The Help You Need To Raise Your Shih Tzu Pup

Bringing home your new Shih Tzu pup is a very happy moment for you, your family, and your puppy. Everyone is happy and then comes the time to try and train the little dog. A Shih Tzu pup is very arrogant and stubborn and they do not respond to punishment so you are going to not only have to exercise the utmost in patience while training your pup but you are also going to have to find new and creative ways to use positive reinforcement to have it do the things you want it to do and not punish it for things you do not want it to do.

You want your new Shih Tzu pup to feel comfortable in your home. You will be using a crate or a pen to housebreak it but for the first few minutes just let it wander the house so it knows there is a whole big house to conquer. Watch for signs of needing to use the bathroom like sniffing and circling and get the dog outside if that happens. If they do their business outside then praise and reward them profusely and hope you are setting a good precedent.

Of course the most important thing on any new Shih Tzu pup owner’s mind is housebreaking the animal. You want the dog to understand that the house is not its personal toilet even though it probably comes into the house thinking that way. You need to get a big crate, or some people prefer to find a room in the house and create a pen, and make that your Shih Tzu pup’s living space. Put its food and bedding there and play with your dog so it is comfortable in its new living space. Then the games begin.

Keep the dog in the crate or pen while you are home and every 45 minutes you need to take it outside and see if it does its thing. If he does go to the bathroom in the designated bathroom area then praise it a lot. The Shih Tzu will not mess its own living area unless you leave it locked up too long and that is why you need to take it out frequently. Then start moving to different parts of the house and repeat the process until the dog gets it. Then you can let it wander.

Grooming and a clean coat are very important to a Shih Tzu pup so be sure to comb or brush the dog’s beautiful coat at least once a day. The dog will probably enjoy this and it will keep the coat from getting tangled. A tangled coat can mean an unhealthy Shih Tzu so make sure you are brushing that coat daily. A monthly bath may not be a bad idea but test your dog’s reaction first. If it seems like the bath will cause problems then contact your breeder for advice.

Your Shih Tzu wants to always be the center of attention so make sure you constantly show it plenty of love and attention and play with your dog a lot. Shih Tzu dogs will require a great deal of your time so be prepared to give up large chunks of your day to paying attention to your dog. But they are also one of the most loyal breeds there is and they return your love right back at you.

Rebecca Simpson participates in charitable events for local animal rescue groups. You can find helpful information on training Shih Tzu puppies in this article. Important and helpful Shih Tzu puppy care information can be found in this article.