The shih tzu dog is very friendly and active, but also stubborn.It is worthwhile as it can foster a healthy, happy relationship between you and your pet because of the longterm dedication and time it takes.
Step 1: You should crate train your pet.
It's important that crate training is included in the housebreaking process.Having a familiarity with your dog's crate can help with vet trips, road trips and other incidents.Pick a small crate for your dog.You don't need a lot of room for your dog to sit, stand, and turn around.ventilated crates should be on all four sidesIt's a good idea to keep the crate in your home where you hang out frequently.It would be great if your dog could occasionally go in her crate while still being part of the family.The crate should be seen as a treat rather than a punishment.The crate should hold a water dish and food.Make sure the toys are big enough for your dog to not swallow them.When you sleep, go out, or when you're occupied with a household chore, keep your dog in a crate.Until your dog is housebroken, you should do this.To keep use to a minimum, it is important not to treat the crate as a "cage" or "prison".When you are home, keep the dog on a lead so you can keep an eye on him and take him to the bathroom if you see signs of him wanting to go.
Step 2: Do you want your dog to go inside or outside?
Many apartment dwellers own small pets such as Shih Tzus, which they prefer to eliminate outside.If you don't have easy access to the street or a yard, you may want your dog to stay inside.convenience is the main pro of paper training.Paper training is an alternative to taking a dog outside for a variety of reasons.Many pet stores sell dog litter boxes.Paper training may not be the best option for your dog.They are high energy and enjoy the outdoors.It's important to be consistent with your route.If they're told they can sometimes use a pad but are expected to go outside, they may get confused.You have to choose between one option or the other for training the shih tzu.
Step 3: You should make a walk schedule.
If you want to keep your pet out of the house, you need to stick to a strict walking schedule.Sniffing, circling, or squatting are some of the telltale signs that a dog is ready to die.If you notice these behaviors, you can either take your dog outside or direct her to the correct place.If you want to housebreak a puppy, you need to take her out every one and a half to two hours.Before you go to bed, and after she eats or drinks, you should take her out.Praise your dog immediately after she gets out of the house.Praise for success will go farther than admonishing for mistakes because the shih tzus respond better to positive reinforcement.
Step 4: Be patient, be patient.
They are difficult to break up with.It may take as long as eight months for a Shih Tzu to fully understand where it's appropriate to eliminate.Don't be discouraged.If you have accidents after a few months, be persistent and strict with your training schedule.Your dog should obey the rules eventually.
Step 5: You should teach your dog to be alone.
The dogs want to be with their owners as much as possible.As it's not possible to bring your dog everywhere, you need to train yours to adapt to solitude.A crate is an excellent way to reduce separation anxiety.If they have a place of their own to retreat to, they are less nervous about being left alone.Leave the crate door open when you are at home and make your crate comfortable with bedding and toys.The crate will not be seen as a forced experience by the Shih Tzu.Some people don't want to leave their dogs in crates if they go for long hours.If this is the case with you, you may be able to allow your dog access to your bedroom, study, or another area of the house where she feels safe.
Step 6: A variety of sounds and experiences is what you can expose your dog to.
If they are coddled, they might develop nervous tendencies.This can result in shyness and aggression.Listen to a variety of sounds and experiences with your dog.Sounds like lawnmowers, sirens, vacuum cleaners, washing machines, and other day-to-day noises should be familiar to your dog.You don't want her to hear an innocuous noise while you're gone as separation anxiety is an issue.If you want your dog to be exposed to a variety of stimuli, you need to take her with you to different places and remain calm in the face of loud noises.Dogs listen to their owners.It's more likely to happen if you get frightened or anticipate a negative behavior from your dog.Staying calm in the face of sudden noises can be done by other dogs or people.She sees the event as normal and not to be feared.If she shows any timid behavior, such as cowering or whimpering, it's okay to say something soothing to her or to provide her with a treat to make the moment seem happy and positive.If you remove her from the situation, pick her up, or otherwise, you will encourage an overreaction in the dog.Small dog syndrome is a result of owners being over protective of small dogs.Owners ignore aggressive behavior, like biting, and try to protect smaller dogs from bigger animals by picking them up or panicking.Smaller dogs end up fearful and aggressive because of lack of discipline and coddling.Allow your dog to interact with bigger animals and scold her if she bites or ignores a toy or treat.
Step 7: When called, teach your dog to come.
It's important to have your dog come when called.It also fosters a stronger relationship between you and your dog.You should always come to you with a positive attitude.It is the best thing for your dog to be called.When she obeys, give her praise, attention, treats, and toys.She doesn't make a negative association with "come" and playtime being over if she is released for a while.It might be a good idea to run away from your dog when you call her.She'll find it hard to resist running after you because you see running as a game.As soon as she responds to your commands, start praising her.She'll be more likely to reach you if she's getting praise.Do not repeat her name if she doesn't come when called.She learns it's okay to ignore your commands.If she isn't responding, try running or shaking a bag of treats and saying "come" or her name instead of repeating the command.
Step 8: Leash train your pet.
As small dogs, leash training is important as you don't want to cause strain on their limbs during walks.Take your dog for short walks only until she learns not to pull.She's going to have to walk until she learns good leash manners.Rewarding with treats and praise will make you puling.Scolding doesn't work well with a dog.Praise her for what she's doing right instead of telling her to do something wrong because they're more likely to respond to positive feedback.If your dog gets worked up before a walk, she's more likely to act out.If your dog starts jumping around, don't go to get the leash.Wait until she sits down and clips the leash on her collar.Stand up and wait for her to calm down if she starts bouncing around when you reach to clip the leash.Even if it takes awhile, don't clip the leash until she bounces.Don't pull back when your dog pulls.Simply stop.She will eventually learn not to pull if she learns to associate pulling with a negative.This works better than pulling back, which only makes the dog angry.If your dog has a lot of trouble with leash manners, invest in a harness.Dog harnesses can be purchased at pet stores and will keep your dog from straining her neck if she pulls on the leash.
Step 9: If you want your dog to lie down, train him to sit down.
Many other behaviors require your dog to sit or lie down first.Solid training is provided by them.If you want to teach your dog to sit, you should stand before her and say "sit."Then, use a treat and draw an arcs over the puppy's head so that when his head goes up, his bottom goes down.Praise her when she hits the ground.As training progresses, you can use hand gestures to move your dog.She should know what the gestures mean.Try to phase out hand gestures and get your dog to sit when you say so.She needs to practice the command 10 to 15 times a day until she masters it.Sit is a command for controlling your dog.She needs to remain calm when you take her for walks and when people come to the door.She should sit every time she hears the command.You can teach your dog to lie down once she has mastered sit.You started by teaching her to sit.Ask her to sit and then use a treat to get him to lie down.Get him to sit, hold the treat at floor level, and then slowly move it away from him so that he can lie down and get it.Praise her with treats when she falls down.Then the command alone.Roll over, shake, and play dead are some of the tricks Sit and lie down can be used for.The same basic formula can be used to teach these tricks.If you want to show your dog the needed behavior, get her to sit or lie down.Move onto the hand gestures.
Step 10: Allow for flexibility to occur.
The people of the shih tzu are not as nice as other breeds.They may not follow your rules.A dog's mood is up and down.She might be willing to sit and stay one day in order to get a treat, but not the next day.It's not always possible to use the same training tactics.You may have to change the way you reward and punish behavior.Reward your dog with toys, praise, or a walk if she ignores food.A highly intelligent breed, the shih tzus expect rewards for good behavior.Reward your dog for being good with a variety of ideas.
Step 11: Positive reinforcement is good for training.
Being firm with the shih tzus is an effective means of training since they can be difficult to train due to their stubbornness.It's better to ignore the behavior of your dog.Don't give in to jumping, biting, or other attention grabbing behaviors.Do not make eye contact with your dog if she does not behave.If your dog knows certain behaviors don't result in attention, she'll stop using them.Praise a dog for being well behaved.The shih tzus enjoy interacting with humans and are willing to work for praise.Positive reinforcing good behaviors while ignoring bad ones is a great way to get your dog to behave.
Step 12: Do not allow your dog near children.
The shih tzu is a great pet, but prefer homes with more mature family members.The breed needs to be understood by children under the age of 3.If you have young children, consider keeping them separate from your dog.