13 Aug

4 Top Shih Tzu Training Myths

Shih Tzu TrainingWhat is the secret to training a Shih Tzu puppy? So many people manage to get it wrong that we thought it was about time to note down some accurate information for you to read and reference next time you do some Shih Tzu Training.

Dog training has a lot of different angles, some are great whilst others are not so good.

At Shih Tzu Web we only work with the best so let’s take a look at the five top dog training myths to avoid. Let’s shape that perfect Shih Tzu!

Shih Tzu Training Myth 1

Your dog is a wolf. If you have been searching in certain circles for your Shih Tzu training tips that you may have been informed that your best friend is a wolf in Shih Tzu clothing. Do not be dismayed if you have, it’s a common myth.

Your Shih Tzu is 100% dog. The only link that he has to the grey wolf of today is DNA, of which he shares nearly 98%. So he is a wolf then? No, not at all, DNA does not dictate behavior it simply tells us that we all have a common ancestor.

Shih Tzu Training Myth 2

Your dog has an agenda of his own and he wants to be the boss.

This myth is based upon the misconception that a dog behaves like a wolf and the double misconception that all wolves want to be the boss.

Your Shih Tzu does not want to rule the home. He may seem like he does if you reinforce certain behaviors but that is more a reaction to your behavior than a specific desire to keep the entire family at a lower rank than himself.

When a dog pushes any boundaries that you may have in place it is purely because he is working out how you will react to his cheekiness and often because he has got away with it before.

Shih Tzu Training Myth 3

A dog should act nicely out of respect.

This is simply untrue, the Shih Tzu is not instilled with an innate respect that he naturally wheels out for the person that feeds him. This myth is a human projection which almost attempts to put a human thought process into the dog’s mind.

The dog’s mind is a wonderfully complex machine but it is not the same as yours or mine. The only way that you can expect your dog to act nicely is if you teach him to. In fact to your dog there is no right or wrong at all, nor does he attach a label to the way that he acts. In exactly the same way that a human does, the dog will only truly respect the people that earn it.

Shih Tzu Training Myth 4

The dog does not need a reward because a pat on the head will do.

The Shih Tzu is not a working dog, he is a companion breed, therefore unless you motivate this dog to learn he will not be the slightest bit interested in Shih Tzu training sessions.

A bright and intelligent little dog like this one will most certainly show little interest in training unless you make it worth his while. It’s important too that you do because you wouldn’t work for free so why should your clever little dog? Motivation creates wondrous results!

I have only touched on the basics of Shih Tzu training here and there is much more available in our various articles so why not stick around and explore?

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