This, after the curled up position, is the second most common. But rest assured, this is all good news as it means that your Shih Tzu is calm and happy. This position is the opposite of an alert position, it would make it very difficult for them to react to a dangerous situation, which means that your Shih Tzu is completely unconcerned; they feel safe and comfortable at home and with you.
This position is probably one that has generated a lot of memes on the Internet. Mouths open, tongues out, each leg pointing somewhere; surely, if your Shih Tzu has fallen asleep like this, it has given you more than a laugh. Well, good news. If sleeping on their side would be a problem when reacting to danger, how much more in that position!
If your Shih Tzu has got their paws in a position as if they were about to fly away, they are exactly preparing for that. Sleeping, and resting properly, just like for people, is essential for our Shih Tzus. Sleep is essential to maintain physical and mental health. The beds, far from being a luxury, are very necessary for the proper rest of our Shih Tzus. They can manage to sleep anywhere, but their quality of life will increase if they have a suitable bed for their needs.
For all this, it is important that we make sure that our beloved Shih Tzus have a suitable place to sleep, and can have sweet dreams. Privacy Policy Terms and Conditions. Home About Contact Menu. Shih Tzu Sleeping Behaviors and Disorders. April 24, Health. Share This Post:. Share on facebook. Share on twitter. Share on pinterest. Share on email. Share on linkedin. Well-hydrated skin. Good mood.
For example: The larger the Shih Tzu, the more time they need to rest. Shih Tzu puppies spend a lot of energy, therefore they will spend most of their day sleeping and feeding. Older dogs, given their physical and mental condition, require more hours of sleep. An adult Shih Tzu sleeps 8 to 9 hours each night. Daytime sleep is usually lighter and they are more vigilant, they wake up easily when stimulated by one of their senses.
Your Shih Tzu deserves: A place that they can consider as their own and thus feel safe. This might not be a cage or dog bed but somewhere they select. A comfortable bed suited to their size should be provided anyway.
A space free of drafts, but ventilated. Having the right temperature for a restful sleep. Adult Shih Tzus The number of hours a Shih Tzu sleeps depends on their age, physical condition, and rhythm of daily activity. You can notice these moments because: They move their legs They groan They bark They lick the air They raise their ears In addition to that, a lot of Shih Tzus snore because they are considered a brachycephalic breed whose airways are narrow and have a flat nose.
Social Sleepers Have you ever wondered why your Shih Tzu is looking to sleep or rest near you? It is also important because of following reasons: It allows their body to conserve and restore energy. It keeps their brain agile. Improve learning ability. It helps to consolidate new memories and update old ones based on what they have just learned: the sleeping brain knows which new information is significant enough to keep and which is not worth retaining. Forge new neural connections.
It allows growth. During sleep, growth hormone is released, so understanding how dogs sleep and the importance of rest is essential. Prevents brain degeneration. Conversely, lack of sleep leads to increased activity in the genes involved in stress and cell death.
It improves the immune system. They also need to have their alone times and sometimes like to retreat to a place where no one can bother them. You must decide whether or not you want this place to be in the room of a family member or in a common area. Once you decide, do not change it. Also let the dog guide you, if they tend to aim for the same spot they like it for a reason. Given half a chance they will sneak to snuggle next to you on beds and furniture. If the first days or weeks, your Shih Tzu cries at night, it is totally normal and you will have to be strong not to succumb.
In this way, they will get used to the fact that each one in the family has their own space. There are a few difference reasons why this can happen. A move to a new home is a huge disruption that can affect sleep. Also, any changes to the family… the addition or subtraction of a family member - animals or humans - can affect a dog. If this is the case, try to stick with the same schedule feeding, walks, a period of relaxation before bedtime, etc.
So, do check for drafts or other issues that may be causing this type of discomfort and make adjustments. A good rule of thumb is that whenever there is a disruption of any key aspect: eating, sleeping, or energy level, it is best to make sure that there are no underlying health conditions.
When a dog reaches the 9, 10 and 11 year mark, there is wear and tear on the body. With this breed, it is the hips, knees, and back that tend to give the most problems. This said, even a healthy senior dog will have diminished muscle tone and blood circulation to the extremities. It is not uncommon for an older dog to wake up more during the night due to an increase in urination frequency.
For those with very weak bladders, canine diapers may need to be used or you may find it helpful to place a pee pad on top of the doggie bed. A - Yes, this is actually quite common.
Dogs of any age may move at night which is often due to dreaming. However, when a puppy twitches during sleep this is often due to involuntary muscle spasms that happen during this stage of rapid growth. Some refer to this as Activated Sleep. Q - Acting drowsy can be a sign of hypoglycemia, how can I tell the difference between that and normal drowsiness? A - Hypoglycemia is a condition in which blood sugar levels rapidly drop.
Puppies and particularly toy breed dogs such as the Shih Tzu can be prone to this. Acting tired after a waking period of several hours, particularly if that time is spent engaging in play, is normal.
In regard to hypoglycemia, you will see other signs as well, predominantly severe weakness and dizziness, often manifesting as an inability to walk correctly. Q- Is it normal for a Shih Tzu to sleep on his back? A- Yes, a Shih Tzu may find any number of positions that he personally feels to be comfortable for a snooze. Whether he is upside down, on his back, or curled in a cozy corner, as long as he is resting peacefully there is nothing wrong with this.
Q- Do Shih Tzu snore? And should I be concerned with heavy snoring? A - All dogs are capable of snoring. With the Shih Tzu, being a brachycephalic breed, there may indeed be some level of snoring going on, as well as some other noises. A - Yes. Being a brachycephalic breed, the Shih Tzu breed may have sleep apnea which is a condition that causes repeated starts and stops of breathing while sleeping. However, many owners will be relieved to know that this is not overly common and most of the time noises at night will be harmless see above.
Being overweight can be a contributing factor for sleep apnea; while this is not a common issue seen with this breed, some adult Shih Tzu can indeed be carrying a few extra pounds. If so, there are steps you can take to help a Shih Tzu lose weight. Do bring any concerns to the attention of your veterinarian. Standard treatment will involve medication to reduce inflammation. In some instances, an antihistamine may help. Only in rare and severe cases will surgery be recommended. A - Dogs will often nap if no other favorable options are available.
Be proactive in engaging your Shih Tzu. Take 1 to 2 daily walks. You may want to use that time to work on proper heeling. Schedule other training such as command or trick training which can give a dog a 'job' to do. Additionally, set aside time for grooming , making sure to take proper care of the coat and teeth.
Play time is essential as well, as it promotes learning and bonding time - you can make homemade obstacle courses or obtain fun toys that promote bonding.
Lastly, take your Shih Tzu with you when at all possible; Well socialized dogs are dogs that are given the opportunity to see and interact with the world. Where can you take your Tzu? The park, the beach, the local flea market, for a nice stroll downtown, or even to your nearby senior living center where residents would very much welcome a visit with an adorable Shih Tzu.
The bottom line is that a dog will sleep if he is not engaged or he will be extremely bored at the very least and while naps are normal and dogs do sleep much more than humans, keeping your Shih Tzu active is good for both physical and emotional health.
He Yawns With You. True Love. Why is my Shih Tzu weird? When a dog is behaving out of character, the first thing that you want to look at is a possible health issue.
When a dog experiences discomfort and pain, often it is his behavior that will be a first sign, long before any clinical symptoms. How often can I wash my shih tzu?
Under normal circumstances, a Shih Tzu should be given a bath once every 3 weeks. If baths are given less frequently, accumulated body oil can start to smell bad and a Shih Tzu's skin and coat will not be receiving the bathing benefits as listed previously as often as they should.
Why does my Shih Tzu shake? Some dog diseases will cause the animal to shake such as kidney failure, muscle diseases, and numerological diseases. If your dog shakes for no reasons, make sure you see a vet to make sure the animal hasn't come down with a medical condition which is causing the shaking to occur.
Is my Shih Tzu depressed? Shih Tzus, they need constant attention and care. If that is not enough, they can easily get into depression.
So if you notice some change in your loving pet's behavior, then do not take it lightly. Rather, try to see if those are the signs and symptoms of depression. What do Shih Tzus die from? The best time for a good exercise session is about 2 hours before bedtime. Try to include high cardio exercise as well and engaging brain activities so that your Shih Tzu will be both physically tired as well as mentally tired.
Here is a link to an amazing Brain Training program that can do wonders to help your dog reach their full potential! Find out how cuddly Shih Tzus are in this article. If your dog sleeps in his own bed, or in a crate, having something that smells like you and a small stuffed animal to snuggle with can help him feel more safe and secure. This is especially true for puppies. Take up their water after a certain time of the evening.
If your Shih Tzu seems to need a bathroom break in the middle of the night all the time you can try changing his meal time to be a few hours earlier so he will get the poop out before bed or a few hours later so he can hold it until tomorrow. Either way, you may want to slowly adjust the time of his meals to see if that will help with the late-night bathroom breaks.
If early morning waking is a problem try figuring out what it is that may be waking them up? Is the sun coming up? Try adding some darkening curtains. Are there noises such as birds or early morning traffic? Try adding some white noise by using a noise machine check prices here. All it takes is some investigative work to try and figure out what may be causing the problem.
Speaking of eating, if your Shih Tzu eats strange things click here to read my latest article about Shih Tzu health and what to do. If nothing seems to be working, your dog has changed his sleep patterns suddenly, he seems very lethargic and low on energy all the time, or he has other symptoms like vomiting, diarrhea, blood in his stool, or other concerns then you should take him to the vet immediately to get checked out. If you have a puppy and all its needs are met and it is still crying just remember it is common for it to whine and cry especially for the first week or so that you have him in your home.
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