You just brought your new Shih Tzu pup home and now you will spend the next couple of weeks making sure it knows all the rules and that it knows you are the boss, right? Wrong. The Shih Tzu is a very self-assured breed of dog that carries itself in a very confident and regal way. It is a very proud, arrogant, and stubborn pet that will always want things to go their way and could probably care less what you have to say. Ready now?

The first thing you want to do with your new Shih Tzu pup is to let it wander just a little so it knows the house and knows what it will be missing out on when you put it in its pen or crate to housebreak it.

We will go into housebreaking in a minute but just remember that a Shih Tzu does not respond at all to punishment but they respond very well to praise and positive reinforcement. Such is the ego of the Shih Tzu.

Of course the most important thing on any new Shih Tzu pup owner's mind is housebreaking the animal. You want the dog to understand that the house is not its personal toilet even though it probably comes into the house thinking that way. You need to get a big crate, or some people prefer to find a room in the house and create a pen, and make that your Shih Tzu pup's living space. Put its food and bedding there and play with your dog so it is comfortable in its new living space. Then the games begin.

You will need to take the dog outside to the designated toilet area at least every 45 minutes while you are home. If you leave the dog caged up or confined too long it gets confused and anxious and will start soiling its living area and then you have to start over. If it does its business outside in the toilet area then praise it profusely so it knows it did well.

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.