How Can I Get the Brown Spots Off of a Shih Tzu's Face?

Brown facial spots are more visible on lighter colored fur.

Caring for a dog with a long, flowing double coat takes dedicated attention to grooming. In the Shih Tzu's case, the trademark hair tied up in a bow brings attention to the dog's face. While your Shih Tzu may carry its head proudly for all to see, you want to remove any tear stains from under its eyes and the brown spots from around its beard so your Shih Tzu can put its best face forward.

Things You'll Need

• Cotton ball
• Bottled or filtered water
• Grooming clippers
• Quality dog food
• Apple cider vinegar
• Tear stain removal cleanser

Instructions

1. Clean hair around the eyes and beard with a cotton ball soaked in warm water. Brown spots result from the growth of yeast or bacteria on your Shih Tzu's fur. Dab away extra dirt and moisture to inhibit yeast and bacterial growth.

2. Trim and pull back hair from around the eyes. Stray hairs rubbing in your Shih Tzu's eyes will increase tear production. Use care when trimming around the eyes with grooming clippers or round-tip grooming scissors.

3. Avoid dog food with heavy amounts of added coloring. Artificial dyes may discolor your Shih Tzu's beard when food particles come into contact with fur around the mouth.

4. Switch to filtered or bottled water. High mineral content in tap water may cause stains in your Shih Tzu's beard. Add 1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar to drinking water to decrease tear staining.

5. Apply a commercial tear stain removal product. These products chemically change stains to improve fur appearance, but do not remove the cause behind the stains. Use about once per week and apply with care to avoid getting chemicals in the eyes or mouth.

Tips & Warnings

• Visit your veterinarian to rule out medical reasons for excessive tearing. Eye infections, blocked tear ducts and ingrown eyelashes may result in increased or abnormal tear production. Dog food allergies or environmental triggers may also cause watery eyes.

• Use a toothbrush dipped in warm water once each week to brush out tough tear stains around the eyes.

• If your Shih Tzu doesn't like the smell or taste of apple cider vinegar in its water, reduce the amount and slowly work up to 1 tbsp.

• Don't tie up your Shih Tzu's hair too tight. It may scratch and rub at the hair tie, causing extra contact with the eyes and face.

References

• American Kennel Club: AKC Meet the Breeds: Shih Tzu
• PetMD: Eye Inflammation (Choroid and Retina) in Dogs
• PetEducation.com: Tear Stains in Dogs & Cats
• PetEducaiton.com: Eye Care for Dogs
• PedMd: Eye Inflammation (Blepharitis) in Dogs