Arizona Sunrise Shih Tzus & Poos

Purebred Shih Tzu Puppies

Education

What Exactly is a Liver Shih Tzu?

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Most of us know that Shih Tzu puppies come in a variety of colors. Many individuals have seen a Shih Tzu with a black nose. Black traditional Shih Tzus have black noses, eye rims, lips, and paw pads. They come in just about any color as well. But, did you know that recessive genes can change the pigmentation color in Shih Tzus? A Shih Tzu puppy may be born with black, liver of blue pigmentation which will be evident on the nose, pads, and eye rims.

As a Shih Tzu breeder, I have always found color genetics to be fascinating! I run an Embark genetic panel on all of my sires and dams. Click here if you want to check out Embark: https://embarkvet.com/breeders/. The genetic panel helps rule out dangerous genetic defects that may lurk in breeding lines.

Also, Embark provides a wealth of information in regards to coat and pigmentation color. This color trait information helps me to know what color offspring may be produced in my responsible breeding program. Color is not important from a health standpoint but some clients do have a color preference.

Liver Shih Tzu Puppies

Liver Shih Tzu puppies have a liver or chocolate nose, eye rims, lips, and paw pads. All pigment changes to liver if both parents carry this recessive gene. Sometimes individuals may call a liver Shih Tzu puppy a chocolate Shih Tzu puppy. In reality, liver is the correct term. Chocolate refers to the coat color, not the pigmentation color. Liver Shih Tzu puppies can come in just about any coat color except black. All black changes to brown in a liver Shih Tzu puppy.

Blue Shih Tzu puppies

Blue Shih Tzu puppies have a blue nose that sometimes is the color of charcoal. The D locus is responsible for the dilute pigmentation. Shih Tzu puppies with two copies of the dilution gene are often known as blue Shih Tzu puppies or Isabella Shih Tzu puppies. All black pigment becomes blue. The brown pigment becomes an almost lavender color. The hair color on a blue Shih Tzu puppy once again can be a variety of colors. I prefer not to breed for blue pigment because there is an increased risk of Color Dilution Alopecia in adulthood.

As you can see, Shih Tzus comes in a delightful assortment of colors and pigments. Here at Arizona Sunrise Shih Tzus & Poos we produce the traditional black-pigmented Shih Tzu and the rare liver Shih Tzu Puppy in a rainbow of colors and patterns. The great news is that no matter what color Shih Tzu you decide to bring home, rest assured he or she will steal your heart!

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Why I use Early Scent Introduction with Puppies

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Early Scent Introduction which is commonly known as ESI is a program many reputable breeders use with their puppies. Breeders typically perform ESI on newborn puppies from days 3-16. Early Scent Introduction enhances a newborn puppy’s natural ability to detect various scents. Gayle Watkins, the co-founder of Avidog put the ESI protocol together in order to enhance a puppy’s unique sense of smell.

Some Benefits of Early Scent Introduction

  • Gentle stimulation of the nervous system improves immune and cardiovascular systems.
  • Mild stress helps create a better response to stress in adulthood.
  • Puppies have better nose awareness throughout life.
  • ESI promotes better brain development in puppies.

Each puppy is given the opportunity to smell a new scent each day. The puppy’s reaction to the scent can be positive, negative, or neutral. Breeders usually record the puppy’s reaction to the scent for future reference. I use Early Scent Introduction with all of my Shih Tzu puppies for sale. Some of the scents I really like to use with litters include: parsley, coconut, cinnamon, oatmeal, artificial turf, rocks, etc.

Dogs that go through Early Scent Introduction protocols often outperform dogs who aren’t subject to ESI when it comes to detecting scents. This kind of information can be extremely valuable for breeders. Breeders that raise puppies that may go on to be service dogs should pay particular attention to scenting abilities. For instance, if a breeder is evaluating a litter to look to place a possible diabetic alert dog, scenting abilities are imperative in detecting blood sugar changes.

As you can probably see, Early Scent Introduction is a brilliant way for responsible breeders to provide a litter of puppies with all the tools necessary to live up to their full potential. As a Shih Tzu breeder, I want nothing more than for my puppies to love and heal the families they will live with. We should never underestimate the power of a good dog!

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Benefits of Early Neurological Stimulation

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Shih Tzu puppy receiving (ENS) Early Neurological Stimulation in a responsible breeding program.
A newborn Shih Tzu puppy going through the ENS procedure.

ENS stands for Early Neurological Stimulation. As a responsible breeder of Shih Tzu puppies, I use the ENS protocol with all of my litters because it is very beneficial regarding newborn puppy development. ENS helps to improve heart and adrenal performance by stimulating the endocrine system. Early Neurological Stimulation also helps to create stress-tolerant puppies that have greater disease resistance. Furthermore, puppies that take part in ENS protocols are more willing to explore than their counterparts that didn’t receive Early Neurological Stimulation.

Carmen Battaglia is the pioneer responsible for creating ENS protocols. The ENS program was originally put together to enhance the performance of military dogs. The “Super Dog Program” or The “Bio Sensor program” are some early terms used to describe ENS protocols.

There are five steps in the ENS procedure. Breeders perform the five steps from the third day of birth until day 16. The procedure is done once a day for approximately 3-5 seconds per step. It is imperative not to put too much stress or handle newborn puppies too often during this vulnerable stage of development. The ENS activity is usually kept short and to the point.

Five Steps of ENS

  1. Hold the puppy’s head up.
  2. Gently hold the puppy’s head down
  3. Hold the puppy on his/her back.
  4. Set the puppy’s belly down on a cool towel.
  5. Gently rub in between the puppy’s toes.

To sum things up, Early Neurological Stimulation is just another stepping stone that I use in my responsible breeding program to help create bulletproof puppies. After all, I am partially responsible for bringing these puppies into the world. It is my ethical duty to do everything in my power to give each puppy the very best start in life. I owe this to my Shih Tzu puppies and my future puppy owners.

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Fireworks and Shih Tzu Safety

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Fireworks are about to begin! For many pet owners, the Fourth of July is a miserable time of year even for patriots. Many dogs suffer from noise phobias and experience a great deal of anxiety when they hear loud noises. Fireworks can be downright terrifying to dogs. Many dogs try to run away on the Fourth of July. More dogs go missing on the Fourth than any other holiday.

Having a dog with a sensitivity to sounds can be very hard on the dog and the owner. It’s very difficult to watch your pet suffer. As a local, reputable Shih Tzu breeder, I use sound desensitization protocols to help desensitize all of the Shih Tzu puppies in my breeding program. Puppies that grow up around loud noises are less likely to exhibit fear later in life.

If you own a dog that suffers from a noise phobia you must follow some of the simple safety tips above on the Fourth of July. Hopefully, these tips will help to protect your pet. Enjoy your holiday and stay safe!

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Shih Tzu Hair Care Basics

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A female Shih Tzu puppy wearing a red and white dress and a big red bow after getting her hair groomed.
Shih Tzu Hair Care


Shih Tzus are high-maintenance when it comes to their hair! They have human-like hair that needs brushing often. I use a stainless steel comb for daily grooming. I proceed cautiously to avoid pulling on any possible mats. They sell great detangling sprays to make the process go more smoothly.

Don’t forget to brush through the face, ears, and tail as well. Also, remember a Shih Tzu has a double coat. It’s important to make sure to brush the undercoat as well. The undercoat is a hot spot for mats. If you’re having trouble brushing through a mat it is simply more humane to carefully cut it out or get into a reputable groomer as soon as possible.

Shih Tzus need grooming every 6 to 8 weeks unless you’re opting for a traditional longer style. In that case, daily thorough brushing becomes even more essential. You can opt for a Teddy Bear cut or a Puppy Cut to scale down on maintenance. Shorter hairstyles are usually easier to maintain. If the coat gets a lot of mats in between grooming appointments you will probably have no choice other than a short haircut.

I strongly advise waiting until after the 3rd round of vaccines is complete at around 16 to 18 weeks before making an appointment with a groomer. On a side note, all the Shih Tzu puppies for sale in my responsible breeding program have had an introduction to grooming. My goal at Arizona Sunrise Shih Tzus is to create compliance in the puppies early on in life during the critical socialization period. Hopefully, this early exposure will help the puppies tolerate future grooming appointments.

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Dog Parks and Puppy Socialization

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Shih Tzus are a toy breed. They should avoid dog parks.
A Toy Breed Shih Tzu Puppy

Should I bring my Shih Tzu to the dog park?

It would be awesome if a dog park were a safe place for your Shih Tzu puppy to socialize with other dogs. Unfortunately, there are a lot of risks when it comes to taking your Shih Tzu to a dog park. First of all, puppies should never go to a dog park until their vaccine series is complete. It’s simply not worth the risk. Puppies have a weak immune system and are at a high risk of illness if they spend time with a sick animal on their outing. Also, make sure you talk to your vet about how often to deworm your pet. Parasites are usually more frequent in places where there are a lot of dogs.


The next concern I have is the possibility of your Shih Tzu being bitten by another dog or possibly worse. There are stories on the internet from time to time of these horrible encounters. Furthermore, If your Shih Tzu were to survive a dog attack he or she would probably have long-lasting fear because of the negative experience. All Shih Tzu puppies in my responsible breeding program are taught to be resilient but I cannot control negative experiences that take place after the puppies leave my home.


On a more positive note, there is another option besides a dog park for your Shih Tzu puppy! Invite a friend or family member over who owns a dog that is completely done with puppy shots. Also, make sure that the dog has an even and friendly temperament. Most Shih Tzus are social creatures and will appreciate the company!

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