Are shih tzu puppies hard to take care of?

Yes a little bit cause of their grooming.
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they arent so bad but at time when not shown enough attention they may whin…. i find that a cockapoo is very smart and less worry…. they are gorgeous.
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I've had one before and they are very smart dogs. I'm not any good with dogs and usually only have cats. I took in a shih tzu puppy that had been abused and taught it to do all kinds of things. I am so impressed with that breed !
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no not at all!!! i have a shih tzu and they are very quick learners! i taught my dog to do the normal tricks sit, stay, and lay. and beg shake and roll over. he also can goes to bed when i tell him to or he will go 2 his room. they are very smart and cute i think you should get one!! :] oh ya they r really easy to housebreak too we taught mine in like a week. the best part is they dont shed
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I have two shih tzu's.One is almost 3, the other is 7 months old. If you know how to groom them they are fairly easy, or if you can afford to get it groomed as needed.It's costly. They require a lot of attention and will pick up anything off the floor an eat it as a puppy. Main thing w/ grooming is keeping the hair around their eyes trimmed, and feet. Theyre awesome guard dogs, they will let you now if anyone is within 50 feet of the house. lol Also very protective of their owners.
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It depends on what your definition of hard is. Shih tzus have got long fur and they get matted easily. If you want, you could always put the pup in a "puppy" cut, which is supposedly shorter and easier to maintain.

Daily cleaning of the eyes are a must for shih tzus cause they constantly tear alot and could lead to eye infections. Ear infections are pretty common as well so have to ensure that the ears are cleaned weekly. I had a shih tzu once and his daily grooming wasnt back breaking work once we trained him to sit still and let us brush him.

If you're not into grooming, be prepared to send him for at least monthly trims and that would cost as well.
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Shih Tzus are gentle, loyal, and proud. They appear arrogant, but are very friendly and affectionate. They love to play ball and will chase anything you throw for them. Shih Tzus are trusting, companionable, and get along with everyone, generally. They are lively, alert and energetic outside. They are very people oriented, vivacious and athletic. The Shih Tzu makes a very pleasing companion and will be obedient if trained…Daily grooming is essential for the Shih Tzu. Bathing needs to be done once a month. This breed also needs a clipping of the matting on the feet. They should be brushed daily in order to remove and prevent mats from forming in the fur. Minimal exercise is needed, but they will love to play outdoors.
Training: Shih Tzus may be obstinate but patience and consistency will help over come the problem and achieve a reasonable level of training. Puppies need basic training when they are young. They should turn out to be a moderately obedient pet if trained.
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http://www.puppydogweb.com/caninebreeds/shihtzu.htm

Ours was a healthy, sweet little puppy. She didn't take much extra care. You do need to put a lot of effort into teaching the puppy to accept grooming; otherwise, you'll spend a lot of time fighting the adult over baths, blow-dry, etc.

The folks I know that have males have had a lot more trouble with them being stubborn and hard to house-break, though.
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I have a 10 yr. old rescue shih tzu and she has been the best dog. She made a wonderful demo dog in my training classes and she loves the clicker. She will do anything for that click and has a long list of tricks that she does. There is grooming, but they don't shed. They tend to be a little stuborn at times. If they don't want to do something they will have this look about them, like "make me". She has been alot of fun. I woudln't have ever gotten one, but she walked into the Petsmart where I worked, and I couldn't resist. She is like 9-10 lbs. easy to take on trips. Ask a vet on what the medical problems that they tend to have and how much it will be if it had to be treated. My vet told me that one of her knees could eventually start popping out. So just need to watch her so that she isn't going to jump off the couch.
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