- Tiny Pups -
Central Alberta
Shih Tzus
Frequently Asked Questions
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Do you have Imperial or Teacup Shih Tzu?
Our puppies are not considered Imperial or Teacup. To fall in that category, they would have to weigh under 7 lbs as adults. Ours typically weight between 8-13 lbs as adults. Males are typically on the higher end. The methods that some Breeders of Imperial Shih Tzu use to get those tiny sizes are unethical in our opinion. These can include withholding or restricting food in their early developmental months to stunt their growth. This also leads to many health problems for the life of the dog. Some of our puppies end up being on the tiny side naturally but we don’t do anything to facilitate that.
Are your puppies Registered?
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No, our puppies are not registered with the CKC or similar. We have found that the added expense of providing registered puppies was not wanted by the families we are working with. We have opted to not offer registered puppies We do however DNA and health test the parents to make sure their genetics are compatible and that they are pure Shih Tzu.
Will my puppy come potty trained?
No, not quite, but almost. We do introduce the puppies to potty training by using pee pads in a designated area of their enclosure. Some of them catch on really quick and are mostly pee pad trained by the time they go to their new homes. Some puppies are slower to catch on but are definitely starting to get the idea by the time they go home. Weather dependent, at about 4 weeks old we starting take them outside for potty breaks when they first wake up in the morning and from naps. They will always have to go at these times so it's the perfect time to train them.
What will make the transition easier for me & the puppy?
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The first few days will be a lot for the puppy. They are leaving everything they have known so far in life to join a new family and that can be a bit overwhelming for them. Keep those first few days low key. This will help with potty training too, they will need to be reminded about pee pad training at their new home.
I also recommend a puppy play pen/enclosure. This is will also assist with potty training and saving your carpets. It will allow you wrangle them into your desired area when you aren't home to supervise them as well.
Will my puppy be crate trained?
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No they will not. They however be used to be in an enclosed area. The puppies sleep on their own away from us. They will come with their blanket and stuffy that smells like mom and the rest of the litter. We stopped trying to crate train our puppies as we found many families were not actually planning to crate the puppy once it came home and the enclosure pen we recommend works perfectly for keeping them safe in one area while giving them a bit of space to play, a bed and designated pee pad area.
