Free Shih Tzu

i got to school and am away about 5-6 hours a day so im not sure it would be great for me to have this dog but on weekends i do nothing so im free then but i often go out for dinner on weekend and go out for lunch on weekends…….will the puppy get used to it??? or will i just need to buy him lots of toys???

That will be hard on a dog, and especially hard on a puppy. Puppies need to go out every few hours to pee, and require socialization, exercise and training. If you can't give the puppy consistent house-breaking, it may never learn properly. I would say it's best to wait until you have more free time or can share the responsibility of a puppy with someone else. Bored dogs get destructive and bark excessively. Toys can't fix that.

for the first few days he was doing it all on the mat and we was giving him praise and treats now i keep catching him going near buy the mat in all different places, we have bought the urine free carpet sampoos but as he has a little cough and cold and on medication from the vet he cant have his second jab to go outside, can anyone recomend anything we can do?

Okay, the first answer is ridiculous. Mat training is perfectly fine. It has a scent that attracts the dogs to “go” on it, sometimes they feel that going neerbye is just as good though. Correct this by scolding him when you see him, please dont be physical. btw, scolding after a little bit, not right away, is pointless as he had already forgotten, especially as a young puppy. Dont let him be there while you clean it as it gives him the wrong message. As a young puppy this is bound to happen so just give it time. The medication can also be the cause as it usually does give them weird behaviors and some side effects. Be stern as he may be testing you.
Hope that helped!!!!!

I have a 13 month old Shih Tzu, ever since I got him I have put him in a large dog crate thats like a little apartment for him, it has his water, food bowl, bed, toys, and also a PIDDLE PAD aka WEE WEE PAD. Now I have been looking all around online and I see many different opinions of these pads that they are bad and what not but as of now I am currently not working and I want to teach him that if no one is home to let him out its ok to pee/poop on the piddle pad and he still has his area to play eat and sleep. Is this considered “BAD”? I keep him clean and he does exercise and I do let him out to be free with me around the house but when I do start working again I want him to be ok and be comfortable in his crate for about 8 hours while I work and then after work and before work walk him and spend time with him!

Is the piddle pad that bad?

Do all dogs HAVE to pee and poop outside?

Is it okay to have a doggie apartment or should a shih tzu have alot more room?

I would deff appreciate any responses to my question, thank you for reading and I am open to many suggestions! Thanks!

Personally, I would say that the big crate idea isn't all as good as you think. I am sure it's not atleast 2 m x 2 m long and wide.

I think you should find a room in the house, that you least use, and isn't that important. Then, put all the stuff in the room, so your pup has more space to run around in or sleep, etc.

I understand that you need to keep him somewhere will you're gone, that's okay, but, does he sleep with you? If not, I recommend that you put his bed in your bedroom when you are sleeping, or if you are okay with it, you can even let him sleep on your bed, but someone owners don't like that.

When you are home, you should atleast let your pup out 3 hours a day supervised.

The puppy pad is okay, some owners think it's encouraging your dog to make a mess in the house. That's incorrect, it is encouraging the pup to poop/pee on the pad, not anywhere else.

No, not all dogs have to pee/poop outside. Some owners that don't have a lot of time to spend with their pup, like you, put puppy pads where they want the puppy to pee/poop.

It is OK, but, If I had a Shih Tzu, I would give it a whole room, since 8 hours is a lot of time. Like mentioned above.

Whenever your pup makes a mess anywhere not wanted, clean it up, and spray it with perfume, bitter apple, or fragrance. This is NOT cruel to the dog, it is teaching it NOT to make a mess there anymore, and it discourages him from doing it there again. Though, NEVER spray his bed, toys, food, or puppy pad. This also works on chewing problems.

If you would like to house break your dog again, this article should be very helpful: http://www.wikihow.com/House-Train-Your-Dog

Hope it Helps!

Tonight I am getting a girl shorkie and I was having a hard time deciding on a name. Some that I picked out are:

Paislee Grace.
London Shae.
Molly Grace.
Maycee Lee.
Libby Sue.

Which one is your favorite? And feel free to suggest any other cute girly names.

Thanks!

Fifi

I'm saving my money to buy a nice dog, it is possible I will buy it in 1 or 2 years and it will live in my apartament. I'm young, single and hava lots of love and care to give to my pet. I´m looking for a sweet little dog with good disposition and that doesn't get scared and bark at strangers (like Chihuahuas)… if You have experience with those dogs or have another sugestion please feel free to do so!

I prefer Pomeranian they are not as high strung and not much of a hassle like Shih Tzu. Or perhaps a mini Dachshund or Yorkie. Go to Puppy find. com for more information on the dog breeds. http://www.puppyfind.com/

My husband and I recently became parents of a 7 wk old female shih-tzu and we live in a 3rd floor apartment. We are very interested in the idea of crate and/or paper training and have both done a lot of research, but I needed some advice from some people who have been through the processes. A few things: the pup will need to be left at times for up to 5 hrs. We don't mind the potty spot being in the apartment until she is able to hold her bladder for long periods of time. She has not had all her shots yet so pottying her outside on the grass (where the other dogs in the complex potty) is not an option until she has had them. Any advice??? At this point we have been crossing crate training with paper training by setting up a pen in the house with her crate at one corner of the pen and the potty pad at the other. when we're away she has free run of her pen and free access to the potty pad. When we're home she is in her crate closed and we potty her on her pad at intervals.is this ok

When I first got my Shih Tzu, who will be 2 in a couple of days, school was still in session for 2 more weeks. We gave her a big enough crate to potty in if need be by separating her sleeping area and her potty area. We folded the potty pad over and placed it in front of the door. My son then worked with her every half hour to a hour going outside to potty. Sometimes she did, sometimes not, but it got her used to going outside to potty. Once school started again, We got a baby gate and closed off the kitchen (it has hardwood floors) and put a potty pad by the door. She used only when she needed to. This gave her the ability to sleep in her crate, which she never did, and still have room to play, eat, drink, and potty. My son would let her out right away after getting home and every hour or so during the evenings for the first couple of months after school started. We quickly learn her signals and she could hold it longer.

She was not confused between the potty pad and outside in the least but it took about a good 12 months or so of both to get her totally potty trained. Once she was night trained, bye bye crate. Haven't used it since.

Are shih tzus hard to train? Also are there alot of good breeders of are they hard to find? Are male shih tzus different in termperament than females? What is the tendency towards agression? More independent or clingy? How much exersize do they need?

And if you have a breeder reccomendation please feel free to share!!

Thank you so much for your time!!

Here is some information on the dog =)

Description: The name "Shih Tzu" means lion dog in Chinese
and they received the name because of their long, flowingmane-like coat. The Shih Tzu is a sturdy, lively, toy dog with a long flowing double coat. They have a distinctively arrogant carriage with head well up and tail curved over the

back. They may display an arrogant personality, but are actually playful and gentle. Shih Tzus adapt well to any family situation and will enjoy a cuddle in your lap, doing tricks, or fetching a tennis ball. Shih Tzus are an intelligent dog who will make a good family addition. Despite their small size the Shih Tzu is a confident and dignified breed.

Other Names: Chrysanthemum Dog

Type: Companion Dog

Height: 8 – 11 inches
Weight: 8 – 15 lbs.Shih Tzu

Colors: All colors.
Coat: Long, dense, not curly with a good undercoat

Temperament: Shih Tzus are gentle, loyal, proud

With Children: Yes, loves children.

With Pets: Yes, gets along well with other animals.

Special Skills: Family pet

Watch-dog: Very High

Guard-dog: Very Low

Care and Exercise: Daily grooming is essential for the Shih Tzu. Bathing once a month. Clipping of matting on feet. Basic training when puppy is young. Minimal exercise is needed, but they will love to play outdoors.

Training: Shih Tzus may be obstinate but patience and consistency will help over come the problem and achieve a reasonable level of training.

Learning Rate: High, Obedience – Medium, Problem Solving – Low

Activity: Indoors – High, Outdoors – Low

Living Environment: Apartment is adequate provided they receive some type of exercise. An owner of a Shih Tzu should be a consistent leader who desire an active, curious breed.

Health Issues: Kidney disorder, otherwise no major health problems.

Life Span: 10 – 14 years

Litter Size: 2 – 4

Country of Origin: Tibet

History: Shih Tzus may have originated from a cross between the Tibetan Mountain Dog and the Pekingese. They were a favored dog of the Emperor and is portrayed in Chinese paintings. They were first imported to England in the 1930's. Then after World War II they made their way to the United States by military officers going home. It wasn't until 1969 that the AKC recognized the breed.

First Registered by the AKC: 1969
AKC Group: Toy Group

Class: Toy

Registries: AKC, ANKC, CKC, FCI (Group 9), KC(GB), UKC

Does anyone have a puppy which is this cross breed there also known as Cava Tzu, what do you think of the breed?? are yours effectionate? what is there temperemnt like? i have one i just want to get others oppinion and feel free to show any pictures

Sorry blondey but all your going to get is a bunch of people harping on about how your dog is a mutt (they love to put it in capital letters for extra effect) and that your stupid for paying money for a cross breed and that you should have gone to a dogs home to get one. These people generally ignore your question and just seem to have a holier than thou attitude about dogs. You have the right to own any type of dog that you want and if you try googling this type of dog you may find some sites that are a bit more helpfull than the people that lurk on the dogs section here ready to pounce on anybody that dares not to have a pedigree dog or one from the shelter.

**awaits hundreds on thumbs down for not just writing a 500 word rant on puppy mills in response to somebody who asked a perfectly reasonable question about their pet**

Today I received a very difficult to get approval from my dad that I may have a shih tzu puppy my boyfriend is taking from his friend for free who cannot keep him since he's having a baby with his wife. The puppy is 3 months old. He hasn't been fully potty trained and he doesn't stay outside. I will be getting him in about 3 weeks while I get the house ready. I want to know everyone's experience with their puppies, tips on potty training, is the petco/petsmart training effective? (have you tried it) Right now I am in summer break, until late august. I attend school Full time at my local college, I will be gone part of the day and so I plan on using a crate. How exactly does it work, what if the puppy has to potty while I am gone? And of course I welcome any additional information anyone may want to add:] Tips;] ;]
Thank you EVERYONE!!!!!
PS: My dad is literally "mr. clean" we have no kids around so the house is extra clean. He expects me to have the pup ready for the house. The house is all carpet. :/ Help me:]

Ah a new pup. yay! =]

Here's a website with everything you need to know about crate training:

http://www.inch.com/~dogs/cratetraining.html

I do NOT recommend the petco/petsmart training. I have not tried it, nor will I ever. It is better to get recommendations through your vet's office.

Here's what you need to do before you bring home your pup:

http://www.canismajor.com/dog/bring01.html

And here's some helpful sites about new puppies:

http://www.canismajor.com/dog/tpuppy.html

http://www.k9web.com/dog-faqs/new-puppy.html

http://www.workingdogs.com/30puptipsg.htm

And here's some more info on Shih Tzu's:

http://www.canismajor.com/dog/shihtzu.html

http://www.yourpurebredpuppy.com/dogbreeds/shihtzu.html

http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/shihtzu.htm

http://www.yourpurebredpuppy.com/reviews/shihtzu.html

The most helpful tip I can give you, is stick to a schedule and have patience!!
Good Luck!

Well i am getting a shih tzu puppy and ive done my research but one thing im unsure of is feeding.
Ive decided to not have "free will" feeding.. I would rather have schelduled feeding times.

So since that is the case, how much should i feed him? should i find him twice or 3 times a day? maybe even four? should i feed him dry or wet? both?

is it true that its good for your dog to eat a little meat or fresh veggies?

best answer will be chosen.

I think your decision not to free feed is a really good one. While your puppy is still really young, I'd go with either 3 or 4 times a day, and don't limit quantities just yet. After he's about 3 months old, 2 or 3 times a day should be sufficient. I only feed my adult dogs once or twice a day, depending on my schedule and their activity level.

I suggest finding a well-priced, dry kibble. There are many excellent brands out there, but they can be hard to find. The only brand that Petsmart carries that I would recommend is Blue Buffalo. However, Pet Supplies Plus and smaller, independant stores carry the really good foods like Merrick, Wellness, Canidae, Innova, Chicken Soup, Natural Balance, and Solid Gold. No matter what food you decide to buy, check out the ingredient list. It can get overwhelming, so just concentrate on all the ingredients listed before the first "fat." You don't want to see any corn or corn derivatives. You don't want to see any meat by-products or unnamed meats. Corn isn't digestible, nutrious, and is even an allergen for many dogs. Since dogs must have meat in their diet, its imporant that they have high-quality meat sources and that the kibble as a whole offers enough protein for growth. Most of the really good foods are somewhere between 22% and 27%; grain-free foods like Wellness Core and Innova Evo are even more protein-heavy. The amount that you feed should depend on the condition of the dog (i.e. looking skinny vs. looking too chunky) and the food itself (i.e. you feed less of foods like Evo than you would of Chicken Soup). The quantities on the bags are only a starting point, and you should adjust them based on your dog's condition and activity level.

Adding extras into your dog's diet can be a good thing, but its easy to go overboard, especially with small dogs. High-quality foods like the ones discussed above will contain lots of meat and plenty of veggies and fruits. I supplement my dogs' diets with raw carrots and other veggies on occasion.