Shih Tzu Info Center | Begging Issues

Shih Tzu Information Center

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Top 8 Shih Tzu Dog Behavior Issues (cont'd)

Begging: The art of a dog begging is something to be admired in a way. Some dogs can beg with all the charm in the world. Looking at you with those puppy dog eyes, staring at you as if their world is going to fall apart should you not give in to their wishes; it is not surprising that over 38% of dog owners give their dogs human food on a regular basis in addition to dog food. Their reason? Their dog just won't stop begging for it!

Dogs will beg for many reasons such as:

Wanting food from your dinner
To go outside to play
To get up onto your bed
To be able to play with an object that you do not consider to be a dog toy
To get your attention

Some of these are harmless and some can do more damage than you may think. When it comes to a dog begging for human food, an owner must be aware of why feeding your dog a high quality dog food or specifically prepared home cooked food is the only food that should be given.

When you feed manufactured food, it is very important to never give in to your Tzu's begging for human food. Your dog will have no idea that there is a difference between a healthy piece of steak that you give him and your refusal to give him a piece of your onion ring (very toxic to dogs).

When you home cook, it is also important that you Shih Tzu received the meals that you prepare for him or her...and does not expect morsels of your dinner to be given to him or her while you are sitting at the dining table.

Your Tzu will not understand that your home cooked food is human food, he or she will simply think it is delicious. Therefore, giving your Tzu homemade food does not automatically make it alright to offer any and all human food.

If you give in once...you will have a long road ahead of you. If you have already given in, immediately stop giving in and stay firm.

Yummy Home Cooking for the Shih Tzu

Learn detailed information regarding home cooked food VS manufactured dog food. Is manufactured food really healthy? What is the difficulty level of home cooking? Read about how your choice affects your Tzu. More

Another reason to not give in to begging, is because there could be even small amounts of ingredients in your food, that is toxic to your Shih Tzu. Some of the food that can cause havoc to a dog's tummy are:

Onions
seeds
fruit
caffeine
Raisins
and of course chocolate

The best method to train your Shih Tzu to stop begging is to have a higher will power than they do. It will be a stand off until they are trained. You, for the sake of your dog's health, must remain firm in your beliefs. No matter how much your dog begs, you must ignore them. Be sure, of course, to feed your Shih with the best food possible. We do recommend home cooking as opposed to manufactured food .

If you have the emotional will power to withstand the begging for approximately 2 weeks, your Shih Tzu will learn that begging does not achieve any results. When your dog walks over to eat their own dinner, give some great words of encouragement; this will train your dog that they are showing positive behavior that pleases the most important person in their world: you!

Note: The Shih Tzu is one adorable dog who can bring a lot of interesting & puzzling behavioral issues! Learn more about the AllShihTzu e-book that we have for you, to understand about all Shih Tzu behavior & appropriate training. Click to learn more.

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