How to Train Your Shih Tzu

Co-authored by Ty Brown

Last Updated: December 29, 2022 References Approved

The Shih Tzu dog is a very friendly and active dog, but a stubborn one as well. Training a Shih Tzu takes longterm dedication and time, but it is worthwhile as it can foster a healthy, happy relationship between you and your pet.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Housebreaking a Shih Tzu

1
Crate train your Shih Tzu. Crate training is not only important to the process of housebreaking. Having your Shih Tzu familiar with her crate can help with vet trips, road trips, and other incidents where your Shih Tzu may need to be temporarily confined.
- Pick a small dog crate for your shih tzu. You only need enough room for your Shih Tzu to sit, stand, and turn around.^{[1]
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  Research source} Crates should also have ventilation on all four sides. It's not a bad idea to keep the crate somewhere in your home where you hang out frequently. That way, your Shih Tzu can occasionally go in her crate while still feeling like part of the family.^{[2]
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- Going in the crate should be thought of as a treat rather than a punishment.^{[3]
  X
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  Ty Brown
  Dog Trainer
  Expert Interview. 4 June 2020.} Keep a water dish and food in the crate. Make sure any toys and dog safe and big enough that your Shih Tzu will not swallow them.^{[4]
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- Keep your Shih Tzu in the crate when you sleep, go out, or when you're occupied with a household chore that prevents you from watching her. Do this until your Shih Tzu is housebroken and you know she will not have accidents indoors.^{[5]
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- It is important not to treat the crate as a "cage" or "prison" and to keep use to a minimum. If necessary, when you are home keep the dog on a lead so you can keep an eye on him and take him outside to toilet as soon as you spot signs of him wanting to toilet.
2
Decide whether you want your dog to go inside or outside. While most owners prefer their pets eliminate outside, as Shih Tzus are smaller pets many apartment dwellers own them. If you don't have easy access to the street or a yard, you may want your Shih Tzu to eliminate inside on newspaper or padding.
- Paper training's main pro is convenience. For people who have difficulty taking a dog outside for whatever reason, whether a busy schedule or a physical problems, paper training can be an alternative option. In addition to padding and newspaper, dog litter boxes are sold in many pet stores.^{[6]
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- Paper training's main drawback is that it creates odor and might not be the best option for your dog. Shih Tzu are high energy and crave the outdoors.^{[7]
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- Whichever route you go with, it's important to be consistent. Shih Tzus may get confused if they're told they can sometimes use a pad but are sometimes expected to go outside. Shih Tzus need a strict schedule for training, so you'll need to pick one option or the other.^{[8]
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3
Make a walk schedule. When you first begin housebreaking your Shih Tzu, you'll need to stick to a strict walking schedule to make sure your pet doesn't eliminate inside.^{[9]
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Expert Source

Ty Brown
Dog Trainer
Expert Interview. 4 June 2020.}
- Sniffing, circling, or squatting are signs a Shih Tzu is ready to eliminate. If you notice these behaviors, either take your dog outside immediately or direct her to the proper place in the house.^{[10]
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- When you first begin housebreaking a Shih Tzu, you'll need to take her out every one and a half to two hours or every 20-30 minutes for a puppy. You should take her out when you wake up, before you go to bed, and after she eats or drinks.^{[11]
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- Praise your Shih Tzu immediately after she eliminates outside or in the proper place in your home.^{[12]
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  Ty Brown
  Dog Trainer
  Expert Interview. 4 June 2020.} Shih Tzus generally respond better to positive reinforcement than negative reinforcement, so praise for success will go farther than scolding for mistakes.^{[13]
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4
Be patient. Shih Tzu are notoriously difficult to house break. It may take as long as eight months before a Shih Tzu fully understands where it's appropriate to eliminate. Do not be discouraged. Even if you're still having accidents after a few months, be persistent and strict about your training schedule. Eventually, your Shih Tzu should understand and obey the rules.^{[14]
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Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Training Appropriate Behavior

1
Teach your Shih Tzu to be alone. Shih Tzus are highly social dogs and want to be with their owners as much as possible. Separation anxiety is a problem for Shih Tzus and, as it's not possible to bring your dog everywhere, you need to train your Shih Tzu to adapt to solitude.
- A crate can be an excellent way to lessen separation anxiety. Shih Tzus tend to be less nervous about being left alone if they have a place of their own to retreat to. Make your Shih Tzu's crate comfortable, with bedding and toys, and leave the crate door open when you are home. This way, the Shih Tzu will not see the crate as a forced experience but her own special refuge.
- Some people are wary of leaving their dogs in crates, especially if they're gone for long hours during the day. If this is the case with you, you could try allowing your Shih Tzu access to your bedroom, study, or another closed off area of the house where she feels safe.
2
Expose your Shih Tzu to a variety of sounds and experiences. Shih Tzus might develop nervous tendencies if overly coddled. This can result in timidness and even aggression. Expose your Shih Tzu to a variety of sounds and experiences.
- Sounds like whistles, lawn mowers, sirens, vacuum cleaners, washing machines, and other day-to-day noises should be familiar to your Shih Tzu. As separation anxiety is an issue, you don't want to risk her hearing an innocuous noise and panicking while you're gone. Exposing your Shih Tzu to a variety of stimuli simply means taking her with you different places and remaining calm and collected in the face of loud or sudden noises.
- Dogs pick up on cues from their owners. If you get frightened or anticipate a negative behavior from your dog, it's more likely to occur. Staying calm in the face of sudden noises, other dogs, or other people can help your dog stay calm. Do not treat her any differently so she sees the event is normal and not be feared. If she displays any timid behavior, such as cowering or whimpering, it's okay to say something soothing to her or to provide with a treat to make the moment seem happy and positive. However, do not remove her from the situation, pick her up, or otherwise overreact as this encourages an overreaction in the dog.
- Oftentimes, owners are overprotective of small dogs, leading to what is known as "small dog syndrome." Owners ignore aggressive behavior, like biting, and try to protect smaller dogs from bigger animals by picking them up or panicking when they interact with larger breeds. The combination of lack of discipline and coddling means smaller dogs end up both fearful and somewhat aggressive. Allow your Shih Tzu to safely interact with bigger animals and scold her if she bites or redirect the nipping towards a toy or treat.^{[15]
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3
Teach your Shih Tzu to come when called. Having your dog come when called is an extremely important behavior. Not only can this prevent accidents it also fosters a stronger relationship between you and your Shih Tzu.
- Always make coming to you a positive experience. Your Shih Tzu should feel that coming when called is the best thing for her. Reward her with praise, attention, treats, and toys when she obeys. Then, release her for a while so she doesn't make a negative association with "come" and playtime being over.^{[16]
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  Ty Brown
  Dog Trainer
  Expert Interview. 4 June 2020.}
- At first, it might be helpful to run away from your Shih Tzu when you call her. Dogs see running as a game and she'll find it hard to resist running after you.^{[17]
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  American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
  Leading organization dedicated to the prevention of animal cruelty
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- Start praising your Shih Tzu as soon as she responds to your commands. If she's getting praise, she'll be eager to reach you and less likely to be distracted by sounds, other animals, or other people.^{[18]
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  Trustworthy Source
  American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
  Leading organization dedicated to the prevention of animal cruelty
  Go to source}
- If your Shih Tzu does not come when called, do not repeat her name or "come" over and over again. This simply teaches her it's okay to ignore your commands. If she's not responding, try running or shaking a bag of treats while saying "come" or her name rather than repeating the command fruitlessly.^{[19]
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  Trustworthy Source
  American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
  Leading organization dedicated to the prevention of animal cruelty
  Go to source}
4
Leash train your Shih Tzu. As Shih Tzus are small dogs, leash training is particularly important as you don't want to cause strain on their necks or limbs during walks.
- Until your Shih Tzu learns not to pull, take her for short walks only. Find alternative ways to exercise her, as walks will be training sessions until she's mastered good leash manners.^{[20]
  X
  Trustworthy Source
  American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
  Leading organization dedicated to the prevention of animal cruelty
  Go to source}
- Reward not puling with treats and praise. Scolding does not work well with Shih Tzus. They're more likely to respond to positive feedback, so praise her for what she's doing right instead of scolding her for what she's doing wrong.^{[21]
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  Trustworthy Source
  American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
  Leading organization dedicated to the prevention of animal cruelty
  Go to source}
- If your Shih Tzu gets worked up before a walk, she's more likely to misbehave on it. When you go to get the leash, ignore your Shih Tzu if she starts jumping around. Simply wait until she sits down and clip the leash on her collar. If she starts bouncing around when you reach to clip the leash, stand up and wait for her to calm down again. Do not clip the leash until she's done bouncing, even if it takes awhile.^{[22]
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  Trustworthy Source
  American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
  Leading organization dedicated to the prevention of animal cruelty
  Go to source}
- When your dog pulls, do not pull back. Simply stop. If she learns to associate pulling with a negative, the walk stopping, she'll eventually learn not to pull. This works much better than scolding or pulling back, which only serve to further rile up the dog.^{[23]
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  Trustworthy Source
  American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
  Leading organization dedicated to the prevention of animal cruelty
  Go to source}
- If your Shih Tzu has a lot of trouble with leash manners, consider investing in a harness until she calms down. Dog harnesses can be purchased at pet stores and will keep your Shih Tzu from straining her neck if she pulls on the leash.
5
Train your Shih Tzu to sit and lie down. Sit and lie down are important commands as many other behaviors require your dog to sit or lie down first. They provide the foundation for solid training.
- To teach your Shih Tzu to sit, at first you should stand before her and say "sit." Then, use a treat and draw an arc over the puppy' s head so that as his head goes up his bottom goes down. Praise her as soon as she hits the ground.^{[24]
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  Trustworthy Source
  American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
  Leading organization dedicated to the prevention of animal cruelty
  Go to source}
- As training progresses, you can swap out physically moving your dog for hand gestures. She should understand, with persistence, what the gestures mean. After awhile, try to phase out hand gestures too and get your Shih Tzu to sit when you say so. Be consistent and practice the command 10 to 15 times a day until she's mastered it.^{[25]
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  Trustworthy Source
  American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
  Leading organization dedicated to the prevention of animal cruelty
  Go to source}
- Sit is an important command for maintaining control over your Shih Tzu. You'll need her to sit when people come to the door, before you take her for walks, and in other situations where she needs to remain calm. Ideally, she should sit every time she hears the command regardless of other stimuli.^{[26]
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  Trustworthy Source
  American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
  Leading organization dedicated to the prevention of animal cruelty
  Go to source}
- Once your Shih Tzu has mastered sit, you can teach her to lie down. Start the same way you started teaching her to sit. Ask her to sit, and then use a treat to lure him into a lying position. Get him to sit then hold the treat at floor level but slowly move it away from him so that he stretches and lies down to get it. As soon as she lies down, praise her with treats and attention. Transition to hand gestures, and then the command alone.^{[27]
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  Trustworthy Source
  American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
  Leading organization dedicated to the prevention of animal cruelty
  Go to source}
- Sit and lie down can be used as foundations for other tricks, such as roll over, shake, and play dead. These tricks can all be taught using the same basic formula. Get your dog to sit or lie down, and then physically show her the needed behavior while praising her for performing. Move onto the hand gestures, and eventually vocal commands alone.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Using the Right Training Tactics

1
Allow for flexibility. Shih Tzus love their people, but they're not as people pleasing as other breeds. They tend to be stubborn and may not consistently follow your rules.
- A Shih Tzu's mood is dynamic. She may be willing to sit and stay one day in order to get a treat, but may show no interest in the treat the next day. You can't always use the same training tactics with a Shih Tzu. You might have to switch up how you reward and punish behavior.
- If your Shih Tzu is ignoring food one day, try rewarding her with praise, toys, or a walk. Shih Tzus are a highly intelligent breed and expect rewards for good behavior. Have a variety of ideas on hand to reward your dog for being good.
2
Use positive reinforcement when training.^{[28]
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Expert Source

Ty Brown
Dog Trainer
Expert Interview. 4 June 2020.} Although Shih Tzus can be notoriously difficult to train due to their stubborn streak, being firm with them without resorting to scolding or heavy discipline, is an effective means of training.
- If your Shih Tzu is acting out or misbehaving, it's better to simply ignore the behavior. Do not give in to jumping, biting, or other attention grabbing behaviors. Do not make eye contact with your Shih Tzu if she misbehaves and do not speak to her or touch her. If your Shih Tzu realizes certain behaviors do not result in attention, she'll cease using them.
- Always praise a Shih Tzu for behaving well. Shih Tzus enjoy human interaction and affection and are willing to work for praise. Positive reinforcing good behaviors while ignoring bad ones is a great way to get your Shih Tzu to behave.
3
Do not allow your Shih Tzu around young children. Shih Tzus are great pets, but tend to be one person dogs and prefer homes with more mature family members. Children under the age of 3 might not do well with a Shih Tzu as they'll fail to understand the breed needs boundaries. If you have young children, consider opting for a different breed or keeping your kids and your dog separate.

Expert Q&A
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Question

How do you train a dog to come when called?

Ty Brown
Dog Trainer
Ty Brown is a Dog Behaviorist and Trainer and the Owner of Ty the Dog Guy, a business that provides dog training through digital resources (podcasts, web series, and online courses) along with in-person dog training. Ty has over 17 years of experience in dog training and specializes in both mitigating unruly pet behavior and service dog training. Ty has been awarded the "Best of State Award" for dog training in Utah ten times and his work has been featured in ABC, NBC, CBS, Spike TV, and Entrepreneur Magazine.

Ty Brown

Dog Trainer

Expert Answer

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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.
Question

When will my dog stop biting me?

Pippa Elliott, MRCVS
Veterinarian
Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years.

Pippa Elliott, MRCVS

Veterinarian

Expert Answer

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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.
Question

How do I train a 1 month old Shih Tzu?

Pippa Elliott, MRCVS
Veterinarian
Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years.

Pippa Elliott, MRCVS

Veterinarian

Expert Answer

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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.