Shih tzu puppy training is very important, whether you are training your first shih tzu puppy or your 20th. Properly training and socializing a shih tzu puppy is vital to making it a valued member of your family and your community.
In some ways training a shih tzu puppy is easier than training an adult or adolescent dog. One reason is that the shih tzu puppy is essentially a "blank slate", untroubled by past training techniques and other issues. In other ways, however, the shih tzu puppy can be more difficult to train than an older shih tzu dog.
One challenge to training a new shih tzu puppy is that shih tzu puppies are more easily distractible than adolescent and adult shih tzu dogs. Everything is new to a shih tzu puppy, and every new experience provides a new chance for distraction. For this reason, it is best to keep training sessions short when working with a shih tzu puppy, and to end each training sessions on a positive note.
It is also important to allow the shih tzu puppy plenty of time to play, and to interact with other shih tzu puppies and shih tzu dogs. Socialization training is vital to making your new shih tzu puppy a good canine citizen, as dog aggression is a growing problem in many areas. A properly socialized shih tzu dog learns how to play properly with other dogs, and overly aggressive play is punished by the other dogs in the play group.
This type of play learning is something that happens among siblings in litters of shih tzu puppies. As the shih tzu puppies play with each other, they learn what is appropriate and what is not. Inappropriate behavior, such as hard biting or scratching, is punished by the other shih tzu puppies, by the mother shih tzu dog, or both.
Unfortunately, many shih tzu puppies are removed from their mothers and sold or adopted before this socialization has fully occurred. Therefore, shih tzu puppy play sessions are a very important part of any shih tzu puppy training session. Most good shih tzu puppy preschool training programs provide time in each session for this type of dog interaction.
Introducing your shih tzu puppy to new experiences and new locations is also an important part of shih tzu puppy training. Teaching your shih tzu dog to be obedient and responsive, even in the face of many distractions, is very important when training shih tzu dogs and shih tzu puppies.
One great way to socialize your shih tzu puppy both to new people and new dogs is to take it on a trip to your local pet store. Many major pet store chains, and some independent ones as well, allow pet parents to bring their furry children, and these stores can be great places for shih tzu puppies to get used to new sights, sounds and smells. Of course you will want to make sure the store allows pets before heading over.
It is important for shih tzu puppy owners to structure their pet's environment so that the shih tzu puppy is rewarded for good behaviors and not rewarded for others. One good example of this is jumping on people. Many people inadvertently reward this behavior because it can be cute. While it is true that jumping can be cute for a 2 pound shih tzu puppy, it will not be so cute when that puppy has grown into a 10 pound shih tzu dog.
Instead of rewarding the shih tzu puppy for jumping, try rewarding it for sitting instead. This type of positive reinforcement will result in a well behaved adult shih tzu dog that is a valued member of both the family and the community at large.
This type of reinforcement can also be used in potty training the new shih tzu puppy. For instance, teaching a shih tzu puppy to use a unique surface such as gravel or asphalt is a good technique. The theory is that the shih tzu puppy will associate this surface with going potty, and therefore be reluctant to use other surfaces (like your kitchen carpet for instance) as a potty.
Connie Limon is a professional shih tzu breeder in Indiana. She publishes a FREE weekly newsletter. A professional newsletter with a focus upon health and wellness for you and your pets. Discounts on shih tzu puppies are offered to subscribers. Sign up at: http://www.stainglassshihtzus.com
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