It is vital to keep the well-being of your Shi Tzu as it will help in extending his life aside from making him a happier dog.
This breed of dog needs some attention to keep a healthy and happy lifestyle, which avoids possible diseases and illnesses that can shorten his lifespan.
Here are some simple but very effective ways to extend your cute buddy’s life.
1. Keep Him Away from Being Obsessed
Shih Tzu, like any dog breeds, needs to exercise at least three times a week and eat a nutritious meal to keep an appropriate weight.
Obesity is one health risk for canines; therefore, you must give him the right balance of food to nourish his body without putting in extra weight.
Strolling at the park a couple of days a week and some playtime helps keep his weight at the desired level.
2. Regular Checkup and Keep Teeth Healthy
Like a human being, dogs need a regular checkup because it will help your Shih Tzu stay healthy by determining possible health problems in the early stages.
By avoiding possible illness and disease from developing, you can help prevent him from becoming sick, which may prolong his life.
So, meaning your Shih Tzu must get the required vaccination and see the veterinary at least once a year when he reaches his adult stage.
While tooth decay and cavities are bad, this condition might cause an infection that may compromise body organs like the heart and kidneys.
By making sure that your dog’s teeth are healthy, you can help him avoid diseases, which may shorten his lifespan.
You can give him a combination of hard and dry dog food as it will scrape away the plaque, and brushing his teeth twice a week is vital.
3. Good Workout
Like a human being, your Shih Tzu also needs regular exercise. You don’t have to go overboard. However, you must exercise regularly for half an hour to one hour.
The best thing about it is that you don’t have to walk him all the time, but mix in with enough time to play. Shih Tzu loves to play, and this will keep him emotionally and physically happy.
4. Reduce Stress
The ideal way to reduce his stress level is to allow him to relax. This means reducing the levels of pressure in your home while getting enough playtime.
Also, it signifies that there are instances when your cute friend will require a little time for himself and should be respected.
Allow you Shih Tzu rest at least one hour per day when your loved ones are awake and don’t force him into activities he doesn’t like to do.
5. Supervise Him in the Garden
A serious injury occurring to a dog in a fenced backyard is one thing that many dog owners assume take place to somebody else, and it is so easy to keep that thought until something takes place to your Shih Tzu, and then it is too late.
There are arrays of risks associated with being unsupervised outside:
- Attack by stray animals that find their way into the garden. There are cases of big canines breaking or jumping over the fence to attack a smaller dog.
- The report shows that wildlife like coyotes, owls, hawks, etc. attack small dogs. Snakebite is also very dangerous to your dog.
- Ingestion Hazards include eating poisonous mushrooms, chewing toxic plants, ingestion of grass products, and many others.
6. Insect bites
- Threats include yellow jackets, wasps, bees as well we hornets. The stings of these insects are fatal in cased of allergic reactions as well as venom toxic overload.
You can assist your dog in living a healthy and long life by implementing supervision as you would with your kids.
If you let your Shih Tzu play in the garden alone and there have been no problems, then you are lucky.
If it helps, set up a comfortable chair and a beach umbrella and watch him as he plays.
Take steps to restrict wildlife that goes inside the yard by keeping trash cans covered securely, and keep your garden free of mess and ensure the barbecuing place is free of crumbs, and don’t forget to use pinwheels or spinners as deterrents.
Be attentive to wildlife specifically at dawn and dusk and bring a flashlight when it is already dark.
Conclusion
To extend your Shih Tzu life, you need to follow some keys that human beings follow.
Proper diet, exercise, and visiting the vet, keeping gums and teeth clean and healthy, and reducing the stress are some sound suggestions for everyone.
It will assist a lot in leading him to a happy and healthy life for your beloved Shih Tzus.
