Learn how to teach your adult Shih Tzu all the rules of your house as quickly as possible. You might not know how to train an older Shih Tzu to do new tricks, as most people associate training only with puppies, but the reality is that Shih Tzus can learn at any age.
Adult Shih Tzus are usually easier to train than puppies because they have more self-control. It’s also important to continue training your Shih Tzu as it matures. This will keep your Shih Tzu’s mind sharp and provide the mental stimulation and structure it needs.
Even though these tips are primarily for owners who have recently adopted an adult Shih Tzu, they can also be used to train older pets needing to acquire new skills.
1. Be patient.
2. Use a crate for house training.
3. Enroll in an obedience class.
4. Address issues and challenges.
5. Keep it positive.
If you’ve just brought an adult Shih Tzu into your home, give it some time to adjust. An adult Shih Tzu comes with its own history, which might make it nervous in the new environment. Don’t give up on your new Shih Tzu after just a few days. Your adult Shih Tzu might need an adjustment period that can take a few days to a month or more. Once your adult Shih Tzu realizes it’s found its forever home, it will soon settle in as part of the family.
There may be some unique challenges and opportunities when it comes to training an adopted Shih Tzu.
Use a crate for house training.
Don’t assume that an adult Shih Tzu is already house trained or well-behaved at home. Treat your adult Shih Tzu as you would a new puppy. Keep it in a crate when you can’t supervise it. When you let it out of the crate, take it immediately to the spot where you want it to relieve itself. If it doesn’t relieve itself, crate it again and try again a little later. Make sure the crate you choose is large enough and sturdy enough to comfortably hold your adult Shih Tzu.
The Shih Tzu should be able to stand up, move around, and stretch without difficulty. Crates with soft sides are often too fragile to meet the needs of an adult dog; the best option is usually a collapsible metal wire crate.
Provide water, soft blankets, and chew toys for your crated dog, and make sure to give your pet enough attention, exercise, and outdoor time to relieve itself. If your adult Shih Tzu is new to crates, introduce the concept slowly. Encourage it to enter the crate by offering food, and keep it in the crate for only a few minutes initially. Avoid using the crate as punishment or leaving your dog isolated in the crate for extended periods.
The good news is that adult Shih Tzus have more control over their bladders and bowels than puppies. House training often progresses much faster with adult Shih Tzus than with puppies or adolescent dogs that don’t yet have this control.
Enroll in an obedience class.
Your adult Shih Tzu is perfectly capable of learning new things. Even if it’s never had any obedience training before, it will benefit from learning basic commands like loose leash walking and lying down. An obedience class is a great place to work on this training. It’s also an opportunity for your adult Shih Tzu to socialize with other dogs and people. It allows you to see how your dog reacts to other dogs and strangers in a safe environment with a professional dog trainer available for guidance.
Issues and challenges.
An adult Shih Tzu might have been allowed to do things in its previous home that you don’t want it to do in yours, such as jumping on guests or getting on furniture. These tips will help ensure your Shih Tzu learns and maintains appropriate behaviors for your home. Start teaching your adult Shih Tzu the rules of your house as soon as possible. Consider teaching your dog self-control using the “Nothing in Life is Free” (NILF) dog training method, which requires your Shih Tzu to behave appropriately before receiving desired treats, walks, or positive attention. Make sure everyone is on the same page. It can be confusing for a Shih Tzu when different family members have different behavior standards, commands, or expectations. When everyone agrees on appropriate behaviors and uses the same commands and rewards, your Shih Tzu will learn faster and maintain its training longer.
Keep it positive.
Since you probably don’t know the kind of training experience your adult Shih Tzu has had in the past, positive reinforcement methods are your best bet. Using tasty treats and plenty of praise are effective training methods for dogs of all ages and breeds. Keep things fun and optimistic rather than punishing your adult Shih Tzu. This is a great way to strengthen the bond between you and your Shih Tzu. It might take some effort initially, but teaching basic commands to your adult Shih Tzu and working on behavior problem-solving from day one means your Shih Tzu will soon become a happy and healthy part of your family.