Owners are proud of their dogs and Shih Tzu owners are no exception. The Shih Tzu is more prone to being a little bit of a ham so many people get Shih Tzu dogs because they love to get their picture taken. There are some good ways, and some bad ways, to go about getting Shih Tzu pictures and all of it revolves around knowing your dog and understanding the tendencies of the breed as well.
The first thing you want to do is to make your dog feel at ease by playing with your dog, petting your dog, and just generally making the dog feel comfortable. If you will be using a pedestal to get pictures then put the dog on the pedestal and praise it profusely for sitting there and stop praising it when it gets down. Shih Tzu dogs are smart and after a while they will catch on to what you are trying to tell them.
You are probably going to want to put silly hats and ribbons on your Shih Tzu for the Shih Tzu pictures. And the Shih Tzu normally does not mind these things if you proceed correctly. As soon as you feel that the dog is comfortable with the studio and has calmed down, then start brushing it and grooming it right away. This will get the dog used to any costume changes and will allow you to try any outfits or accessories you want to try for the shoot.
The Shih Tzu loved to be groomed and if you associate trying on accessories and outfits with being groomed then they will more than likely not only stand for it but also love it.
The Shih Tzu dog is a stubborn breed and you are probably going to want to try everything on it prior to shooting to see what it likes and does not like. If your dog is totally against wearing something then put it away and forget about it.
Your dog is comfortable and you have gone through everything you wanted to do with the Shih Tzu pictures and your dog has approved or denied everything and it is time to start shooting. Shih Tzu dogs hate noise and commotion.
The Shih Tzu do not respond well to tension or a lot of commotion so any Shih Tzu photo session will need to be very organized and very quiet. You will need everything to flow smoothly and reduce the amount of people in the room as much as possible. Upsetting the Shih Tzu means no pictures.
Your Shih Tzu will refuse to do some things and probably give you a hard time with other things but in the end you will have your pictures and then you can share them with the world. You have your own little spoiled model on your hands so treat them like you would a person and everything should be fine and the pictures should turn out beautifully.
