Q&A for How to Train Your Shih Tzu

Call your dog, then reward it with treats and praise when it comes to you. Repeat this process with a few different keywords until it understands the command. After you reward your dog, release it again so it understands that "Come" doesn't always mean playtime's over.

Very tiny puppies bite and nip in play, but this easily becomes an established habit unless you teach her to stop. Likewise, an adult dog won't stop biting unless your train her not to. Try saying "No" in a firm voice and distracting her attention with a favorite squeaky toy. Then, reward her for playing with the toy.

At four weeks of age, the youngster is busy learning about the world, as well as how to walk, run, and play. She's a little young to be trained (this usually starts from 8 weeks) but now is a great time to socialize her. Have as many different people as you can visit and handle her, and expose her to lots of sights and sounds so she sees them as familiar and grows up into a well adjusted adult dog.

It is always a great idea to have the help and support of a professional dog trainer, but regular reinforcement at home is essential. A trainer can get you off on the right foot, but ultimately it is constant repetition of commands and reward-based training several times a day that is needed to get the message through to a stubborn Shih Tzu.

Use reward based training. Lure her along under a low object, so that she doesn't have enough room to stand. You can start by crouching on the floor with one out-stretched leg, and lure her to crawl under the leg. Alternatively, find a low barrier, such as a line of chairs that have low spindles, and lure her under there. As she crawls under the object, label the activity with a cue word so she knows which action you request.

Yes, although they learn much more slowly. Be consistent with your commands, and train in short sessions throughout the day. Try keeping treats in your pocket and giving her "Sit" or "Look" cues sporadically throughout the day.

Shih Tzu can and do bark, but aren't as reactive about barking as many other breeds. When given plenty of attention, play, and exercise, they will be so relaxed they mostly can't be bothered to bark.

The Shih Tzu is intelligent, and indeed they are clever enough to know their own mind. Their priorities are relaxing and chilling, which can make it a challenge to find the right motivation to train them. To some, this makes the dog appear less bright than they actually are.

It is natural for an established pet to feel jealous and threatened by a new puppy in the house. Make sure the puppy has her own food, water, toys, and bed so that she doesn't steal the adult's dog stuff. Don't let the puppy chase or jump on the adult dog. Also, make sure you give the adult dog attention first, such as greeting her, feeding, and putting her leash on first. Then reward her calm behavior when she ignores the puppy. Acceptance can take a while, but stick with it.

Potty training a Shih Tzu requires a combination of preventing accidents (with constant vigilance) and plenty of toilet breaks in the appropriate place. Stay with the dog and be sure to praise them plenty when they do go in the right place.

The Shih Tzu is so busy being laid back that they often forget to concentrate. These peaceful dogs aren't particularly busy and can be so chilled that following instructions is low on their to-do list. All of this means they can be tricky to train.

Try getting down on a level with the dog when teaching new commands. If you stand towering above the dog, the height difference can make it easy for the dog to become disengaged from you.

It depends on your level of patience and persistence, as the Shih Tzu can be quite a stubborn dog. That said, given plentiful love, praise and rewards, you’ll get your Shih Tzu trained. The Shih Tzu responds best to a training regime based solely on positive reinforcement, as well as repetition and consistency. Watch out for housebreaking; it’s likely to be the hardest part of training a Shih Tzu; be patient, repetitive and praise good actions.

While Shih Tzus are generally healthy dogs for their size, they can have a few health problems common to their breed. These include weak knees, respiratory problems, jaw and teeth problems and renal dysplasia (small and immature kidneys). They can also be prone to eye injuries due to their protruding eyes. As with all purebred dogs, purchasing from a reputable breeder and getting regular veterinary check-ups can reduce the likelihood of problems.

With a bit of patience, house training (or potty training) can be done with a Shih Tzu, but be aware that this type of training can take longer with Shih Tzus than some other breeds of dogs. Be sure to establish boundaries, make sure the Shih Tzu knows where it's okay to defecate and urinate, always reinforcing desired behavior with praise and treats. Do not scold, as this will backfire and may cause the Shih Tzu to go wherever it feels like rather than where you'd prefer. For more help, see How to Potty Train a Shih Tzu .

Make him stand still, and say shake. Then, grab his paw and shake it. Do this many times until he starts to lift his paw on his own at your "shake" command, and be sure to treat him when he does.

Try holding the dog's mouth shut for a few seconds. It won't hurt him if you are gentle, but it will tell him that if he licks you that's his punishment.

If they have grown up together, there's no need to separate them. Just be careful, and never leave dogs alone with young children.

Scooting (when a dog drags its anus along the ground) is almost always a sign something is irritating your dog. What's behind that irritation can range from infection to worms to inflammation. Some of the most common reasons dogs drag their bottom include anal sac problems.

Recognize the triggers for her barking, and be ready when they triggers appear. Ignore her when she barks, and reward her when she doesn't.

Slowly begin exposing your dog to a variety of people. If your Shi Tzu senses that you are calm and that the people around you are friends, or part of your pack, your dog will begin to relax and warm up to people. Shih Tzus tend to be nervous, which causes them to be skeptical of people and their surroundings.

You can do either or both. If you want a very well-trained dog, classes are good, but you can also easily train her at home.

You could throw a toy or treat away from her so the dog gets distracted and you can have a few seconds.

Not all of them do. Most of the time though, the breed is more "sensitive" to kids. Usually, this is because young children don't know how much they should be petting a dog, grabbing it, or playing with it. Young kids might squeeze the dog too hard or pull its fur, for example. Watch how your dog responds to the behavior of young children before deciding whether or not it needs to be kept separate from them.

Check with your vet to determine if your Maltese is overweight. If it is, your vet can help you develop a plan to help your dog grow to a healthy weight which will include a length of time or distance to walk your dog every day.

You can start, but don't expect too much. Generally, just start to teach your dog how to go potty, and leave the rest until they are about 8-10 weeks old.

You have to train him that you are his owner: put his favorite treats into your hand and close it in a fist. After that, show your dog your treats and let him eat one. Later, start off by just walking away from him. If he really likes the treats, he'll follow you behind, but if he doesn't, get him something else: chicken, meat...Do this training every day.

Try Science Diet for small dogs. This is what I feed my Lhasa Apso (which is part of the Shih Tzu family). It's a great brand.

There are a variety of reasons as to why your dog may be doing this. They may be replenishing their stomach enzymes this way, or it could be sick. If you're unsure, ask your vet.