Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Information On Shih Tzu Paper Training

By Rebecca Simpson

The Shih Tzu dog has a mind of their own. They are very independent and carry themselves with a sense of pride that can almost make them an arrogant dog as well. Training your Shih Tzu can be difficult because they need to accept what you want them to do before they will make it their habit.

Many people give up early on standard housebreaking methods and turn to Shih Tzu paper training. Housebreaking a Shih Tzu is difficult enough but if you add the newspaper element then it can get even worse. There is a way you can introduce papers into their housebreaking but you need to do it as part of a housebreaking routine.

With that being said some people still like to engage in Shih Tzu paper training as a part of housebreaking efforts and honestly that may do more harm than good. A Shih Tzu, for as intelligent as they are, can get confused very easily and if you have been engaged in the same housebreaking routine for months and then you suddenly change it that can cause many problems for your dog.

Even then you need to understand that a Shih Tzu is probably not going to react to paper training like any other breed of dog would react to it. It is so vitally important to be sure that you are doing paper training only after trying conventional housebreaking methods for at least six months.

If you have tried housebreaking for six months then you can try paper training but be persistent. You should already have a living area for your Shih Tzu and chances are that they are soiling areas around, but not in, their living area. One thing you can try is to expand their living area a little to incorporate the areas they are soiling. Maybe even move their bedding closer to the area they have been soiling as a Shih Tzu will not soil where it sleeps.

Shih Tzu paper training should almost not be necessary if you are engaged in the other correct ways to housebreak your Shih Tzu but if paper training is a route you want to take then move their living area to encircle the area they are soiling the most. Cover the soiled area with layers of papers and praise the dog when it uses the papers. Keep the papers clean but keep a small amount of soiled paper with the fresh paper so the dog knows it is okay to use them. Then slowly start moving the whole thing towards the door until the dog associates outside with bathroom activities.

It is not easy to housebreak a Shih Tzu and paper training could be one of the worst things you can do when you are involved in housebreaking training.

That is why you should be taking your Shih Tzu out every 45 minutes when you are home and keep them confined when they are not being taken outside. The Shih Tzu can be frustrating but stay with it if you want to train them right.

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