Why You Should Neuter Your Male Shih Tzu ASAP

They are undeniably cute: their smushed little faces, their stumpy little legs, and that enviable coat of luxurious hair. I am referring to the Shih Tzu puppy. Shih Tzus, one of the oldest breeds of dog, are wonderful pets to own. They are quite playful, and alert little animals. They are extremely small in size, growing no more than 11-inches high. Typically, they weigh no more than about 15 pounds or so. Interestingly, though they are very low to the ground, they do not give the impression of being “squatty” or rotund. But their peculiar physical traits do sometimes interfere with their health. Society, for the most part is in general agreement that most pets should be spayed or neutered (for obvious reasons.) But owners of male Shih Tzus in particular, should be mindful to take the neutering of their pets very seriously. Here’s why:

1. BIRTH CONTROL-  Males of this breed are fairly easily paper-trained. They tend to want to “hold” their urine until they go outside so that they can “mark their territory.” An offshoot of this behavior is the natural desire to mate. In addition to these natural urges, males who are left unneutered sometimes have a tendency to act out in other ways. An unneutered male Shih Tzu may begin to ignore commands, escape from the yard, or even exhibit aggressive behavior toward other dogs. Therefore, in addition to preventing an out of control Shih Tzu population in your neighborhood, neutering the dog can quell some of these other irritable tendencies.