Dieter Shih Tzu (2024)

FAQs

Why is it so hard to potty train a Shih Tzu? ›

Shih Tzus are social and friendly lapdogs that are known to be stubborn and can be difficult to housebreak. When training a shih tzu it is important to be consistent, gentle and provide them with lots of love and attention.

Depending on how you measure your Shih Tzu's intelligence, they can rank relatively low or quite high. In Coren's official ranking for obedience and working intelligence, the Shih Tzu ranks 70 out of 79.

As with any dog, start with short walks and work up to longer ones as they get stronger. I have seen Shih Tzu's handle a 3 mile walk with no problem, when it was a regular part of their schedule.

It's recommended that you feed your Shih Tzu at least three times a day when they are of adult age. If they are still a puppy, they may require 4-6 meals a day. This is due to the fact that this breed is susceptible to hypoglycemia. With such a fast metabolism, they lack the ability to hold much of an energy reserve.

A very common reason for an adult dog to have urinary accidents is from a urinary tract infection or urinary tract crystals/stones. In older dogs, urinary tract cancer in the bladder or in the tubes that carry urine is also a possibility. These urinary issues often occur with no other underlying medical issue present.

Some Shih Tzus can be clingy and easily develop separation anxiety, they may need extra training to become accustomed to being left alone. Like all toy breeds, Shih Tzus can be fragile, they do better in homes without overly rambunctious children or dogs.

The border collie tops the list of smartest dogs, and it's no wonder. A border collie named Chaser gained fame in the early 2000s for learning the meaning of over 1,000 proper nouns.

Your dog may know simple commands like sit and stay, but they may also understand a lot more than you think. Studies show that the average trained dog understands about 165 words, on par with that of a human toddler!

This can be a variety of things like tug of war, chasing a ball, or even just hide and seek around the house. Enrichment activities – These are a great way to keep your dog busy and get them using their brains at the same time and there are so many activities to choose from.

How long can a Shih Tzu be left alone? ›

Stick to 4 hours or less until they're 6 months old. After that, you can gradually work your way to 6–8 hours. You should never leave your Shih Tzu for longer than 8 hours, even as an adult, and ideally no more than 6 hours.

Sue – Dog behaviour and training specialist

While it might be a great excuse for every member of the household to enjoy some time outdoors with their dog, excessive exercise could cause both physical and mental issues for your pooch. Remember, an overtired dog can be a grumpy dog.

Shih tzus have a sensitive stomach and are prone to allergies, hence avoid food that contains fillers like corn, wheat, or soy for optimal health.

How often should you bathe a shih tzu? A Shih Tzu's thick, curled coat requires more attention than many other breeds. A shih tzu should typically be bathed every three weeks to keep its skin and hair healthy to prevent bad smells from developing.

This depends quite a bit on how much effort you put into the training. If you follow the steps closely, work on this every day, and there are very few missed opportunities (which can cause a backslide), a Shih Tzu can be fully housebroken in 2 to 4 months.

Keep Your Dog on Task During Potty Time

For instance, if your pet has been indoors all day, instead of playing with them when you first come home, immediately let them out in the yard or start the walk. Once they have urinated and defecated, give your dog praise and/or a treat to reinforce the purpose of being outside.

Reasons for dogs to start urinating more frequently include urinary tract infections, diabetes, kidney or liver disease, or incontinence. It would be best to have your dog seen by a veterinarian as soon as possible, and they may want to run some lab work to see what is going on.