Shih Tzu puppies are incredibly adorable, but one mistake most new owners make is thinking these puppies are like most other breeds when it comes to training and not waiting for the right Shih Tzu potty training age.
Shih Tzus are extremely eager to please their owner and can be heartbroken when they think they have failed. So, when training your puppy you need to offer lots of encouragement and positive reinforcement with little to no negative feedback.
Are Shih Tzu puppies easy to potty train? The answer to the question is no because they have small bladders, which makes them prone to accidents. This is why anyone wanting to own a Shih Tzu should be patient, loving, caring, and understanding.
Shih Tzu Potty Training Age
Another aspect of training Shih Tzu puppies is their inability to control their bladder until they are 10 to 12 weeks, which afterward they become Shih Tzu potty training age.
Until such time, attempting to potty train them will only create anxiety in your pet and frustration in you. Cover the floor area they live in with newspaper or potty training pads and spend lots of time playing with them.
It will mean a fair amount of clean up until they are ready to learn, but if you wait until they are ready, they will learn quickly!
Putting them on a feeding schedule can help control when they need to go. After 12 weeks you should find they will defecate first thing in the morning and then again right after eating their morning meal.
You may also find they will want to urinate within minutes after drinking water. Being aware of this can save you frustration in caring for your puppy.
If you need to leave your Shih Tzu unattended, put up a child safety gate. This will allow them to see more than just their room and yet keep them from getting into trouble.
Never allow your puppy free rein of the house until they are at least a year old. They are very curious and can be highly destructive by chewing on table legs, shoes, or the carpet.
This is not acting out of frustration, it is just their natural character. Just like a baby likes to put things in its mouth, Shih Tzu likes to chew on things as well.
If you do catch your puppy doing something you don’t want them to do, just startle them with a loud noise. Eventually, with training, you can cure your puppy’s desire to chew, but that takes time.
Although Shih Tzu puppies are relatively comfortable in crates, you may find them whimpering the first couple of nights.
This is not because of the crate, but due to loneliness for their siblings. Putting a warm water bottle and a ticking clock in their crate with them should help.
It is no secret that most puppies are going to have issues getting accustomed to housetraining or potty training. Shih Tzus, more so than most other larger breeds, have a more difficult time adapting to potty training because they have small bladders.
Nevertheless, one way to help your Shih Tzu puppy is to use the simple yet effective method of crate training. This method is highly effective, but you are going to have to show a lot of patience and positive reinforcement. Shih Tzus are highly sensitive dogs, and they do not do well with harsh treatment.
Treating your puppy harshly while potty training can cause Shih Tzu potty training regression, which can cause them to forget everything they learned up to that point. Shih Tzu ownership is not for everyone.
Not too many people are willing to wait for the proper Shih Tzu potty training age. Therefore, they lose patience with the puppy and subject it to harsh handling. This behavior is a surefire way to destroy your puppy’s confidence and its love and trust for you.
Your Shih Tzu housebreaking problems will go away if you take your time and shower your little puppy with praise, love, and plenty of treats. These dogs want to do nothing but please you. Therefore, if you are patient with them, they will reward you in the end when they are correctly potty trained. However, it is still crucial that you pay attention to the right Shih Tzu potty training age.
