A very common statement from those who have a Shih Tzu at home is, “He knows exactly what time I’m coming home from work. He’s already waiting at the door for me.” As exaggerated as these words may sound, the idea that Shih Tzus knows when their owners are coming is true.
It’s not a matter of intuition or a crystal ball, but rather the typically canine characteristics that set them apart from other beings. These include well-developed senses like a keen sense of smell and hearing, as well as the conditioning of Shih Tzus.
According to experts, a dog’s sense of smell is much more refined than that of a human. While we have an average of five million odor-detecting cells, some breeds, such as scent hounds, can have 220 million. Additionally, the part of a dog’s brain responsible for processing scents is about 40 times larger proportionally than ours.
Dogs also have significantly better hearing than humans. It is believed to be ten times more sensitive than ours, with the ability to pick up sounds four times farther away and pinpoint the sound’s origin in just six-hundredths of a second.
Apart from anatomy, another factor that contributes to a dog knowing when their owner or anyone else is coming is animal conditioning. In other words, if a person consistently arrives home at the same time, it’s natural for the dog to recognize this behavior and start waiting for them.
This phenomenon often occurs during meal times as well. Regardless of whether it’s a holiday or a Sunday, the little dog will always be there, waiting for you at the same time.