Because of their long, silky hair, Shih Tzu needs regular grooming to keep it from getting tangled and matt. You can also choose to groom them to wear a regular short coat, but this will still require regular brushing and trimming. Shih Tzus will shed, though, whether or not they will depend on how you keep their coat.
A long-cut dog will seem like it doesn’t shed because of the hair that sheds a stick with the long coat of hair. These hairs are removed by regular brushing. On the other hand, a dog with a short cut is not going to shed all over, as their hair is not trapped by a longer hair cover.
Because your dog will require constant grooming throughout his life, the first grooming session of the Shih Tzu puppy should be gentle and fun for the puppies.
Unlike adults, when they are very young, you don’t want to bathe a puppy before you groom. Bathing is an option for Shih Tzu to groom three months from the date of birth.
Source: PetGroooming
