Posts Tagged ‘Shih Tzu’
|Saturday, November 14th, 2009
Shih Tzu Puppy
Teaching a shih tzu puppy or a shih tzu dog proper socialization skills is vital to the safety of both your dog and other dogs and people with whom he comes into contact. A properly socialized shih tzu dog is a happy dog, and a joy to be around for both humans and animals. A poorly socialized shih tzu dog, or one with no socialization at all, is a danger to other animals, other people and even his own family.
Socialization is best done when the shih tzu puppy is as young as possible The socialization lessons a young shih tzu puppy learns are difficult to undo, and it is important to remember that the socialization skills the shih tzu puppy learns will affect his behavior for the rest of his life.
A shih tzu dog that is properly socialized will be neither frightened of nor aggressive towards either animals or humans. A properly socialized shih tzu dog will take each new experience and stimulus in stride, and not become fearful or aggressive. Shih tzu dogs that are not properly socialized often bite because of fear, and such a shih tzu dog can become a hazard and a liability to the family who owns it. Improperly socialized shih tzu dogs are also unable to adapt to new situations. A routine matter like a trip to the vets or to a friends house can quickly stress the shih tzu dog out and lead to all sorts of problems.
Socialization is best done when the shih tzu puppy is very young, perhaps around 12 weeks of age. Even after 12 weeks, however, it is important that the shih tzu puppy continues its socialization in order to refine the all important social skills. It is possible to socialize an older shih tzu puppy, but it is very difficult to achieve after the all important 12 week period has passed.
There are some definite do’s and don’t when it comes to properly socializing any shih tzu puppy. Let’s start with what to do. Later in this article we will explore what to avoid.
Socialization do’s
Make each of the socialization events as pleasant and non-threatening for the shih tzu puppy as possible. If a shih tzu puppy’s first experience with any new experience is an unpleasant one, it will be very difficult to undo that in the shih tzu puppy’s mind. In some cases, an early trauma can morph into a phobia that can last for a lifetime. It is better to take things slow and avoid having the shih tzu puppy become frightened or injured.
Try inviting your friends over to meet the new shih tzu puppy. It is important to include as many different people as possible in the shih tzu puppy’s circle of acquaintances, including men, women, children, adults, as well as people of many diverse ethnic backgrounds and ages.
Also invite friendly and healthy dogs and puppies over to meet your puppy. It is important for the shih tzu puppy to meet a wide variety of other animals, including cats, hamsters, rabbits and other animals he is likely to meet. It is of course important to make sure that all animals the shih tzu puppy comes into contact with have received all necessary vaccinations.
Take the shih tzu puppy to many different places, including shopping centers, pet stores, parks, school playgrounds and on walks around the neighborhood. Try to expose the shih tzu puppy to places where they will be crowds of people and lots of diverse activity going on.
Take the shih tzu puppy for frequent short rides in the car. During these rides, be sure to stop the car once in a while and let the puppy look out the window at the world outside.
Introduce your shih tzu puppy to a variety of items that may be unfamiliar. The shih tzu puppy should be exposed to common items like bags, boxes, vacuum cleaners, umbrellas, hats, etc. that may be frightening to him. Allow and encourage the shih tzu puppy to explore these items and see that he has nothing to fear from them.
Get the shih tzu puppy used to a variety of objects by rearranging familiar ones. Simply placing a chair upside down, or placing a table on its side, creates an object that your shih tzu puppy will perceive as totally new.
Get the shih tzu puppy used to common procedures like being brushed, bathed, having the nails clipped, teeth cleaned, ears cleaned, etc. Your groomer and your veterinarian with thank you for this.
Introduce the shih tzu puppy to common things around the house, such as stairs. Also introduce the shih tzu puppy to the collar and leash, so he will be comfortable with these items.
There are of course some things to avoid when socializing a shih tzu puppy. These socialization don’ts include:
Do not place the shih tzu puppy on the ground when strange animals are present. An attack, or even a surprise inspection, by an unknown animal could traumatize the shih tzu puppy and hurt his socialization.
Do not inadvertently reward fear based behavior. When the shih tzu puppy shows fear, it is normal to try to sooth it, but this could reinforce the fear based behavior and make it worse. Since biting is often a fear based behavior, reinforcing fear can create problems with biting.
Do not force or rush the socialization process. It is important to allow the shih tzu puppy to socialize at his own pace.
Do not try to do too much too soon. Young shih tzu puppies have short attention spans, and continuing lessons after that attention span has passed will be a waste of your time and your puppy’s.
Do not wait too long to begin. There is a short window in which to begin the socialization process. A young shih tzu puppy is a blank slate, and it is important to fill that slate with positive socialization skills as early as possible.
Tags: Dog, Dogs, Puppies, Puppy, Shih Tzu, Shih Tzu Puppies, Shih Tzu Puppy
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Wednesday, October 28th, 2009
Nursing bottles for orphaned Shih Tzu puppies can be obtained through the veterinarian, pet supplier, wholesale catalogs or the internet. You should purchase several nipple styles to see which works best for you and your Shih Tzu.
Shih Tzu puppies can become colicky just like human newborn babies. Be careful about allowing a Shih Tzu puppy to ingest air when either tube or bottle feeding. Always turn the bottle and nipple end down, before offering it to the Shih Tzu puppy. All the air in the bottle will rise to the solid end. When the Shih Tzu puppy is nursing freely bubbles rise in the bottle. The bubble flow should be fairly rapid, small and uniform in size, rising in even response to the Shih Tzu puppy’s nursing. If the bubbles are large the Shih Tzu puppy may also be ingesting air. Check the nipple cap.
Occasionally remove the bottle from the Shih Tzu puppy’s mouth to allow a return passage of air back into the bottle. A return passage of air occurs either through turning the bottle upright or by momentarily loosening the cap. Do not abruptly pull the bottle from the Shih Tzu puppy’s mouth. Place a finger in the corner of the Shih Tzu puppy’s lip to break the nursing hold.
Some Shih Tzu puppies may instinctively resist the unnatural feel of a manufactured nipple.
1. If the dam is available, rub the bottle and nipple and a towel over her mammaries.
2. Drape this towel across your stomach and lap.
3. Hold the puppy on your lap against your abdomen.
4. Express a small amount of formula from the bottle and wipe it over the nipple.
5. As you introduce the bottle’s nipple to the Shih Tzu puppy’s mouth, move your legs slightly, jiggling your lap.
6. Also jiggle the bottle up and down in the puppy’s mouth using tiny motions. The movements re-create the dam’s breathing and Shih Tzu puppy’s nursing position on the dam that should cause the Shih Tzu puppy to instinctively and reflexively latch onto the nipple.
7. Have lots of patience.
You will need to burp the bottle fed Shih Tzu puppy after each feeding. Do not allow the Shih Tzu puppy to nurse the bottle dry to avoid a colicky baby. You can burp your Shih Tzu puppy the same as you would a newborn human baby on your shoulder with gentle pats and rubs between the shoulder blades.
Tags: Pet Clothing, Shih Tzu, Shih Tzu Puppies, Shih Tzu Puppies For Sale, Shih Tzu Puppy
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Thursday, October 22nd, 2009
House training a shih tzu puppy is very important for the well being of both the shih tzu puppy and the owner. The number one reason that dogs are surrendered to animal shelters is problems with inappropriate elimination, so it is easy to see why proper house training is such an important consideration.
It is important to establish proper toilet habits when the shih tzu puppy is young, since these habits can last a lifetime, and be very hard to break once they are established. It is very important for the owner to house break the shih tzu puppy properly. In most cases, true house training cannot begin until the shih tzu puppy is six months old. Puppies younger than this generally lack the bowel and bladder control that is needed for true house training.
Shih Tzu puppies younger than six months should be confined to a small, shih tzu puppy proofed room when the owner cannot supervise them. The entire floor of the room should be covered with newspapers or similar absorbent materials, and the paper changed every time it is soiled. As the shih tzu puppy gets older, the amount of paper used can be reduced as the shih tzu puppy begins to establish a preferred toilet area. It is this preferred toilet area that will form the basis of later house training.
The Do’s of House Training Your Puppy:
Always provide the shih tzu puppy with constant, unrestricted access to the established toilet area.
When you are at home, take the shih tzu puppy to the toilet area every 45 minutes.
When you are not at home or cannot supervise the shih tzu puppy, you must be sure the shih tzu puppy cannot make a mistake. This means confining the shih tzu puppy to a small area that has been thoroughly puppy proofed. Puppy proofing a room is very similar to baby proofing a room, since puppies chew on everything.
Always provide a toilet area that does not resemble anything in your home. Training the shih tzu puppy to eliminate on concrete, blacktop, grass or dirt is a good idea. The shih tzu puppy should never be encouraged to eliminate on anything that resembles the hardwood flooring, tile or carpet he may encounter in a home.
Praise and reward your shih tzu puppy every time he eliminates in the established toilet area. The shih tzu puppy must learn to associate toileting in the established areas with good things, like treats, toys and praise from his owner.
Always keep a set schedule when feeding your shih tzu puppy, and provide constant access to fresh, clean drinking water. A consistent feeding schedule equals a consistent toilet schedule.
Using a crate can be a big help in helping a shih tzu puppy develop self control. The concept behind crate training is that the shih tzu puppy will not want to toilet in his bed area.
And finally, it is important to be patient when house training a shih tzu puppy. House training can take as long as several months, but it is much easier to house train right the first time than to retrain a problem dog.
The Don’ts of House Training Your Shih Tzu Puppy
Never reprimand or punish the shih tzu puppy for mistakes. Punishing the shih tzu puppy will only cause fear and confusion.
Do not leave food out for the shih tzu puppy all night long. Keep to a set feeding schedule in order to make the dog’s toilet schedule as consistent as possible.
Do not give the shih tzu puppy the run of the house until he has been thoroughly house trained.
House training is not always the easiest thing to do, and some dogs tend to be much easier to house train than others. It is important, however to be patient, consistent and loving as you train your shih tzu. A rushed, frightened or intimidated shih tzu will not be able to learn the important lessons of house training. Once you have gained your shih tzu puppy’s love and respect, however, you will find that house training your shih tzu puppy is easier than you ever expected.
Tags: Dog, Dogs, Shih Tzu, Shih Tzu Puppies, Shih Tzu Puppy
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Tuesday, October 20th, 2009
House training a Shih Tzu puppy is one of the first, and one of the most important things, that any new Shih Tzu puppy owner must do. It is easy to get frustrated if you do not understand the basics of this important process, so we have put together a few tips to make the process of house training your Shih Tzu puppy a little easier.
It is vital to establish good toilet and hygiene habits in the Shih Tzu puppy when he is young, since the patterns that are established in those first few months can last a lifetime. When you consider that house training issues are the number one reason why dogs are surrendered to animal shelters, it is easy to see why house training is so extremely important.
In most cases, a Shih Tzu puppy will not be completely house trained until he or she is six months of age. That is because Shih Tzu puppies younger than six months often lack the bowel and bladder control that they need in order to be reliably left alone in the home all day.
Shih Tzu puppies younger than six months should be confined to a single, small Shih Tzu puppy proofed room any time the owner is not available to supervise the animal. The entire floor of the room should be covered in newspaper or other similarly absorbent and cheap material. At first the Shih Tzu puppy will go everywhere and anywhere in the room. As the Shih Tzu puppy gets older and begins to display better bladder and bowel control, the amount of paper used is slowly reduced, until the puppy goes only on the established “toilet” papers. This toilet area will form the basis of later house training.
House training the Shih Tzu puppy – what to do:
Provide the Shih Tzu puppy with constant, unrestricted access to the toilet area that has been established.
Take the Shih Tzu puppy to the toilet area every 45 minutes when you are at home.
When you are away from home, or when you cannot supervise the Shih Tzu puppy, it is important to confine the Shih Tzu puppy to a small area that has been puppy proofed and covered with newspaper.
It is important to be sure that the toilet area does not resemble anything in the home, such as carpet or hardwood floor. Once the Shih Tzu puppy is used to eliminating on a particular surface, such as grass or blacktop, he will want to eliminate on that time of surface.
Always provide lots of praise when the Shih Tzu puppy does its business in the established toilet area. The Shih Tzu puppy needs to learn to associate eliminating in the established area with positive things like treats, toys and praise from you.
It is important to keep a set schedule when feeding the Shih Tzu puppy, and to provide ready access to fresh, clean drinking water at all times. Providing a consistent schedule for feeding will help you learn to anticipate your puppy’s toilet needs.
Using a crate can help the Shih Tzu puppy to develop much needed self control. Shih Tzu are naturally very clean animals, and they will try their best not to soil their bed area.
And finally, it is vital to employ patience during the house training process. House training can take as long as several months, but it is much easier to house train right the first time than to retrain a problem Shih Tzu.
House training the Shih Tzu puppy – what to avoid
Do not punish or reprimand the Shih Tzu puppy if it makes a mistake. The Shih Tzu puppy will not understand the reason for the punishment, and he may become nervous and agitated. This could set the training back even further.
Do not give the Shih Tzu puppy constant access to food. Keep the Shih Tzu puppy to a set feeding schedule instead of leaving food out all the time.
The Shih Tzu puppy should not be given the run of the house until he has been thoroughly house trained.
House training a new Shih Tzu puppy is not always easy, but it is important to persevere. By exercising patience, and rewarding your Shih Tzu with lavish praise every time he does the right thing, you will have your Shih Tzu puppy house trained in no time at all.
Tags: Shih Tzu, Shih Tzu Puppies, Shih Tzu Puppy
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Friday, September 25th, 2009
Shih Tzu Puppy Training
The joys of having a Shih Tzu puppy, which is also called a lion dog and chrysanthemum dog, is incomparable. You will appreciate its cute and cuddly appearance, soft and smooth fur, and adoring eyes that make it one of the most desirable pets around. Its quality as an excellent guard dog despite its small size is a bonus!
Like all dog breeds, however, you must train your lion dog to integrate fully into human society whilst staying true to its natural tendencies and temperaments. You can achieve this through proper puppy training, of which many benefits can be had.
Build Good Relationships
The basis of a good relationship with your Shih Tzu puppy is trust, which should be nurtured from the first contact. When you have mutual trust, your pet will follow your commands without the attendant displeasure, confusion and anxiety present in most untrained puppies. Of course, your pet and the people around you will appreciate your relationship. For one thing, your dog will follow commands that can put it out of harm’s way specifically with dog fights. For another thing, your family members and neighbors will appreciate your happy pet, thanks to good puppy training. Ultimately, your relationships with your dog and with other people will benefit from a well-behaved Shih Tzu, puppy or not.
Fix Behavioral Difficulties
It must be emphasized that dogs, like people, have different temperaments although certain traits can be attributed to lion dogs. In addition to their naturally sweet, trustful and playful nature, lion dogs can be very stubborn and easily distracted as well as snappy. Thus, if you are training your pet, always keep these general personality traits in mind.
When you do succeed in your puppy training, you will delightedly discover that your dog behavioral problems wonderfully vanish. You can say goodbye to poop and pee littering the house and the lawn, to neighbors being annoyed with your Shih Tzu’s bad behavior, and to children being snapped on by a temperamental puppy. In short, you will have a healthy, happy and huggable puppy that will bring plenty of joy to the family. What more can you want in a pet?
Encourage Socialization
Amongst all the dog breeds, the lion dogs are said to be the most sociable, most affectionate and most playful. You will observe that your pet constantly craves human attention and contact, which can lead to behavioral problems with both the dog and the human kinds.
Puppy training, however, minimizes the problems associated with such an attention seeker mentality. Of course, you will train your puppy in the correct ways that he should interact around other dogs and humans. Besides, you can establish who the alpha dog is in the pack, thanks to said training. In a Shih Tzu, you must assert your authority or else you will be taken over by its arrogant and dominant qualities!
So, don’t ever hesitate! As soon as you read this article, you can go ahead to my website to learn more about puppy training.
For more information on how to effectively train your Shih Tzu, please visit: Shih Tzu Puppy Training.
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Tags: Dog Training, Puppt Obedience Training, Puppy Training, Shih Tzu, Shitzu
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Sunday, September 20th, 2009
All Shih Tzu puppies need to learn to tolerate grooming at an early age. Grooming your Shih Tzu is more than cosmetic. A matted Shih Tzu is uncomfortable and subject to skin irritations and infections. (more…)
Tags: Shih Tzu, Shih Tzu Grooming, Shih Tzu Health, Shih Tzu Puppies, Shih Tzu Puppy
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