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You will find recommendations for the best products to help your Shih Tzu Baby live a cozy home life.
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Water Stand
There are many reasons to swap the water bowl for a water bottle. First & foremost, water bottles are so much more hygienic (no more backwash just sitting in the water bowl). But beyond that, your dog's face stays dry eliminating yeast buildup on their face, food from sticking to a wet face, & water being trailed around your house from their facial hair. We have for a long time used water bottles for our adults but we found a company on Etsy that actually developed an adjustable stand that we could implement with young puppies & then raise the point where the water bottle sits & thus the spout. The best thing about using this water bottle stand with a bottle versus an all-in-one water bottle stand with a bottle you can find on Amazon is two-fold. For one, this stand is designed for bottles with a larger water capacity so your dog is/a dogs are never accidentally left without water. Secondly, the water bottles in the other units are not smooth on the inside. They have ripples where bacteria can harbor & cleaning becomes a chore, if it ever can be cleaned to be in a like-new state again.
Needless to say, we are big fans of Lickity Stand. We have so many of their water bottle stands around our homes, & their customization ability not only allows you to have the stand in different colors & add decals like a name or symbols, but for us, we have them cut for our puppies to be just 4" off the ground for the young pups & slowly heighten it as your puppy matures & becomes taller.
Our preference is the adjustable water bottle stand that DOES NOT include the drip cup. The drip cup is not necessary with the water bottle that we use & suggest for purchase & the drip cup becomes a nuisance when moving the stand to another location (there's another piece to move) & it also adds a mini bowl to empty & clean (a complete moot point if you buy the water bottle that we suggest to buy). Most pups when they go home will need the starting point of their adjustable stand to be anywhere between 5" - 7". If you choose that you want to order your Lickity Stand, we will advise you of which size to buy.
32 oz Water Bottle
A high capacity water bottle that fits your Lickity Stand. Leaking is MINIMAL & usually only happens when you are placing it in the water stand itself. We highly recommend this BPA free option – it’s easy to clean (dishwasher safe) & has no grooves on the inside to harbor bacteria.
Shallow Food Bowl
This shallow food bowl is perfect for your short-snouted Shih Tzu. These are the bowls we use, we have them in 3 different sizes & use the larger 2 on a daily basis with your pet. If you’re confused about sizes, order the 1-cup capacity. When your dog matures, you can order the 1.75-cup capacity. The stainless steel bowl has a non-slip bottom & is dishwasher safe.
Eating Mat
An eating mat to keep your floors clean from food particles. Comes in an array of colors so you can choose to pop or blend.
Bells
The best bells for your pup to wear around its collar in case you want to always HEAR them. These are actually bird hunting bells & are made FAR better than the bells they sell for pets to wear. You can actually hear these (not too loud where it’s a bother) & they are durable, unlike others that bend & break & then actually become a choking hazard. These hang perfectly on the Mountain Leash ID Collar with a ID Name Tag.
Stain & Odor Eliminator
Your pup will have potty mistakes & this will prevent the stains & eliminate the odor left behind. This is an enzymatic cleaner for all surfaces & all organic materials.
Potty Pad Tray
This is the potty pad tray we use in our homes to help potty train your pup. The top grid reduces paws from becoming wet from urine, the tray eliminates the ability for your pup to be able to play & tear up their potty pad & your floors are protected from any leakage. Also, because the potty pad would fit in a tray, the potty pads don’t have to be THE BEST out there, saving you $ in the long run. In full transparency, the design with the top grid makes it a little more of a chore to clean. We suggest a utility sink, if available, with a brush & a powder cleaner with bleach (Ajax or something comparable – don’t judge us if you’re a “natural” cleaner) to get a good disinfection.
Pee Pads
These are good. They work well in the pee pad tray with grid we use & they are way less expensive than the ones we replaced, which were about $1 per pad. I wouldn’t recommend using these without a tray, or any pee pad really.