Shih Tzu Training

Called the little lion in ancient china, the Shih Tzu comes from a very long history that is both proud and regal. A favorite of the imperial courts in china, the shih Tzu’s exact origin remains a mystery up to today, because the beginnings of the shih Tzu’s lineage starts at the forbidden palace in china, and because nobody but royalty and those closely related to the emperor were allowed to enter in the Forbidden Palace, few actually know the animals that were bred to create the shih Tzu. However, once the breed was formally established it became a favorite in the royal court

Things To Know About The Shih Tzu

• While the Shih Tzu is very small and obviously a toy dog, it is also an excellent watchdog. What makes this animal stand out from others, however, is that it can both guard your house, while not being a nuisance to your visitors. It is also very fond of running around the house, and makes for an excellent indoor pet. This is one of the reasons why many parents choose to buy the Shih Tzu, because it lives well indoors.

• The Shih Tzu can also live in places where there are young children. However, it is best to have children that are 5 years old or so because very young children may irritate the Shih Tzu. Owing to its royal lineage, the Shih Tzu is a proud creature that will not tolerate being teased or being abused, even by very young children.

• The Shih Tzu comes with a beautiful mane of long hair which allowed it to receive the name of being the little lion. However, with this gorgeous crowning glory, there are also many corresponding responsibilities that the dog owner needs to consider. Among the responsibilities the pet owner has in maintaining the beautiful image of the dog is to feed it with food that is rich in minerals as well as vitamins, because the effect could lead to greater hair shedding in the dog and can even lead to dull hair.

Training Your Shih Tzu

The key to training young shih thus is to use age to your advantage
Remember that shih Tzus are prone to becoming stubborn when it comes to new tricks when they grow older. As the saying goes, you cannot teach new dog old tricks. This proverb especially applies to the Shih Tzu. Begin potty training very early, and the results will be pleasant. While young puppies cannot be expected to hold their bladder well under any circumstance, when dealing with young shih Tzus and training them to defecate and urinate in the right place early on, results can come as quickly as a few weeks.

Biting should be corrected with socialization
One of the most common problems when it comes to shih Tzus is their habit of biting people. Usually this is the result of being separated from older shih Tzus early at birth, which would otherwise provide the usual training against excessive biting. In the natural environment, when a shih Tzu plays with too much bites the alpha shih Tzu dog often reacts by disciplining it. In the human home, however, it is completely up to the master to treat the dog the correct ways of socializing with others. This becomes especially important when you have young children with you, where a dog bite even with a relatively small dog can be very difficult to deal with.

Don’t use yelling to discipline your pet Shih Tzu
Doing so will only lead to greater hostility between you and your pet dog. Also, because most dogs are taught by association, yelling at your dogs when you teach them will only enforce negative association between you and your dog.

Their easily distracted
Another important factor to consider when it comes to training your pet Shih Tzu is that these dogs are very easily distracted and so your way of training your dog should involve as little time as possible so as to maintain their attention during the process.

The rewards system works for the shih Tzus
When teaching your pet dog new tricks one of the best ways to go about this is to start with a good set of treats that your pet dog appreciates. This will make sure that your dog will work hard for the treats that you offer it. However, remember that the reward system should be used sparingly for your pet dog otherwise they may become cocky and stop responding to treats. If you make your Shih Tzu work for the treats that it receives, however, you get better chances of maintain obedience.

Combining regal charms and intelligence, the Shih Tzu is one of the best pet options to the pet owner willing to devote some time and patience for training. With a well trained Shih Tzu, you will know why it has been considered one of the treasures of the Forbidden Palace.

More on Shih Tzus

The #1 Shih Tzu Guide – If your Shih Tzu is a training nightmare... then click to view our top rated Shih Tzu dog training and obedience guide that is available for immediate download.