Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 3: Toilet training a Shih Tzu
• Part 2 of 3: Appropriate training behavior
• Part 3 of 3: Using the right training tactics
• Tips

The Shih Tzu is a very friendly and active dog, but also a stubborn dog. Training a Shih Tzu requires time and long-term commitment, but it is well worth it as it allows you to build a healthy, happy relationship with your pet.

To step

Part 1 of 3: Toilet training a Shih Tzu

1. Teach your Shih Tzu to crate. Not only is this important for potty training, but if your Shih Tzu is familiar with the crate, it will also help during trips to the vet or other trips that require your dog to be temporarily confined.
   • Choose a small crate for your shih tzu. It only takes so much space for your dog to sit, stand and turn over. A crate must also have ventilation on all sides. It is not a bad idea to place the crate somewhere in the house where you are often. That way your dog can crate every now and then while still feeling part of the family.
   • Crating should be a reward, not a punishment. Place a water bowl, food, toys, and treats in the crate. Make sure the toy is safe for dogs and that it is large enough to prevent your dog from accidentally swallowing it.
   • Keep your Shih Tzu in the crate when you sleep, go out, or are doing household chores that will keep you from keeping an eye on your dog. Do this until your shih tzu is house trained and you are sure he will not have any indoor accidents.
   • It is important not to use the crate as one cage or cell to see and to keep its use to a minimum. If necessary, you can put the dog on a leash in the house so you can keep an eye on him and go outside with him as soon as you see him need to go to the bathroom.
2. Decide whether to let your dog toilet indoors or outdoors. Most dog owners choose to let their shih tzu groom outside as they are smaller pets and their owners typically live in an apartment. However, if you don't have access to the street or a garden, you can train the dog to relieve himself indoors, on a newspaper or hygienic pad.
   • The biggest advantage of newspaper training is convenience.For people who have difficulty walking their dog for whatever reason, for example due to a too busy schedule or a physical limitation, newspaper training is an alternative solution. In addition to newspapers and hygiene pads, you can also opt for a dog bowl, which are available in many pet stores.
   • The biggest downside to newspaper training is that it leaves odors and may not be the best option for your dog. A shih tzu is full of energy and needs time outdoors.
   • Whatever you choose, it's important to be consistent. Shih Tzu's get confused when they are sometimes allowed on a path, but sometimes they have to go outside to relieve themselves. They need a strict training schedule, so you have to choose one of the options.
3. Draw up a walking schedule. When you start potty training your Shih Tzu, stick to a strict walking schedule to make sure your pet is not going to the bathroom indoors.
   • Sniffing, spinning, and squatting are signs that a Shih Tzu needs to go to the bathroom. If you notice this behavior, take your dog outside or the designated area of ​​the house immediately.
   • If you are just starting toilet training, take your shih tzu puppy outside every 1.5 to 2 hours for 20-30 minutes. Take him outside when you wake up, before going to sleep, and after he has eaten or drunk.
   • Praise your Shih Tzu right after it has gone to the bathroom, outside or at the designated place in the house. Shih Tzu's respond better to positive feedback, which means that a reward for success is better than punishment for failure.
4. Be patient. Shih Tzu are extremely difficult to toilet train. It can take up to 8 months for a Shih Tzu to fully understand where to go. Don't get discouraged. Even if accidents still happen after a few months, stick to the training schedule and persevere. Your shih tzu will eventually understand and follow the rules.

Part 2 of 3: Appropriate training behavior

1. Teach your Shih Tzu to be alone. Shih Tzu's are very social dogs who like to be with their owner as much as possible. Separation anxiety is a common problem with Shih Tzu's and since you cannot take your dog everywhere, it is necessary to get your Shih Tzu used to being alone.
   • A crate can be a great help in reducing separation anxiety. Shih Tzu's tend to be less nervous about being alone if they have a place of their own to retreat to. Make sure your Shih Tzu's crate is comfortable, with a bed and toys, and leave the door open when you get home. This ensures that the dog does not see the crate as a forced experience, but rather as his personal refuge.
   • Some people prefer not to leave their dog in a crate, especially if they are absent for extended periods during the day. If this is the case for you, you can try giving your Shih Tzu access to your bedroom, study, or other enclosed area of ​​the house where it feels safe.
2. Expose your shih tzu to different sounds and experiences. Shih Tzu's can get nervous when spoiled too much. This results in embarrassment and even aggression. So expose your shih tzu to different sounds and experiences.
   • Sounds such as whistles, lawn mowers, sirens, vacuum cleaners, washing machines and other everyday noises should become familiar to your shih tzu. Of course, since separation anxiety is a problem, you don't want him to hear an innocent noise and panic while you're gone. Exposing your dog to different stimuli means simply taking him to different places and staying calm when you hear loud or sudden sounds.
   • Dogs can read your body language well. If you are afraid or expect your dog to behave badly, it is more likely to happen. Stay calm with sudden noises and in the presence of other dogs and other people, this will help your dog to stay calm as well. Do not treat him differently so that he recognizes that this is a normal event and that there is no reason to be afraid. If he's showing timid behavior, such as wheezing or hiding, feel free to say something calming to him or give him a cookie to make the moment positive and happy. However, do not remove him from the situation, lift him up or overreact, as this will produce an overreaction in the dog.
   • Small dog owners are often very protective which leads to what is known as the small dog syndrome. Owners ignore aggressive behavior, such as biting, and try to protect smaller dogs from larger animals by lifting them or panicking when interacting with larger species. The combination of the lack of discipline and the pampering makes smaller dogs more anxious and somewhat aggressive. Feel free to let your Shih Tzu interact with larger dog types and correct him when he bites, or redirect the biting to a toy.
3. Teach your shih tzu to come to you on command. It is very important to teach your dog to come when called. Not only can this prevent accidents, but it also creates a stronger bond between you and your dog.
   • Always make sure that coming to you is a positive experience. Your shih tzu should feel like coming when called is best for him. Reward him with praise, attention, cookies, or toys when he obeys.
   • It may help at first if you run away from your Shih Tzu when you call him. Dogs see running as a game, which makes it difficult for them not to chase you.
   • Praise your shih tzu as soon as he responds to your command. When praised, he will be eager to reach you and thus be less likely to be distracted by sounds, other animals or other people.
   • If your shih-tzu doesn't come when you call him, don't keep repeating his name or command over and over. This only teaches him that it is not a problem if he ignores your command. If he's not responding, try to run or shake a bag of rewards while you're come, or its name, instead of repeating the command over and over to no avail.
   EXPERT TIP

   Train your shih tzu to buy on a leash. Because Shih Tzu's are small dogs, it is particularly important to teach them to walk on a leash to avoid putting too much strain on their necks and limbs while walking.

   • Until your shih tzu learns not to pull on a leash, only take short walks. Find alternative ways to give him the exercise he needs, as walks will only be training sessions until he learns to walk properly on a leash.
   • Reward not pulling on the leash with cookies and praise. Scolding does not work with Shih Tzus. They respond best to positive feedback. So, instead of punishing what he does wrong, praise him for what he does right.
   • If your shih tzu becomes aroused before the walk, it is more likely to misbehave during the walk. When you go for the line, ignore your shih tzu if he starts jumping. Wait for him to sit, then attach the lead to the collar. When he starts jumping again to confirm your line, get up and wait for him to calm down. Do not attach the line until it stops jumping, even if it takes a while.
   • If your dog pulls, don't pull back. Stop. If he learns to associate pulling with something negative, stopping, then eventually he will learn not to pull. This works much better than scolding or pulling back, which only makes the dog more aroused.
   • If your Shih Tzu has a lot of trouble walking on a leash, consider investing in a harness until he calms down. A dog harness can be bought at the pet store and will keep your shih tzu from putting too much strain on his neck when pulling on the leash.
4. Train your shih tzu to sit and lie down. Sitting and lying down are important commands, as sitting or lying down is required in many situations. These commands are the basis of good training.
   • To teach your shih tzu to sit, first stand in front of him and say sits. Then take a biscuit and move it in an arc over your puppy's head so that his squats are lowered while his head is raised. Praise him as soon as he hits the ground.
   • As the training progresses, you can replace the physical movement with hand gestures. He should understand what the gestures mean with a little persistence. After a while, you can also stop the hand movement and just use the command to let your dog sit. Be consistent and practice the commands 10-15 times a day until he gets it through.
   • Sit is an important command for maintaining control of your Shih Tzu. He should sit when people come to the door, before taking him for a walk, and in other situations where he needs to stay calm. Ideally, he'll sit on command every time, regardless of any other stimuli.
   • Once your shih tzu gets the hang of it, you can teach him to lie down. Start in the same way as when sitting. Have him sit and then use a biscuit to get him into a reclining position. Let it sit and keep the cookie at ground level, but slowly pull it away from him so that he lies down while trying to reach the cookie. Praise him with cookies and attention as soon as he lies down. Gradually switch to hand gestures, eventually using only the verbal command.
   • Sitting and lying down can form the basis for other tricks, such as rolling over, pawing and lying dead. These tricks can all be taught with the same basic formula. Have your dog sit or lie down and then physically show him the desired behavior while rewarding him for performing it. Then switch to hand gestures and ultimately only the verbal command.

Part 3 of 3: Using the right training tactics

1. Be flexible. Shih Tzu love their people, but they don't seek approval as much as other breeds. They are usually stubborn and may not follow the rules consistently.
   • A Shih Tzu's mood is dynamic. He may be willing to sit and stay in exchange for a cookie one day, but may not be interested in the cookie at all the next day. You cannot use the same training tactics over and over with a Shih Tzu. You will likely have to vary your way of rewarding.
   • If your shih tzu ignores food one day, try verbal praise, toys, or a walk. Shih Tzu are highly intelligent and expect a reward for good behavior. So make sure you have different rewards ready to reward your dog for good behavior.
2. Only use positive feedback during training. Shih Tzu's can be very difficult to train due to their stubbornness, so the most effective training method is rigorous training without grumbling or disciplining.
   • If your Shih Tzu is misbehaving, it is better to simply ignore that behavior. Don't give in to jumping, biting, or other behavior that is trying to get your attention. Do not make eye contact with your Shih Tzu if he misbehaves, talk to or touch him. When your shih tzu realizes that certain behavior does not result in attention, he will stop behaving like that.
   • Always praise a Shih Tzu for good behavior. Shih Tzu's enjoy interacting with people and affection, making them willing to work for the prize. Positive feedback on good behavior and ignoring bad behavior is a great way to teach your Shih Tzu to behave.
3. Don't let your Shih Tzu around young children. Shih Tzu's make wonderful pets, but usually bond with one person and prefer to live in a household with adults and older children. Children under 3 years of age are unlikely to get along well with Shih Tzu's because they cannot understand the boundaries of the dogs. If you have young children, consider choosing a different breed of dog or separating your children and dog.

Tips

• Since Shih Tzu's have a very unique personality, it can help to consult with a friend or family member who has ever owned a Shih Tzu or other small dog.
• Shih Tzu can be proud and even arrogant. The training can be frustrating and many owners give up and allow the dog to misbehave. It is very important to be strict and stick to the training schedule for the long term.
• Only reward your Shih Tzu for tricks and following commands times and after training sessions. Rewarding at other times will result in selfish and demanding behavior.