How to Pick up Your Shih Tzu

Last Updated: May 6, 2021 Approved

As a Shih Tzu owner, you'll want to pick up your dog safely. Since Shih Tzus are small and delicate, rough handling can cause serious injuries, such as vertebrae problems. To properly pick up a Shih Tzu, support its body and back completely. Additionally, hold on to it securely, so it doesn’t slip out of your hands. If you use the proper technique, your Shih Tzu is more likely to remain healthy for years to come.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Lifting Your Shih Tzu Safely

1
Hold the dog close to your side. Hold the dog’s collar with your non-dominant hand, so it has to be close to your side. This will limit your Shih Tzu’s ability to get away from you and will position it correctly for being picked up.^{[1]
X
Research source}
- You can do this while crouched next to the dog or with the dog sitting on a couch or chair next to you.
Tip: Be gentle when pulling the dog towards you. You don’t want to injure it by tugging too hard on its collar.
2
Put your dominant hand under your dog’s chest. Put your arm over the top of your dog and insert your hand on the far side of the dog. Place your hand behind the front legs on the Shih Tzu’s chest.^{[2]
X
Research source}
- Once your hand is on your dog’s chest, your arm will wrap over the top of the dog’s back.
Advertisement
3
Pin the Shih Tzu to your side slowly and gently. Pull the dog towards your side. This is a similar position to a football hold, with the dog in the football’s position. This is a gentle yet effective way to get control of your dog’s body.^{[3]
X
Research source}
- Pinning the dog to your side will allow you to support the dog's body weight evenly while simultaneously controlling its movement.
4
Lift the dog while keeping it pinned to your side. If it’s held tight enough, the Shih Tzu’s body will be supported by your hand in the front and the rest of your arm in the back. However, you do not need to hold it so tightly that the dog is uncomfortable.^{[4]
X
Research source}
- Shih Tzus are generally small dogs, so it shouldn’t take much strength to lift one up in this way.
5
Re-adjust your position once you have the dog lifted. For example, you can move your hand from their chest to their side facing away from you if you want the dog more in front of you. Remember to maintain a gentle but firm grip.
- As you reposition, be sure that you are supporting the entire length of the dog's body the whole time.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Setting Your Shih Tzu Down

1
Put your dog down if it struggles to get out of your arms. If your dog shows pain or discomfort, immediately put it down. You don’t want to risk it wiggling so much that it gets free and falls, so play it safe and set it down gently.^{[5]
X
Research source}
- Some Shih Tzus just do not like being held. If this is the case with your dog, only pick it up when absolutely necessary.
2
Maintain a solid grip on the Shih Tzu as you put it down. Focus on not losing your grip, even if the dog is struggling. You want to keep it held firmly against your body as you lower it to the ground.
- If you keep it in the tucked position under your arm as you lower it, that will give you control over the dog’s movement.
3
Remove your hands only once the dog touches the ground. Don’t let it jump to the ground. The goal is to support its entire body weight until all 4 of its feet are on the ground.
- If your Shih Tzu is struggling to get free, just be sure not to drop it more than a few inches. A drop further than that could cause injury.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Using Care With Other Movements

1
Instruct others about how to pick up your dog. Not everyone will know how to pick up your Shih Tzu, so it’s your job to tell them how before they attempt to. For example, do not let children pick up your dog without supervision and instruction beforehand.
- This doesn’t have to be a lengthy or serious conversation. Just quickly show them how to do it and tell them why it is important for your Shih Tzu’s health.
2
Add steps to ease movement on and off of high objects. Buy or make dog stairs, which can be moved around to allow your dog to get on and off of high pieces of furniture. You can also put shorter pieces of furniture next to high spots so the dog can use them as stairs.^{[6]
X
Trustworthy Source
American Kennel Club
The American Kennel Club (AKC) is a purebred dog pedigree registry in the United States. The AKC advocates for the responsible ownership of dogs and promotes purebred dog events, such as the Westminster Dog Show.
Go to source}
- Since Shih Tzu have such short legs and they can be hurt if forced to jump down off of high objects, such as couches and beds. Because of this, it’s important to give them easy ways on and off of things they go on every day.
Tip: Pre-made dog stairs are available from online retailers and at most large pet stores.
3
Never ever hit or yell at your dog. As with any dog but especially the small Shih Tzu, rough handling can be harmful to the dog’s body, as well as to your relationship with the dog. If you're too rough, the dog could get injured and it will lose trust in you as well.
- Yelling at a dog or punishing it for misbehavior does not solve anything. The dog doesn’t understand you and will only learn to mistrust you if you yell at it.^{[7]
  X
  Research source}