Who wouldn’t find a Shih Tzu adorable? One look at its adorably small face is enough to brighten your day. But if you’re planning on getting one as a family pet, there are some considerations that need to be made, particularly if you have young children at home.
Now, you would think that dogs and kids would get along just fine. And especially with the Shih Tzu breed given that they belong to the Toy group and generally have a lively personality. But dog owning is also about responsibility.
In fact, there’s a good chance that a breeder won’t sell you a Shih Tzu or Shih tzu mix if they know you have children in the pre-school age. It’s either that or they ask to meet the entire family before handing over the puppy. While some may find this unreasonable, it’s important to remember that puppies’ fragile creatures. Not only that, you don’t want both your child and puppy to get hurt.
Keep in mind that puppies in general love to chew on lots of things, including body parts. How would your little one react when a Shih Tzu puppy starts nibbling but the act ends up hurting instead? Remember that although it may just be a puppy – and a rather small one at that – their cute nibble may just end up hurting someone. This illustrates the fact that playtime with puppies and young ones needs to be supervised.
Puppies also aren’t always in the mood for play, and this is something a little one needs to know. But how else would they know that without an adult there to guide them? Again, this points out the importance of supervised playtime.
Safety is another issue when dealing with Shih Tzu puppies. They are rather small creatures and a risky scenario is created when you combine them with equally small youngsters who love to move. What if your kid trips and lands on the dog? This is the kind of situation you’d really want to avoid because of the danger it poses for both the child and the dog.
Everything mentioned so far seems to point to the fact that Shih Tzu puppies and young children are not a good match. While true, getting one for the family is not impossible. If you can provide the right amount of care and attention and impose rules on your children, then why can’t you have a Shih Tzu puppy right? The early stages of a puppy’s life are the most important as they forms the foundation of their behavior which they will carry for the rest of their life.
The best advice for those wanting a Shih Tzu for a pet is to look for one that is a bit older because the puppies are just too fragile. It’s either that or choosing a different breed. There’s also the option of opting to get a pet when kids are much older.
All this said it’s not impossible for a family with young children to own a Shih Tzu or Shih Tzu mix puppy. You just need to make sure that you can provide the proper care and attention.