How long do bichon shih tzu live

To truly understand the history of the Shichon, you need to first learn about the history of the Shih Tzu and the Bichon Frise. The Shih Tzu is considered royal and kept secret by Emperors in ancient China.

They were considered lapdogs for the royal families and were not known to the rest of the world until the s. Later the breed got recognized into the American Kennel Club in Today the breed is extremely popular for its long beautiful hair. This breed can also be quite expensive amount breeders.

The Bichon Frise originally originated from Tenerife and was brought to new places by boat. This breed started to gain popularity with royals in Italy, France, and even Spain.

This breed has lived with many royal people as well as nobles. When the French Revolution started, many people lost their homes and dogs, and this breed became popular with the traveling circus crowd. This was a chance to create a new tiny designer breed. The Shih Tzu and the Bichon Frise actually look similar in their appearance.

When you mix both of these breeds together, It can be hard to distinguish with the parent who gave the puppy most of its genes. Either way, you will most likely you will have an adorable dog that looks like a teddy bear. Have fun snuggling that adorable pup. The coat of the Zuchon can come in many different colors that you can see below. Some can even have more than one color on their coat.

Both parents of this mixed breed have long coats, so this mixed option also has a naturally long coat. If it is not trimmed, it can well reach the floor. This breed also has a double layer coat, so this will keep your dog warm during the cold winter months. This designer dog also sports a wide range of coat colors, although most are white with flashes of a second color, especially around the ears and eyes.

The Shih Tzu parent is the one adding the color v ariations to the breed! Like its Bichon Frise ancestor, the Shichon is a low shedder and produces little dander, making it one of the more hypoallergenic breeds around. If you suffer from allergies, regular bathing with special shampoos can help keep these under control, although bathing your Shichon more than once a month may dry out their skin, causing discomfort and irritation.

Having said that, Shih Tzus, in particular, are prone to being a little smelly, so regular bathing might be the only way to ensure your teddy bear dog remains hug-able. If you want to accentuate his teddy bear characteristics, a teddy bear trim is ideal, whereas the lion cut is both chic and low-maintenance. As with any dog, the Shichon will require regular dental care and nail trimming to keep him in optimal health. When it comes to training, the early lessons are often the hardest with a Shichon.

Like other small dog breeds, the Shichon has a small bladder, making potty training rather challenging. You might want to consider introducing crate training as soon as your Shichon gets home and then use these handy tips and techniques to move onto the next level. Once the initial training phase is complete, positive reinforcement methods can turn your teddy bear dog into a trick-performing superstar.

Even this remarkably sturdy designer dog is prone to a few of the health problems that affect its parent breeds, namely:. To keep these and other diseases at bay, you need to adopt a regular exercise and grooming regime and take your Bichon Shih Tzu to the vet for regular check-ups.

Life with a Zuchon is primarily full of fun and love. These low-maintenance small-breed dogs fit in easily to almost any environment, happily adapting to apartment living and family life. There are a few issues that can arise, however. Families or individuals that spend a lot of time away from home should think twice about getting a Bichon Shih Tzu as they are prone to separation anxiety. Although the Bichon Frise copes better with being left alone, as a companion dog, the Shih Tzu needs constant attention, and leaving him alone for just a few minutes could result in unwanted behavior like incessant barking, chewing, urinating, or defecating in the house.

The Zuchon has a similar life expectancy to that of its parent breeds, and you can expect to enjoy a good 10 to 16 years of furry companionship with your Shichon. One Shih Tzu, named Smokey, enjoyed the Florida lifestyle for 23 years while the oldest known Bichon Frise died at Unfortunately, to your Zuchon, that means you approve of his behavior, which will encourage him to repeat it.

The Shichon has virtually no prey drive or hunting instinct. Their natural curiosity means they socialize well, although care must be taken when introducing your teddy bear puppy to larger animals that may respond to his enthusiasm with rough play that could cause injury. Bichon Shih Tzus love attention and will greet friends, and even passing strangers will love and enthusiasm. Like most small dogs, Shih Tzu Bichons usually reach full height by around six to eight months of age but will continue to fill out and add weight for a couple more months after that.

Zuchons, like teddy bears, are versatile creatures, willing to go everywhere and do everything, as long as they can be with their human companions. She spends all her waking hours with her Australian Cattle Dog, Koala, either walking, horse-riding, running, or just hanging out. Originally from the UK, Nicky been living with dogs for over 40 years and is a passionate dog-owner. With a Masters Degree from the University of London under her belt, Nicky has had a diverse career, training and riding horses, running safari lodges, and hosting volunteers.

Want to get a sniff on what SpiritDog's online training is all about? Death by trauma included fatal injury to the head, body, or both. Some completely avoidable fatal traumas include being stepped on, accidentally falling down staircases, being dropped, and being hit by a car. This included a wide variety of cancers including mast cell tumors a type of skin cancer , lymphoma cancer of the lymph nodes , mammary gland tumors, bone cancer, and soft tissue sarcomas includes a group of cancers that involve skin and surrounding tissues.

Regarding mammary cancer, spraying can significantly reduce the chances of this when it is performed before the age of 2. These are issues involving the kidneys, bladder, or prostate. This also includes pyometra infection of the uterus. Out of all breeds, the Shih Tzu was among 12 in which death due to urogenital issues occurred most often.

This included the diseases as mentioned earlier, seen with puppies, but also fungal infections such as blastomycosis and histoplasmosis and protozoal disease such as babesiosis and leishmaniasis. Additionally, this included bacterial infection, which can develop around a wound, such as bone fractures and breaks which brings in the issue of trauma. Leading Cause of Death for Puppies. Is it Possible to Increase Life Span? It can be really difficult for pet parents to come to terms with how short their dog's life span is, especially compared to us humans.

It just doesn't seem fair and it can cause a lot of stress and worry as a dog reaches the year mark and beyond. Some causes of death are genetic; no matter what type of care is given, the disease is going to develop. Neutered male dogs are also calmer, healthier, and better behaved. Similarly, spayed females are less likely to wander off or get ill-timed pregnancies. Regular exercise is necessary for all dogs, and Shih Tzus are no different. A sedentary lifestyle makes their behavior destructive, violent, and irritating.

Exercise also prevents obesity, which itself is the root of several cardiac and orthopedic diseases.

Small dogs like Shih Tzus are more prone to overfeeding and exceeding their daily caloric quota. Overfeeding your canine friend programs him to eat excessively which can lead to obesity. Shih Tzus have sensitive kidneys and are more prone to developing kidney and bladder stones than any other dog. Water from dubious sources can also cause bacterial infections and stomach diseases. If your Shih Tzu has plenty of clean water available, he or she is less likely to drink from unsanitary sources.

Handy Hint: If your Shih Tzu is not feeling well or is sick, he may not want to drink water or eat anything. The good news is that there are plenty of other dog-friendly drinks that can keep your canines hydrated during this time. Family history reveals any congenital disorders and hereditary conditions the pup might be dealing with.

Almost all diseases can be cured if caught soon enough. Regular visits to the vet help detect diseases and health issues at the right time. Early detection can ensure your pooch gets the right treatment before the disease progresses any further.

Dental issues can make eating difficult for a Shih Tzu, affecting their diet pattern and food intake, making them malnourished and weak. Daily brushing and regular visits to the dentist help ensure your Shih Tzu keeps all his pearly whites even into old age. The quality of the food matters as much as its quantity. If your Shih Tzu is only eating a little, but the food is high in fats and harmful additives, it will make him overweight and sick.

Foods safe for us affect dogs very differently, with some harmless human foods being toxic to our canine buddies. Ensure a diet rich in natural nutrients and avoid human snacks as much as possible. Trauma is among the leading causes of Shih Tzu mortality, but you can prevent it by not letting your Shih Tzu get into risky situations. These are fragile little dogs, and you have to protect them from getting into fights with other animals or bigger dogs.

Recognize potential injury hazards in and around your house and fix them before they cause an unfortunate accident.