When your new puppy first comes into a house, he needs to learn that this is his new space. Put him on a leash and walk him through the whole house. This is a time to show him everything, but also use the leash to limit access to areas you don't want him getting into such as furniture, closets and the kids' toy box.
You should not say 'no'. Since the puppy has not learned his name yet, he may start to think that is what you are calling him. Instead, let him know your displeasure by using a low voice to issue a "Yack!" sound, while doing a mild tug on the leash every time he sniffs something he is not supposed to touch. Repeat this action. As he moves away from them, you can pet him, say "good dog", and continue through the house.
The puppy understands the growl sound, and knows that it means he needs to stay away from something when you growl as he approaches it. It is important to let him sniff the item for a second before growling, so he recognizes what item it is he is to avoid. Dogs remember things by what they smell like, not what they look like. A new puppy will not pick up words, other than his name, but he will understand the growl means not to touch.
Other words puppies will learn are those that relate to things they want. If you say 'dinner time' every time you get food for the dog, eventually each time he hears that phrase, he will expect a meal. The best way to teach a dog words, is to make sure you constantly use the same ones, and that they are short and easy to learn.
While this first visit through the house is teaching your puppy a lot of things about his new home, he is also learning about your relationship. Since you are in charge, growling as needed, and holding the leash, he will start to understand that you are in control. This is every important. If you do not take on this role, the puppy will try to be in charge and that could lead to very negative behavior in your home.
Now it's time to show your dog important things such as where he will find food and water, his crate, where you want him to go to the bathroom outside. The way to do this is to take him to the spot and stand there until he goes. Once he does, praise him for it. Then you can offer a tour of the rest of the yard. If there are things he needs to avoid outside, like plants, you can teach him they are off limits. If you live in a city, you need to get him used to it. Go to a quiet area, and let him listen for a while. Don't walk him around; just let him hear things from a safe point. Don't let him wander in the city until his shots are up to date.
Note: if it took more than an hour to get your pup home from where you bought him, you should do the yard tour first so he can go to the bathroom.
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.
Both Jane Saeman & Connie Limon are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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