Bringing home your new Shih Tzu pup is a very happy moment for you, your family, and your puppy. Everyone is happy and then comes the time to try and train the little dog. A Shih Tzu pup is very arrogant and stubborn and they do not respond to punishment so you are going to not only have to exercise the utmost in patience while training your pup but you are also going to have to find new and creative ways to use positive reinforcement to have it do the things you want it to do and not punish it for things you do not want it to do.



You want your new Shih Tzu pup to feel comfortable in your home. You will be using a crate or a pen to housebreak it but for the first few minutes just let it wander the house so it knows there is a whole big house to conquer. Watch for signs of needing to use the bathroom like sniffing and circling and get the dog outside if that happens. If they do their business outside then praise and reward them profusely and hope you are setting a good precedent.

The very first concern of any new Shih Tzu pup owner is housebreaking. This takes months, even in the best conditions, so be prepared and be patient. Find a spot in a room in the house and get the dog a large crate or make a large pen area. Put the dog's food and bedding in there and play with it while it is in the living area so it feels comfortable there. Then confine it only when you are home.

Every 45 minutes you need to take the dog outside to the designated toilet area and see if it does what it needs to do. If it does its thing in the designated toilet area then praise it profusely. You cannot leave a Shih Tzu caged up for too long or it will start to get confused and anxious and soil its own living area. If that happens you are back to square one so make sure you keep a close eye on your dog while it is in the confinement area.

Grooming and a clean coat are very important to a Shih Tzu pup so be sure to comb or brush the dog's beautiful coat at least once a day. The dog will probably enjoy this and it will keep the coat from getting tangled. A tangled coat can mean an unhealthy Shih Tzu so make sure you are brushing that coat daily. A monthly bath may not be a bad idea but test your dog's reaction first. If it seems like the bath will cause problems then contact your breeder for advice.

Your Shih Tzu wants to always be the center of attention so make sure you constantly show it plenty of love and attention and play with your dog a lot. Shih Tzu dogs will require a great deal of your time so be prepared to give up large chunks of your day to paying attention to your dog. But they are also one of the most loyal breeds there is and they return your love right back at you.