Do not let the small stature of your Shitzu fool you. These dogs can be a handful if you are not careful. When it comes to the Shitzu - its small stature is synonymous with active, busy, curious, and creative. Finding toys to entertain and to keep them busy should be a top priority. If you do not provide toys, they will find activities on their own to keep themselves busy like digging, chewing, barking, and exploring.
If you plan to own a Shitzu, then it is important to make sure you have a well-fenced yard (primarily for supervised exercise), doors that close securely, lots of toys and activities, and lots of time to exercise, socialize, train, and groom this little bundle of energy. In addition, be conscious of sudden bursts of energy. The Shitzu might be a decorative dog, but they are constantly on the go and very playful, so be prepared.
Shitzu's are very good-natured dogs; however, they can be effervescent at times. The Shitzu is not easy to train; however, they are a very intelligent breed. They depend greatly on human companionship; therefore making them easy to spoil. Sometimes you may even notice a stubborn streak, with a little pride and arrogance. Additionally, they also have short memories, are easily distracted, and have selective memories.
Shitzu's have a good sense of humor. They would rather play than get serious about a training session. Making your Shitzu want to cooperate is the best way to train them. Make a conscious effort to spend some time with your Shitzu to teach her the basics. Remember, when it comes to housetraining she may require several refresher courses.
Do not push them too hard, and keep expectations realistic. There are Shitzu's that have won some high-level obedience awards; however, yours may not be able to follow in those footsteps. Do not get me wrong, your Shitzu might be able to reach those levels; they most certainly have the intelligence, but keep in mind that they were bred to be flamboyant companions not working dogs.
It takes dedicated, patient, skilled, talented, and experienced owners to take a Shitzu to the level of an obedience champion. Keeping a Shitzu focused is not an easy task. Shitzu's can easily learn house manners; however, shihtzu training is unquestionably going to be a challenge.
Your Shitzu will enjoy making you happy by obeying a few commands, but will tire of that activity quickly and will want to be held and coddled. If you ask for a repeat performance, she may stubbornly refuse, and no matter how much you beg, it will not work.
Remember, these dogs have a mind of their own, so don't push too hard. However, if you are an experienced trainer and your Shitzu have a love for obedience training, you will both be surprised with the outcome.
Justin Mathers is a dog lover and owner. He is the Co-owner of a few dog web sites which give information and resources to people wanting to train, or just get to know their dogs better. You can visit his Co-owned web sites at: Shitzu Puppies -or- |
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1 comment:
I really agree that patience is your best friend. Brad (my GSD) is hard to teach at first but everything will be easier when he found out that I am his boss. I learned this from-- http://dogtrainingasleader.com --which has 250+ videos and are adding regularly. No force used ever! Dog owners should really use video training not that it's just cheaper but it's also easy too and you can see the results almost instantly.
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