House for Your Dogs..

Shih Tzu - Housebreaking

Here is another article on Housebreaking. Housebreaking does not have to be dreaded or difficult. Establish a routine that accommodates both you and your puppy’s needs and your daily schedule. It takes practice, knowledge and repetition on your part.

Remember when you are trying to housebreak a new puppy, even those that usually use the backyard sometimes go in the house. The trick is to never give the puppy the opportunity to go in the house. Set aside several days to housebreaking and reinforce what she learns. Warning: It may take weeks, even months or up to a year sometimes to completely housebreak a new puppy. Just be consistent, patient and use the same set of instructions for the puppy for each training session, which should be many during the day. Count on taking your new puppy to the spot many, many times in a day. This is extremely important: Taking the puppy to the same spot, down the same pathway, out the same door many, many times during the day. At night, teach him to sleep in his sleeping spot until morning and then start the routine all over again. At first, this will be about every two hours. You will learn exactly how many times your puppy needs to urinate and defecate during the process until you can just take them out those amount of times during the day. Be sure you take her out at key times like: after sleeping, after eating, and after playing. When you are too busy to supervise her, keep her in her own space or on a leash with you so she can’t go off and relieve herself in the house. Puppies usually don’t have to go often overnight, however there are exceptions. Try to just take puppy out just before going to bed and first thing upon getting up in the morning. If this is not possible, you might try taking her out only once during the night hours and eventually not at all. You want your puppy sleeping through the night without having to relieve itself and then to the relieving spot first thing in the morning.

If your puppy relieves itself in the house and you catch her in the act, issue a sharp “NO.” Then immediately and calmly take her to the correct spot and give your command (a command everyone must use). If you find the spot later where puppy has relieved itself. Do not scold the puppy. She will not know what you are talking about after the fact. Just clean it up. Simple Solution works well.

When you have to go out and leave the puppy at home, take her out just before leaving, and upon return, take her out.

Owners who consistently stick to this plan will find their shih tzu usually learn to go outside very quickly. Some shih tzu will learn in a day or two. Other shih tzu may take a week, or a month or even up to a year, but not usually this long, if you the owner will be consistent with training.

Connie Limon publishes a FREE weekly newsletter. A professional newsletter with a focus upon health and wellness for you and your pets. Weekly discounts on shih tzu puppies and other products to subscribers. Up-to-date Stain Glass Shih Tzu available puppies with a hotlink to the Available Puppies page on website. Sign up at: http://www.stainglassshihtzus.com

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Shih Tzu - If Your Shih Tzu Suffers From Separation Anxiety

Separation anxiety, also known in the dog training world as owner absent misbehavior, is one of the most frequently encountered problems in the world of dog training. Separation anxiety can manifest itself in many different ways, including chewing, destroying the owner’s property, excessive barking, self destructive behavior and inappropriate urination and defecation.

Shih Tzu suffering from separation anxiety often whine, bark, cry, howl, dig, chew and scratch at the door the entire time their family members are away. Well meaning owners often unwittingly encourage this misbehavior by rushing home to reassure the shih tzu, but it is important for the well being of both shih tzu and owner that the shih tzu learn to deal with extended periods of separation.

How the owner leaves the house can often contribute to separation anxiety issues. A long and drawn out period of farewell can make matters worse by making the shih tzu feel even more isolated when the owner finally leaves. These long types of farewells can get the shih tzu excited, and then leave him with lots of excess energy and no way to work it off. These excited, isolated shih tzu often work off their excess energy in the most destructive of ways, such as chewing up a favorite rug or piece of furniture.

Excess energy is often mistaken for separation anxiety, since results are often the same. If you think that excess amounts of energy may be the problem, try giving your more exercise to see if that eliminates the problem.

If separation anxiety is truly the problem, it is important to address the root causes of that anxiety. In order to prevent separation anxiety from occurring, it is important for the shih tzu to feel happy, safe, secure and comfortable while the owner is away for the day. It is important, for instance, to give the shih tzu plenty of things to keep it busy while you are away. This means providing it with lots of toys, such as balls or chew toys. A pet companion is often effective at relieving separation anxiety as well. Giving the shih tzu a playmate, such as another dog or a cat, is a great way for busy pet parents and pets alike to cope with the stress of being left alone.

Setting aside scheduled play times, during which the shih tzu is given your undivided attention, is another great way to alleviate boredom and separation anxiety. Playing with the shih tzu, and providing it with sufficient attention and exercise, is a proven way to avoid a stressed and anxious shih tzu. A happy shih tzu that has been well exercised and well conditioned will generally sleep the day away happily and patiently wait for the return of its owner. It is important to schedule one of these daily play sessions before you leave the house each day. It is important to give the shih tzu a few minutes to settle down after playtime before you leave.

For shih tzu that are already experiencing separation anxiety and associated misbehaviors, it is important to get him accustomed to your leaving gradually. Be sure to practice leaving and returning at irregular intervals, several times during the day. Doing so will get your shih tzu accustomed to your deparartures and help him realize that you are not leaving him forever. Shih tzu that have been previously lost, or those that have been surrendered to shelters and readopted, often have the worst problems with separation anxiety. Part of treating this problem is teaching the shih tzu that your leaving is not permanent.

Connie Limon is a shih tzu breeder. She publishes a FREE weekly newsletter. A professional newsletter with a focus upon health and wellness for you and your pets. Discounts are offered to subscribers. Sign up at: http://www.stainglassshihtzus.com

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Shih Tzu - Housetraining Your New Shih Tzu Puppy Is Not Difficult

House training is one of the most important elements of creating a well trained shih tzu and trusted family member. Problems with house training and similar issues are the number one reason that dogs are surrendered to shelters, so properly house training your shih tzu can literally save his or her life.

House training a shih tzu puppy does not need to be difficult, but it is important to take the process seriously, plan ahead and take things slowly. Some shih tzu will be easier to house break than others, so it important to work with your shih tzu. Rushing the process can be counterproductive and cause you to have to start all over again.

When it comes to house training a new shih tzu puppy, it is important to know what to expect. Unless the owner is able to supervise the shih tzu puppy round the clock, it is difficult to complete the house training process until the shih tzu is at least six months old. It is important to know this ahead of time so you can be prepared. Young shih tzu puppies have bodies that are constantly changing and growing, and shih tzu puppies younger than six months often have not developed the bowel and bladder control they will need to be properly house trained.

When the owner is not at home, the shih tzu puppy should be confined to a small room and the entire floor should be covered with paper. Of course it is important to puppy-proof the room, that is removing any items on which the shih tzu puppy could be injured. In the beginning, the shih tzu puppy will most likely eliminate anywhere within the room. In addition, the shih tzu puppy will probably play with the papers, chew them, etc. This is perfectly normal and should not be grounds for punishment or distress. Cleaning up each day should simply be part of the routine of living with a new shih tzu puppy. Simply clean up the soiled papers and put down new ones each day.

Time for paper training

During the time that the shih tzu puppy is confined in its little den, it will begin to develop the habit of eliminating on paper. After a little time has passed, the shih tzu puppy will begin to exhibit a preferred place to eliminate. After this preferred spot has been established, the area that is papered should be slowly diminished. The first papers to be removed should be those that are furthest away from the “toilet”. Eventually, the owner will have to lay down only a few papers. If the shih tzu puppy ever misses those papers, it means that the papered area has been reduced too much and too soon.

After the shih tzu puppy is reliability doing its business only on the papers that have been left, the papers can be slowly and gradually moved to a location of your choice. The papers should be moved only gradually, as little as an inch a day. If the shih tzu puppy misses the papers, again it means that they have been moved too soon and too far. In this case it will be necessary to go back a few steps and start over. It is important not to become discouraged. The shih tzu puppy will eventually understand the concept, and you will be able to choose your shih tzu’s toilet area and move on to the next step.

House training when the owner is home

Obviously the more time you can spend with your shih tzu puppy the faster the house training will go. The objective should be to take the shih tzu puppy to the toilet area every time he needs to do his business. In most cases this will be either every 45 minutes, right after each play session, after he first wakes up or right after he eats or drinks. It is important to provide effusive praise for the puppy when he eliminates in the established toilet area.

As the shih tzu puppy becomes more used to using his toilet area, and as he develops improved bladder and bowel control, he will be able to begin spending more and more time outside his den with his owner in the rest of the home. It is important to begin this process by allowing the shih tzu puppy access to one room at a time. It is also important to allow the shih tzu puppy in the extra room only when he can be supervised. When you must leave the room, be sure to put the shih tzu puppy back in his den.

Connie Limon is a professional shih tzu breeder in Indiana. She publishes a FREE weekly newsletter. A professional newsletter with a focus upon health and wellness for you and your pets. Discounts on shih tzu puppies are offered to subscribers. Sign up at: http://www.stainglassshihtzus.com

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