How to Train a Shih Tzu to Behave
Jump to section
Introduction
Of all of the smaller breeds, the Shih Tzu has proven to be one of the more social and outgoing little dogs. They’re less yappy and more likely to enjoy the company of multiple people within the home. But like all small dogs, they can develop some poor manners if left to their own devices. Shih Tzus can be stubborn and easily distracted on top of that, so it’s important to be consistent when it comes time to teach these little dogs how to behave.
Small dogs can get a bad reputation for being excitable, aggressive, or not being housebroken. It can take time to realize that even a Shih Tzu will respond to normal training techniques with enough consistency and patience. Though they may be tougher to break of bad habits, you’ll be surprised as to what some good motivation and rewards will do.
Top
Defining Tasks
Teaching a dog to behave consists of a few key aspects that work together in tandem to create a well-rounded canine companion to share a home with. First is socialization, to prevent your Shih Tzu from developing fears around other dogs and people. Following that, you’ll need to figure out basic obedience commands and combine these with other activities to build focus and trust. Finally, you’ll need to figure out how to continue to reinforce these manners in your day to day life.
Starting your Shih Tzu with this training as soon as possible is the key to creating good habits to last a lifetime. However, training an adult who has never learned before may present some challenges, but it is not impossible. Either way, you’ll want to be ready to train for two to four months to get down these basics for good behavior.
Top
Getting Started
Shih Tzus, like many other breeds, can easily be motivated by toys or treats. Have these on hand during your training session to act as effective rewards. In public, you’ll want to have a mid-sized leash for appropriate handling during walks or socialization exercises. Besides these two items, you will want to have plenty of patience, especially for adult Shih Tzus who may take longer to pick up on new concepts. Your persistence will be rewarded in the end!
Top
The Socialization Method
Effective
0 Votes
Effective
0 Votes
Start early
Starting socialization during puppyhood is more effective and can help prevent fear and aggression from developing later .
Use positive experiences
Use other dogs and people who are calm and well behaved to act as good role models for your Shih Tzu.
Involve others
Get friends and family involved, as well as their pets. The more people and animals your dog can be around, the more likely it will be that he can develop good associations with them.
Have a regular routine
Provide an opportunity to socialize at least a few times a week. Dogs that are isolated too often are prone to being fearful of others.
Watch for stress
Never force your dog to be in a situation that makes him stressed or uncomfortable. Always work within his threshold and reward good experiences. Make gradual progression to avoid causing relapses.
The Obedience Method
Effective
0 Votes
Effective
0 Votes
Establish a schedule
Maintain regular obedience training sessions, preferably multiple times a day.
Work on the basics
Establish the obedience foundations such as ‘sit’, ‘stay’, ‘down’, ‘come’, and ‘heel’. Teach them one at a time and make sure they are mastered.
Give your dog a job
Many dogs thrive on having a job to do. Whether it’s participating in a sport or having him fetch items in your house for you throughout the day, give your Shih Tzu something to work at, which will keep him busy and thinking.
Expect good behavior at all times
Never let your dog get away with poor behavior just because he is small. Remember to reward for good behavior and separate him from situations where he is misbehaving.
Teach complex obedience
Once you get the foundations down, start teaching more complicated things like tricks or things like agility or rally obedience. Challenge your Shih Tzu to perform in a variety of situations around all kinds of distractions.
The Permission Method
Effective
0 Votes
Effective
0 Votes
Prepare a meal
Fix your dog’s meal as you do every day. Make sure she is nearby so you can be ready to start working on asking for permission.
Ask for obedience
Before you offer her the meal, ask your Shih Tzu to perform an obedience task such as ‘sit’.
Reward with the meal
Wait until she performs the required obedience command before you reward her with the meal.
Repeat for everything
From that point, remember that anything your dog wants should be asked for first in the form of obedience. This can be things like going outside, getting a toy, going for a walk, or getting to sit on furniture.
Involve your household
Allow the rest of your family to reinforce your Shih Tzu’s training by having them maintain the same rules for asking permission.
Written by TJ Trevino
Veterinary reviewed by:
Published: 04/20/2018, edited: 01/08/2021
Training Questions and Answers
Gracie
Shih Tzu
One Year
Question
0 found this helpful
0 found this helpful
Why is my dog so distant and skittish around me? She’s not a people pup like my last one was.
June 7, 2023
Gracie's Owner
Caitlin Crittenden - Dog Trainer
1133 Dog owners recommended
Hello, How long have you had her? Have you had her since she was a puppy or did you rescue as an adult? If she was a rescue, her past may have contributed to fearfulness or trust issues. If you have had her all of her life, it could be related to how she has been disciplined or pressured to interact if shy. I suspect it has more to do with inherit temperament than anything else is she has lived with you her whole life. Genetics do play a large part in a dog's temperament. If either of her parents were shy and fearful she may have gotten that trait from them. There could also be a health issue responsible, like a hormone, thyroid issue, or something causing pain. It may be worth checking with your vet if history, her genetics, and how you interact with her don't seem to explain the fearfulness, especially if she used to be more outgoing and friendly and has become more reserved than before. Without a full history and evaluating how she interacts with you and you her, its hard to know for certain. If this is simply her personality, check out youtube channels of trainers who have a lot of experience with shy or fearful dogs, such as kikopup's videos, and consider learning about counter conditioning or hiring a trainer experienced with it, to help in person. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden
June 9, 2023
Halo
Shih Tzu
One Year
Question
0 found this helpful
0 found this helpful
My dog is becoming impossibly aggressive. His trainer asked me to be nervous and stern with him but I get scared very easily, especially after he bit me. Could you help me by telling how can I treat his aggressiveness?
Aug. 3, 2022
Halo's Owner
Caitlin Crittenden - Dog Trainer
1133 Dog owners recommended
Hello, Could you include more information about his aggression please? Like when is he acting aggressive? What tends to trigger his aggression? Is he aggressive toward only you or toward other people in the home, strangers, other dogs, ect...? Is he aggressive toward the trainer also? What's his general temperament and personality like? To be of much help advising you I would need to know a lot more about the behavior and your situation. Since you are nervous around him I would start by desensitizing him to wearing a basket muzzle so you can feel safe interacting with him again and be able to train without risking a bite. The muzzle won't train him for you, but when working with aggression, a muzzle can sometimes be a good tool for keeping someone safe enough for them to be able to interact with the dog again to work on training, so that the training can help with the aggression. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DqM2_vLcQ2Y https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJTucFnmAbw If you are still working with your trainer, have them show you how to introduce the muzzle using counter conditioning. Choose a muzzle that allows pup to open their mouth enough to take a treat through the muzzle hole while wearing, preventing a bite but letting pup still open their mouth some to drink and be rewarded by you. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden
Aug. 4, 2022