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 several factors on why feeding your dog a high quality dog food and nothing else is so very important.

Dog food has come a long way since the days of old wives's tales and talk of it being made out of horse meat (this, in case you are wondering is 100% false) and there are very good reasons for a dog's diet to consist of high quality dog food:

Human food contains many additives that are not good for a dog's digestive systems
Many foods will be too high in fat for a dog
Dog food is formulated to supply a dog with the nutrients and vitamins that a dog needs

Some people mistakenly believe that a dog can eat just about anything and that human food is somehow better for a canine, as it is fresher and homemade. While some dog owners do prefer to cook their dog's meals with simple ingredients such as boiled chicken and rice, it is the regular dinners that we eat such as ones laden with fat and salt that can compromise a dog's health. Dog food is healthy and balanced.

In addition, a dog may have allergic reactions to their owner's food. There are also many foods that are poisonous to a canine, and there may be traces of these ingredients that you are not aware of. 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 supply a high quality dog food. Try to find dog foods in many different flavors so that your pet has the opportunity to discover new tastes; but do not give in to the begging. 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!

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