the length of your Shih Tzu’s nose. He will look for the “correct” slightly-undershot bite. The Shih Tzu show dog judge will evaluate the shape of the top of your Shih Tzu’s head. He will check to see that the hair pulled up in the topknot does not alter the set and placement of the ears (all these things must be exact to the AKC standard for a Shih Tzu show dog to pass). One thing in particular the Shih Tzu show dog judge will not want to see in your Shih Tzu is any sign of fear, or if your Shih Tzu turns its head away. The expressions of fear or turning the head away would indicate “shyness.” “Shyness” would be considered a fault of the AKC show Dog Shih Tzu standard.

The Shih Tzu show dog judge will look at the ear leather. He may raise the ears to check the length and thickness of the neck and to see if the neck is well placed on the shoulders. These are areas also that must be in compliance with the AKC standards of a Shih Tzu show dog. The Shih Tzu show dog judge may trace the angulation of the shoulders with his hands and the placement of the front legs beneath the body is checked. A Shih Tzu show dog judge may lift the dog up gently and let it down to see how well the Shih Tzu lands on its feet. He may check the thickness of the pads of the feet as well.

The Body:

The Shih Tzu show dog judge will check to see if the Shih Tzu is in good weight, not to thin or too fat. The weight is measured on a scale of 9 to 16 pounds as being appropriate for the Shih Tzu show dog. Under or over this weight would be a fault.

The Hindquarters:

The Shih Tzu show dog judge will check your Shih Tzu’s tail to see if it is set properly according to the AKC standard for tail set. The tail must be carried over the body to the correct degree. Angulation of hind legs is checked and a check for the strength of the hindquarters is also made at this time. An indication of weakness when the hocks are lightly “twanged” or evidence of cow hocks would be noted as a fault in your Shih Tzu. The hocks should be strong when moved gently back and forth. If your Shih Tzu is a male, this is the point in which the judge will count testicles. There must be two testicles present or the male Shih Tzu will be disqualified.

There are strict standards of correct conformation of the head, body and hindquarters, as well as other aspects of the Shih Tzu that must be met during the Shih Tzu show dog judge’s evaluation. Further information regarding these requirements can be obtained from the American Kennel Club either by writing to them directly or from the AKC official website.

This article is FREE to publish with resource box.


About The Author

Connie Limon is a Shih Tzu breeder. She publishes a FREE weekly newsletter. A professional newsletter with a focus upon health and wellness for you and your pets. Discounts are offered to subscribers. Sign up at: http://www.stainglassshihtzus.com

Tips For The Novice Shih Tzu Show Dog Handler

Author: Connie Limon
If you will not be hiring a professional Shih Tzu handler for the show ring, there are a few things you should know about how to protect yourself and your Shih Tzu so that neither of you are too discouraged right at the start.

Try to remember a judge’s first and lasting impression of your Shih Tzu’s temperament will be made the moment it walks into the ring. Do not carry your Shih Tzu into the ring to avoid getting its hair messed up. Let the judge see the Shih Tzu’s gait as it walks into the ring. Do not drag the Shih Tzu behind you. It invariably will be a stressful 48 hour period for your Shih Tzu before the show. This time period will either be too hot, too cold or too rainy. A few hours before the show will involve your Shih Tzu having to stand rigidly on a crate, having its face and body sprayed with grooming substance that does not smell or taste very good. Your Shih Tzu may have to endure a session of sneezing while you brush their hair out to perfection. Then remember all the hours your Shih Tzu was in the bathtub and the grooming session the day before the show. What about the ride to the show? Was it over bumpy, uncomfortable roads? The 48 hours just before the show can be a drooling, torturous time for your precious Shih Tzu, soon to become a Show Dog Shih Tzu. Experienced judges know just what a Shih Tzu has to endure the 48 hours before show time. If your Shih Tzu can still strut into the ring after all this, the judge will have to know your Shih Tzu has an excellent disposition. This will be the judge’s first impression. It will also be a very lasting impression.

Do not try to be first to enter the ring if you are a novice. It will be much more educational for you to get behind a more experienced exhibitor or professional handler where you can observe and learn ring behavior and procedures. When you do enter the ring with your Shih Tzu, do so quickly and calmly. Have your Shih Tzu on a loose lead. Watch for the first opportunity to show your arm band to the judge for check in purposes. Then get in the line-up already forming in the ring. This is usually at the opposite side of the judge’s table. This move will give the judge a good opportunity to the second look at your Shih Tzu. Now, set your Shih Tzu up in a show pose.

As the judge goes up and down the line of Shih Tzu, maintain your Shih Tzu in a show stance. Do not brush the Shih Tzu’s hair at this time. Do not be adjusting the Shih Tzu’s feet, or tilting the head, or positioning the Shih Tzu’s tail. By the time the judge reaches your Shih Tzu, the Shih Tzu should be standing as still as a statue with your hands off of it. If you show a lot of fussing over the Shih Tzu at this time it only calls attention to the fact that you are probably an amateur at this and you will be seen as nervously mishandling the Shih Tzu. A free, natural stance will be more appealing to the judge.

People play games in anything that is competitive to try and discourage a newcomer especially if the newcomer really has a good dog. This poses a threat to others who are competing with you and people do play games to try and make you or your Shih Tzu look bad.

These same kind of games are played in other arenas of the purebred dog sport such as what we have today on the internet with so many Shih Tzu dog websites springing up. People get jealous and feel threatened by what they see their competitors doing that may take away “something” from them. So they try and set up little games to make their competitors look bad or seem unworthy in the hopes that “the consumer” will pass up their competitors when it comes time to purchase Shih Tzu puppies.

I suppose if it works in the world of politics to bad-mouth your competitor and opponents, it should work in all other situations is the thinking of individuals who stoop to this type of a tactic. And you definitely will meet up with this type in the show ring as well.

Simply label these behaviors for what they truly are, which is “unprofessional.” Don’t be “unprofessional.” Hold your head up high and always work as a true professional in anything you attempt to do in life. Do not join in with any kind of childish game playing. How you play your game is what will be remembered most.

This article is FREE to publish with resource box.


About The Author

Connie Limon is a Shih Tzu breeder. She publishes a FREE weekly newsletter. A professional newsletter with a focus upon health and wellness for you and your pets. Discounts are offered to subscribers. Sign up at: http://www.stainglassshihtzus.com.

Keeping Your Dog's Coat Clean and Healthy

Author: Brock Lorber
Your dog wears a coat of insulation, helping him stay cool in the summer and warm in the winter. His coat holds essential oils close to his skin, and protects it from scrapes and scratches. Its hollow hairs help him stay afloat so he can concentrate on swimming rather than treading.

Without daily maintenance, however, your dog can quickly become cheap transportation for burrs and other plant seeds. Parasites love to burrow in the warm, moist areas next to his skin, presenting a health hazard for you and your dog. With a few simple steps, though, you can maintain the health of your dog’s coat without resorting to an expensive groomer.

As a natural part of their lives, dogs are skilled at self-grooming. They are taught by their mothers that grooming limits skin-borne diseases and parasites. Young muscles and bones benefit from the increased blood flow their massaging mothers stimulate. As they grow and become self-sufficient, they begin to groom themselves and become very successful at it. When a dog is living in a home environment, however, they need some human help to maintain a healthy coat.

Brush your dog frequently using a brush with soft bristles and a flea comb. Use light pressure and always stroke with the coat’s grain. This collects shedding hair before it gets all over your furniture and clothes and eliminates matting before it becomes too snarled.

Long and thick coats fight a constant battle against snarls. Don’t use brute force to clear them; nobody likes to have their hair pulled. Use water to soften caked fecal matter or mud and scissors or clippers if necessary on nasty tangles and burrs.

Many dogs get very anxious around brushes and scissors. Their fears can result in snarling and nipping, which is why many groomers resort to using sedatives. This does nothing to quell the unnatural fear for the next grooming session, however. A much better way is to take him for a long exercise session to remove all his nervous energy, and then put him in a calm state lying down. Introduce him to the grooming instruments while he is in this calm state. Once he is through investigating them, you can begin to use them while keeping him calm and submissive.

Inspect your dog’s skin while you are brushing. Be alert for skin irritations, dry skin, fleas, ticks and any sign of infection. While you will probably need professional help for fungal or bacterial infections, other problems can be handled on your own.

The two major causes of dry, irritated skin are too much bathing and a lack of lipids in your dog’s diet. Bathe your dog with shampoo as infrequently as possible. Also, mix in a teaspoon full of vegetable oil with his food. His coat will take on a healthy glow, and the oil will moisturize his skin. Chlorine-filled swimming pools often contribute to dry skin, however, swimming is great exercise and a lot of fun for your dog, so don’t cut it out entirely.

Regular application of flea and tick powder will help prevent you from having to deal with fleas and ticks. If you still find a tick, however, use tweezers to grasp the tick by the head. Jerk straight out so the jaws come with the rest of the tick. Don’t squeeze the tick’s body or touch it with bare fingers. Wash your hands after handling the tick.

Excessive scratching and hair loss are two signs of flea infestation. Fleas don’t just stay on your dog however; they jump off and infest your house. Check the floors and baseboards for granules that resemble salt and pepper grains.

Toss the dog in the bath with plenty of dog shampoo. Follow up with a breed-appropriate flea dip. Now comes the hard part – cleaning the house.

To clean the house you need to first get rid of the eggs and larvae. Vacuum all the carpets, including the baseboards, and all the upholstered furniture. Take the vacuum bag outside immediately and place it in a trash bin. Treat all carpeted and upholstered surfaces with specifically formulated insecticide to kill the adult fleas. Since the insecticides are toxic, you’ll want to keep your children and animals away from treated surfaces until it dries.

With regular grooming and attention, your dog’s coat will stay healthy and clean. That protects your dog, your family, your wallet, and your home.


About The Author

Brock Lorber, dog lover and author, provides tips and advice on dog health and training.

You can find more dog health advice from Brock Lorber at:
http://myotherkids.com
http://www.squidoo.com/dog_health_advice/

Shih Tzu – Types Of Dog Shows

by: Connie Limon
There are two types of dog shows licensed by the American Kennel Club. One is the all-breed show. The all-breed show includes classes for all the recognized breeds, and groups of breeds such as all terriers, all toys. The second dog show is the specialty show for one particular breed that also offers championship points.

A benched show is one where the dog show superintendent supplies benches (cages for toy dogs). Each bench is numbered and its corresponding number appears on your entry slip that is sent to you prior to the show. When you enter the show, take your Shih Tzu to the bench. Your Shih Tzu should remain on the bench until it is time to groom him before entering the ring to be judged. After judging, your Shih Tzu must return to the bench until the show is dismissed.

At an unbenched show the club makes no provision for your Shih Tzu other than an enormous tent if outdoors or an area in a show hall where all crates and grooming equipment must be kept if the show is inside.

When you enter the show grounds, whether it is a benched or unbenched show, you are expected to keep your Shih Tzu under complete control. You should use a short lead in crowded aisles or getting out of cars. At a bench show, a “bench chain” is needed. A bench chain should allow your Shih Tzu to move around, but not off the bench.

There is always at least one professional photographer who will take your Shih Tzu’s picture along with the judge and whatever is won, the ribbons, etc. These photos make excellent advertisements in the various dog magazines.

Some shows also offer Obedience Trials. Obedience Trials are always considered a separate event. There are three obedience titles. First, the Companion Dog or C.D. title; second, the Companion Dog Excellent or C.D.X.; and third, the Utility Dog or U.D. You can receive detailed information in a booklet entitled Official Obedience Regulations from the American Kennel Club.

This article is FREE to publish with resource box.


About The Author

Connie Limon is a Shih Tzu breeder. She publishes a FREE weekly newsletter. A professional newsletter with a focus upon health and wellness for you and your pets. Discounts are offered to subscribers. Sign up at: http://www.stainglassshihtzus.com