Nobody's perfect. While your Shih Tzu is adorable and full of love, they likely have
a few behaviours that you would like to see a little less …..and that's perfectly OKAY.
With little effort and a lot of love,
these 'bad behaviours' can soon become a thing of the past. So let's have a look
into the 7 most common behaviour problems in Shih Tzus and how you can solve them.
Number 1. is Excessive Barking
Even though Shih Tzus don't bark as much as other dogs of its size,
they still bark a lot. My Bella looks outside the window and keeps barking at birds,
small animals and even people passing by. And this is an everyday thing.
An excellent strategy to stop this is to get a coffee can with a lid and
fill it halfway with pennies. Whenever your dog barks, simply shake the can,
and when you have their attention, say 'no' in a firm voice, followed by a sit command.
Give your dog a treat afterwards. You will have to be consistent with this; trust me, this works.
Number 2. Hand nipping or biting
Some Shih Tzus, especially if they left their mom a little early, can become over-excited and bite
you when you least expect it. Don't punish your pup for this. They just don't know the correct
way to interact with you, and you have to teach them that. However, biting habits can continue
to adulthood if you fail to teach them the correct way of interacting when they are young.
Soft play-biting is fine, but if it causes any pain, you have to do something about it.
To fix this problem, Redirect your dog's behaviour to a toy whenever they try to bite you.
And if your Shih Tzu bites you, immediately stop whatever you are doing and say 'oww!'
or mimic a dog whimper, pulling your hand close to you to show that it
hurts. And ignore them for five minutes. After a time, your puppy will get to know
that biting hurts, and it will end all the fun for them… and over time, it will stop.
Number 3. Chewing things they aren't supposed to
Your Shih Tzu puppy would want to chew everything when they are teething. Chewing on their toys is
completely fine… what's not okay is chewing on the furniture and other household things.
To stop this behaviour, you need to make your dog understand what's
forbidden and what's approved for them to chew...
When your dog is chewing something that they aren't supposed to, tell your dog 'no' firmly
and hand them one of their own toys to chew on and Take away the 'forbidden'.
When you see your dog chewing the 'approved' item, give them a treat, and over time they will develop
positive associations with chewing their own toys – instead of your shoes or other possessions!
Number 4. Peeing in the house
To house train your Shih Tzu, you will need to understand their peeing schedule and take
them outside during that time. Adult Shih Tzus need to do their business every 3 to 4 hours,
whereas puppies need to do it more frequently. Now taking your puppy
out every hour may not be possible for everyone, so what you can do is,
teach them to pee inside your washroom, and once they grow up, you can take the training outside.
Now Shih Tzus are a little difficult to house train, mostly because of their
small bladder and stubborn nature. So you will need to be more patient.
Number 5. Begging
If your dog has developed a habit of excessive begging, to the point that they are barking or
even trying to climb into your chair whenever you eat, then you'll need to take a stand.
When your dog comes up to you when you are eating, tell them to sit while showing them
a treat. When your dog sits, give them the treat, show them another one and tell them to sit again.
After that, eat your meal, and every time your dog starts to move,
you should firmly tell them to 'sit' again.
Give your dog another treat at the end of your meal, and repeat this
process for a week. Once your dog learns there'll be a treat if they sit calmly,
the begging behaviour will slowly fade away.
Number 6. Jumping
While it's adorable when our Shih Tzu jumps on us, as our dog gets older,
it can be a little less precious – especially if they've been playing in a muddy backyard!
To stop this,
Keep some treats in your pocket, and the next time your dog comes running to jump on you,
pull slightly back –showing the treat – and tell them to 'sit'.
When your dog sits, go ahead and pet them and give them the treat, and repeat this process.
Number 7. Displaying aggression
Aggression towards other animals and people is a result of poor socialization.
This may occur if your dog is weaned too early or if you've
been living alone with your dog and they are not used to other people or animals.
To socialize your Shih Tzu, you must introduce them to other dogs. Start by setting up a play
date with another small dog who is older and calmer. We don't want to overwhelm our Shih Tzu
by exposing them to a large or hyperenergetic dog in the beginning. Keep praising them and give them
treats if they behave correctly. Gradually, take them to nearby dog parks and social gatherings.
Once your dog is used to seeing more than one person or animal in one place,
they'll be much more relaxed and less aggressive.
On the ending note, let me tell you that every dog behaviour problem is fixable. You just need
to put in some extra effort and be patient. But if you cannot solve any of these issues,
do not hesitate to get help from a professional dog trainer or behaviourist. Don't forget to like
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