First-time Shih Tzu puppy owner: What food and care do I need?

Congratulations on your new pet! It is not recommended to bathe a pup less than 3 monmths of age. You can use plain, unscented baby wipes or pet wipes to spot clean her as needed. Feed a good quality puppy food. Stay away from store or discount brands as these typically contain low quality ingredients and more fillers. The breeder may give you a bag of food to go home with. If Blush eats it, does well on it and it is easy for you to get then stick with it. If you need to change diets, do it gradually, over the course of 7-10 days, to prevent gastrointestinal upset. Try to avoid switching diets frequently to avoid creating a picky eater. She should not need vitamin supplementation if she is eating a quality puppy food. Dogs have similar tolerances for temperature that we do. If it is too cold fo ryou inside, it is too cold for her. Air conditioning should be tolerable for her. You can start crate training her or wee wee pad trainign her as soon as you get home. If you use a crate, it should be just big enough for her to stand, turn around and lay down. Start a schedule for bathroom breaks. She should go out first thing in the morning, after naps, about 20-30 minutes after eating or playing and just before bedtime. She will likely need to go out one or two times during the night as well. Choose one spot in your yard and allow her to use it. She can go outside in your yard. She should not be exposed to dogs of unknown vaccine statuse until about 2 weeks after she receives her last vaccine.

Coco isn't old enough for her first shots until she is at least 6 weeks of age. She needs a puppy formulated food. Brands I recommend include Royal Canin, Hill's Science Diet, Purina ProPlan, and Iams.

Hello. Puppies do best when they are adopted at 8-9 weeks of age. Take Candy ( yes, a very cute name ) to your vet within 3 days of arrival for a good health check-up & to be checked for intestinal parasites. Usually we start vaccinations at this age, with boosters at 12 & 16 weeks. Shi Tzus are very popular breeds, generally very healthy, but they do need regular grooming & brushing to prevent their coats from tangling. You should feed her the best quality puppy food you can afford for the first year of her life, spay her at 6 months if you do not plan to breed her & make sure she gets plenty of exercise. I hope you have many happy years together & thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! In the US we recommend Purina, Royal Canin, Hills/Science Diet, or Iams brands. I would choose a puppy formula in small bite size for Kylie. Make sure to mix her old food in with the new food over a couple of days so you don’t upset her tummy. Also, don’t change her food up too often so she can get used to the new diet. Kisses to Kylie!

The best food in my opinion would be this: ( https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/dog/dog-food/puppy-food/royal-canin-shih-tzu-puppy-food ) Most dogs don't need bathing that often. Too much bathing can cause the natural oils to strip from their skin/coat. I suggest you bathe with a soap-free shampoo and try not to bathe more than once every 2 weeks. ( https://www.allivet.com/p-1434-hylyt-shampoo.aspx ) Hope this helps. Best wishes.

Hi there and thanks for posting! I would recommend giving the Royal Canin x-small breed or mini puppy breed puppy food a try and these are more targeted and formulated for small breed puppies. At 9 month to a year of age, you can transition her to an adult formula from Royal Canin such as the formula for adult Maltese or the formula for adult Shih Tzu. I hope this helps!

Hi Kowshik! Bittu is so cute! If he isn't eating, I would actually be concerned that he is sick. I would recommend taking him into the vet for a health check. As for what to feed him, I personally do not recommend feeding dogs vegetarian diets. Dogs by nature are not vegetarians, they eat meat, and it's good for them. Being a vegetarian is a human construct, and I personally don't think it's fair to place that on a dog when by nature they eat meat. Brands of food I would recommend for him include Royal Canin, Hill's Science Diet, Purina ProPlan, and Iams. I hope this helps!