Problems Trying to Housebreak Your Shih Tzu?

How to Effectively Housebreak Your Shih Tzu
By Lawrence Combs

Teaching your dog to go to the bathroom outdoors is a common struggle for new Shih Tzu owners. It will take patience and steady positive training.
Just as parents of toddlers struggle with potty training, perhaps no aspect of training your Shih Tzu to be a welcome member of your household is more vital than successful housebreaking.

A child responds to different methods-for example, some are motivated by sticker charts and rewards while others could care less about such gimmicks but are desperate to wear "big kid" underwear-so don't expect your Shih Tzu to respond to the exact training methods that worked wonders for another dog in a different household.

By all means, listen to all the advice you can get and try the methods that you think might work for you and your dog, but don't be discouraged if the fool-proof method you read about in a magazine doesn't work like magic on your little friend.

Adapt the best ideas for your personality and your dog's, and remember to be patient.

It can take months to train human children in the preferred methods of elimination, and your Shih Tzu will most likely master the concept much more quickly.

Two of your biggest allies in the campaign to teach your Shih Tzu to use the approved area for elimination are:

1. His natural desire to keep his den clean and;

2. His desire to please you, the leader of his pack, and earn your enthusiastic praise and attention.

One of the most popular methods of training a dog is crate training.

Some dog owners abhor the thought of confining their dogs in a kennel crate, and dogs can be successfully trained without using one.

However, for many dog owners, especially those who must be gone from the home for several hours to work, they can be lifesavers (and furniture savers and shoe savers . . .).

First-time dog owners are often pleasantly surprised at how quickly their dogs take to their crates and how much they enjoy spending time there.

Many if not most dogs have a natural desire for a safe den.

However, a dog crate must be used properly to be effective and humane.

You want your Shih Tzu to consider her crate as her own personal den. It should never be used to punish the dog.

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