Shih Tzu Training

Housebreaking

Housebreaking is your first training concern and it should begin the moment you bring your puppy home. Puppies should be taken outdoors after meals, as a full stomach will put pressure on the bladder and colon. The puppy should be encouraged to use the same area for "his business" and he will soon get used to it. Indoors, sheets of newspapers can be used to cover the area where the puppy should relieve himself. These should be placed some distance away from his sleeping and feeding areas, as a puppy will not eliminate where he eats or sleeps.

The puppy should be praised after he has used this particular part of the room. Each positive reinforcement will increase the possibility of his using that area again. You must be patient, tolerant and understanding. Never rub his nose in his excreta, never punish him with your hand. This will make him "hand-shy" and fear you.

Teaching Basic Commands

When you begin giving your puppy simple commands, make them as short as possible and use the same meaning at all times, for example, "heel", "Sit", "Stay". You must be consistent, otherwise your Shih Tzu puppy will become confused. The dog's name should prefix all commands to attract his attention.

"Come" Command

Introduce the "Come" comand by calling your Shih Tzu puppy when his meal is ready. Once this is learned, you can call him any time, always remembering to praise him for prompt obedience. Don't switch to "Come here" or "Come boy" as this will always lead to confusion.

Punishment is very ineffective in training. If your Shih Tzu puppy runs away instead of coming to you, it is absolutely senseless to punish him when he eventually comes back. He will connect the punishment with his return, not with running away and he will soon learn not to come to you when you call him.

"Sit" Command


This is one of the easiest command to teach your Shih Tzu puppy. You will need a leash, a collar and a few tasty biscuits. Take your dog for some exercise before the meal. After about five minutes, call him to you, praise him when he comes to you and slip his collar on him. Hold the leash tightly in your right hand; this should force the dog's head up and focus his attention on you. As you say "Sit", in a loud clear voice, with your left hand press steadily on his rump until he is in a sitting position, praise him and give him a biscuit. Now wait for a few minutes and repeat the routine. Through the repetition, your puppy will associate the word with the reward. Eventually your praise will be reward enough for your Shih Tzu puppy.



"Heel" Command

When you walk your dog, you should hold the leash firmly in your right hand. The dog should walk on your left so you have the leash crossing your body. This enables you to have greater control over the dog.



Let your dog lead you for the first few moments. If he starts to pull in one direction, just stop walking. He will soon find that he can't walk any further. He will then turn and look back at you. Just stand there and stare back at him. Repeat this routine. If he starts to pull and jerk, just stand there. After he quiets down, comfort him, as he may be frightened. Keep up this training until he learns not to outwalk you.

Once the puppy obeys the pull of the leash, start teaching "heeling". Start off walking briskly, saying "Heel!" in a loud firm voice. Pull back with a sharp jerk if he lunges ahead, and if he lags repeat the command and tug on the leash. After the puppy has learned to heel at various speeds on leash, you can ramove it and practice heeling free, but have it ready to snap on again as soon as he wanders.

It is extremely important to buy your Shih Tzu puppy from a reputable breeder, not from a pet store or a puppy mill. A good source for primary characteristics of a reputable breeder can be found on many web sites.