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If you don't have good equipment there is no way you will have a well groomed Shih Tzu. As with all jobs, proper tools are essential to doing a job well.

Clippers

One of the most important pieces of equipment is the clipper. For a Shih Tzu owner grooming only one Shih Tzu, one of the best is Oster with snap-on blades. The blades can be changed easily. Various blades needed are No. 10, No. 7 and No. 4. No. 10 will give you a complete shave down. No. 7 blade will give you not so close of a cut as the No. 10. No 4 blade will give you the stylish puppy cut that so many Shih Tzu pet owners like for their pet Shih Tzu.

Combs

You will need a fine-toothed comb and a medium-toothed comb. You will also need a very tiny comb to comb the hair on the face. Combs with metal handles are more durable.

Brushes

The brush is very important. While the professional groomer who grooms all the breeds will need a variety of brushes, the Shih Tzu owner will need the proper brushes for a Shih Tzu. A soft wire slicker brush is the best for fluff-drying. It can be used to remove tangles from the Shih Tzu's coat, but it must be used very gently. The hard wire slicker is used to remove mats. A pin brush is used for tidying the long hair of a Shih Tzu. It cannot be used for 'hard' brushing. If your Shih Tzu's hair is fine, you can use a natural-bristle brush made of boar bristles. A vegetable brush or toothbrush can be used on all the places that are hard to get at, especially on the face, around and between the eyes of the Shih Tzu.

Use a spray conditioner when brushing your Shih Tzu's hair. The conditioner should have a lanolin base and should not contain alcohol. Alcohol can discolor and dry out the hair of the Shih Tzu. If you do not have the correct type on hand, use plain water in a spray bottle. When you use coat conditioner or water when brushing your Shih Tzu's hair, you will prevent static electricity and causing the hair to break.

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