How to Puppy Cut a Shih Tzu

Co-authored by Lancy Woo

Last Updated: May 10, 2024

Shih Tzus can have a variety of haircuts and the puppy cut is the most low maintenance of them all. It is great for the summer especially, as it minimizes overheating and allows the dog to get messy and play without a ton of aftercare. To give your dog a puppy cut you will first need to get the right tools. Then you will need to take your time while cutting your dog's fur. With some preparation and care, your Shih Tzu will have a really cute puppy cut that you both can enjoy.

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:

Preparing to Give a Puppy Cut

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1
Gather the correct supplies. Cutting your dog's fur successfully will require a variety of grooming tools. They can be a bit of an investment, but will make a difference in the quality of cut you can give. The grooming tools you need include:
- Bristle brush
- Dog comb
- Dog clippers
- Scissors and trimming shears
- Dog shampoo and conditioner
2
Set up in a good location. When you give your dog a cut it can be quite a messy project. To keep the mess at a minimum, pick a spot in your home or yard that can be easily swept or vacuumed. You also need a surface to place your dog on, so that you can cut its fur comfortably. This surface should also be something that can be cleaned easily.
- If you want to contain all the fur you are going to be cutting off your dog, try putting a plastic sheet down under the grooming area. This will allow you clean up the fur more easily and thoroughly.
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3
Brush and bathe your dog. Before trimming your Shih Tzu, it’s a good idea to brush out any tangles that are in its coat, otherwise they might snag the clippers. Also, give your dog a bath and make sure its fur it completely dry before you start trimming it.^{[1]
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- Wetting your dog’s coat can cause tangles to knot together worse than when dry. For this reason, it’s typically best to brush your dog before bathing it and not after.
- Some groomers prefer to do preliminary cutting before a bath to get rid of excess fur that would otherwise take a long time to dry. Then, after the preliminary cut and wash, they finish the fine tuning cuts.
- If you want to eliminate all stray hairs you have cut off the dog, you may need to bathe the pup twice. Bathe it once before the cut and once afterwords.

Part 2

Part 2 of 2:

Cutting Your Shih Tzu's Fur

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1
Pick a blade length. Dog grooming clippers typically come with a variety of guards that you can put on them. These protect the dog’s skin from contact with the clippers. However, they also set the length that the fur will be trimmed to.
- Many groomers suggest using a #5 blade number for short summer cuts. However, if you want the fur a little longer, use a #3 or #4.
2
Hold the dog in place, if necessary. You may need to restrain the dog gently if it doesn’t like to have its fur cut. Keep its collar on and attach a leash so that you have some control over the dog. It's also a good idea to get someone to help you hold the dog, so that you can focus on cutting the dog's fur.
- Dogs that are used to being groomed may not need to be held in place. It all depends on your dog's comfort level with you and the grooming tools.
3
Begin clipping the coat. To start cutting your Shih Tzu’s fur, you should do a rough cut that gets that majority of the length of the fur off. Start in any area that you like and work methodically around the dog's entire body.
- Typically for a puppy cut, you want the fur down to one to two inches (2.5 to 5cm) long.
- Avoid cutting the fur on the head, tail, and ears at this point. They need more detailed and focused trimming to avoid nicking the dog's skin.
4
Stop clipping if you notice clipper burn. If you see a patch of your dog's skin reddening, stop clipping there. Clipping too close to the skin or too much in one area can inflame the skin, which will be uncomfortable for your dog. To avoid clipper burn, clip slowly, and make sure your clippers are sharp.^{[2]
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- If your dog does get clipper burn, take care of the area. Apply a soothing ointment or spray that is made specifically for calming clipper burn on dogs.
- You may not notice right away if you have caused clipper burn on your dog. Make sure to look over the dog's body when you are done grooming to identify spots that may need a little care.
5
Use a longer blade on the dog’s head. If you have used a #5 blade on the main part of the dog’s body, then consider using a #3 blade on its head. This will give you the cute puppy look of the puppy cut. It will also help protect the sensitive areas of the head.
- If the cut this blade gives looks too long, you can always go back over the area later with a shorter blade. However, if you cut it too short the first time, there is no going back.
6
Be careful in sensitive areas. There are some areas of the dog’s body where the skin of the dog could accidentally get clipped by the clippers. There are other parts that the dog may be resistant to having clipped. These typically include the dog’s anus and its groin.
- It’s important to take your time when clipping these areas so that you avoid injuring your dog.
7
Do detailed work on the ears, paws, and tail. Once most of the dog’s coat is clipped, you can go back in and do detail work on the rest of the fur. While the majority of the dog's body has smooth lines that can be cut in large swaths with the clippers, there are some areas where you need to take more time and care. Use scissors to trim the dog’s ears, paws, and tail, so that you can really smooth out those areas without nicking the dog's skin.
- For a puppy cut, you can decide whether you want to keep the dog’s ear fur long or whether you want it cut short. This is up to your personal preference.
- It can be very delicate work to cut the fur on your dog’s paws. You want to trim excess fur from between its toes but you have to be careful not to cut the skin accidentally.
8
Go over the dog’s coat again. Once you have roughed in the dog’s coat and you have trimmed its tail, ears, and paws, then you should go back and do even more detail work. Use your clippers once again and smooth out any rough areas. Use your comb or brush to inspect the dog's coat. If you find any uneven areas, take the time to trim them so the dog's cut is consistent and smooth.
- This is the time to get really picky. Inspect the coat closely and make sure that all areas of fur are the same length. Your attention to detail at this point will allow you to catch areas that were missed on your first pass over.
EXPERT TIP

Lancy Woo
Certified Pet Groomer
Lancy Woo is a Certified Pet Groomer and the Owner of VIP Grooming, a pet grooming salon based in San Francisco, California. VIP Grooming has served San Francisco for over 35 years. Lancy received her pet grooming certification from the WWPSA (Western Word Pet Supply Association). VIP Grooming has been voted "Best in the Bay" in 2007, 2010, 2011, 2014, 2017, 2018, and 2019 and won Bay Woof’s "Beast of Bay" in 2014. In 2018, Lancy's work contributed to VIP Grooming's acceptance onto San Francisco's Office of Economic and Workforce Development's Legacy Business Registry.

Lancy Woo
Certified Pet Groomer

Expert Trick: When you're grooming your dog, sweep or vacuum the hair that's on the floor before you blow dry the dog. Otherwise, the hair will fly everywhere.

Community Q&A

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Question

What direction do I clip the coat, front to back, or back to front?

Dreama Butler

Community Answer

If you clip back to front, it will leave the hair shorter than if you clip front to back. It's best to research the length left by blades and guide combs, both forward and reverse.

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