Training Your Shih Tzu. J. Walker

work ethic. As noted previously, the Shih Tzu was not bred to work at anything. So, training sessions need to be kept in very short bursts, so that there’s no “routine.” His training sessions must always be changing, and kept interesting and engaging. (If that description sounds a lot like “play,” you’re catching on!)

       TZU TIP

      Training early in the morning during summer months will keep your Shih Tzu from overheating, hut dewy, wet grass will also soak your small dog from his paws up to his belly. Also, be aware that freshly clipped grass will stain your Shih Tzu’s white legs a nice grassy shade of green.

      Intelligence. This works both for and against an owner, which is why this trait was also listed in the “positives” of training a Shih Tzu. Intelligent dogs learn quickly, but they can learn the wrong thing quickly. Shih Tzu owners need to be sure that what they teach their dogs is really what they think they are teaching their dogs. Shih Tzu retain knowledge well, so if he learns the wrong thing, it may take quite some time to undo the damage.

      Size. Training a little dog requires a soft touch and a bit of dexterity and flexibility. You may find that working on some exercises with your Shih Tzu are backbreakers. The good news is that there are solutions to every problem and ways to save your back.

      Easily distracted. The Shih Tzu can have a short attention span. In fact, some Shih Tzu appear to have no discernable attention span whatsoever. This issue usually can be solved by determining what is distracting the dog. For example, the dog may have better focus with treat training if he hasn’t eaten recently or you train right before a meal. A very lively, bouncy Shih Tzu may do better if he’s just had a short play session or walk to burn off a little excess energy. And, every novice dog can focus better if there aren’t any distractions such as other pets or people in the room.

      Treat training fills ‘em up. The Shih Tzu is little and as such, doesn’t eat much on a daily basis. If you are using treats for training, it won’t take too many before you lose his attention as his belly fills with food. Or, you could find that with all these extra treats, you are raising an obese Shih Tzu. (For ways to address this, see Chapter 7, “Home Schooling: Figuring in the Caloric Count of Treats.”)

      Shih Tzu love to learn new tricks.

      The “plop” is one way a Shih Tzu will communicate that your training session is over.

      Sensitive souls. This breed requires a light touch when training, both physically and verbally. He will not take impatient or gruff handling well; in fact, he’ll take this roughness quite personally. Don’t lose the fun and sparkle! Keep training light, enjoyable and most importantly exciting and the Shih Tzu will respond to your commands with joy—not because he feels he has to “or else.”

      Independent streak. Remember how the Shih Tzu wasn’t bred to perform a working job? That means it is not inherent in the Shih Tzu to look to you for direction. As much as the Shih Tzu enjoys being around you, sometimes it will seem like he gets an idea and just sets off on his own. This can happen in the middle of a training session and is almost always accompanied by what Shih Tzu owners lovingly refer to as “selective hearing” (“If I don’t make eye contact with mom then I really don’t have to do what she’s telling me to do.”). To keep an independent streak from breaking up your training, you, as the owner, will need to be aware of your dog’s willful moments and either finish training on a good note or make training so much fun that he doesn’t have an opportunity to sour on training.

      Clowning around. If you’re taking training a wee bit too seriously or your dog is getting bored, the Shih Tzu may interject some antics of his own to lighten the mood. Take this as a sign that you need to lighten up your approach to training.

       TZU TIP

      To protect coat hairs when putting a buckle or clip collar on a dog with a full coat, part the hair just behind the ears and under the jaw. Then slip the collar into this part and fasten.

      Harnesses are also very nice for training as they eliminate any stress on the dog’s vertebrae. (They are particularly useful with small puppies who still haven’t figured out that if they run 100 mph they will indeed hit the end of the leash and flip themselves.) Harnesses, of course, can be a little more difficult to put on a Shih Tzu with a full coat, but they aren’t impossible. It’s critical for both the dog and his coat that the harness fits properly and doesn’t rub. If you have a small pet boutique in your area with someone who can give expert fitting advice, take advantage of this service and have her help you fit your Shih Tzu with a good quality harness.

      Smile, have patience, laugh at yourself, and strive to make training that much more enjoyable for both of you.

      Coat Considerations

      The Shih Tzu’s beautiful coat raises some interesting, but not insurmountable, problems. First are the issues of matting and tangling from training in natural areas. Spraying your dog’s coat with leave-in detangler prior to a training session may help to prevent tangles from forming. You can work on artificial surfaces (indoors, outside on the sidewalk, in a training facility on rubber matting, etc.) but, you’ll also need to do some work on grassy areas to give your Shih Tzu a full range of “distractions” for training—especially if you are interested in participating in obedience or agility competitions in the future.

      After an outdoor training session, brush and maintain your Shih Tzu’s coat as you would if you had taken him for a walk. If maintaining a full coat is hampering your desire to train, consider clipping your Shih Tzu. He’ll still look adorable and his coat will be far easier to keep clean and tangle-free.

      Training in a full coat is not impossible.

      Another consideration with a full coat is the potential breakage of the coat hairs by a training collar. You can run damage control in this area by addressing the coat or addressing the collar.

      To help prevent the hair shafts from breaking while the dog is wearing his training collar, make sure the coat is fully brushed before putting the collar on. When brushing the coat, spray it with a mixture of conditioner and water (or one of the many leave-in detangling conditioners) to keep the hairs hydrated, supple, and less likely to break.

      Choosing a good collar can also help. The preferred collar for training a Shih Tzu is a flat buckle or clip collar—the wider the better. (Wider collars distribute the force of a tug against the leash more evenly and are much kinder on the dog’s vertebrae than a thin collar.) Soft leathers, silky woven cottons, and smooth nylons may help to prevent hair breakage. Be sure to fit the collar so that two fingers can slide between the collar and the dog’s neck.

      Even a young pup can learn commands!

      Channeling the Positives

      If you have purchased your Shih Tzu to be what it was bred to be—a constant, loving companion—you are going to thoroughly enjoy training your dog and will be able to experience the well-mannered fruits of your labor for many, many years to come.

      If you purchased your Shih Tzu in hopes of producing an outstanding performance dog, you may want to lower your expectations a tad. There are incredible, high-drive Shih Tzu out there that win in agility trials and receive High in Trials in obedience. But these are more the exception to the breed rather than the rule.

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