Shih Tzu Information Center
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Top 8 Shih Tzu Behavior Issues (cont'd)
Trying to Run Away: When your dog tries to run away, it is not a reflection of their feelings toward you or your home. A dog has an inbred desire to hunt and explore. They have a natural curiosity to see what is making those noises that they hear and to learn what it is that their amazing senses are detecting. Just hearing a bird or seeing a butterfly can make a dog forget about what they should be doing and they want to be off like the wind!
A male dog can smell a female in heat from miles away! And both male and female dogs want to simply run with abandonment to their heart's content. Your Shih Tzu may want to run when you are walking them and pull on the leash until your arm hurts.
Obviously, in most situations, you cannot allow you dog to simply run free for saftely reasons. Therefore, with some training, you can teach your dog to walk nicely with you and that running off is negative behavior.
The key to training your dog in this regard is to clearly make it known what behavior will bring about reward and which behavior will have a negative reaction from you. There is one person that your Shih Tzu wishes to please: you! You are the center of your dog's life and your dog, while having those urges to run, also wants very deeply to please you.
When you are walking your dog, keep the leash short, do not allow your pet to get too far ahead of you. Keep control with the leash and when they are walking. When they are behaving, talk in a happy pleased voice and say "Good dog", etc.
If/when your dog tries to run ahead of you, pull on the leash and stop: freeze in your tracks and do not continue on until your dog sits and then seems to calm down.
In regard to you dog actually running away free, always keep them on a leash, beware of fences: just about any dog will dig under or jump over if motivated enough. Be careful when you open your house door, it only takes a moment for your dog to run away. You should strongly think about having a microchip put into your dog. It is relatively painless and you will be so happy that you did so, if your dog ever runs away.
Having your dog given a microchip is relatively easy. This is modern technology that ensures you will always be able to find your dog if they run away or are stolen. The procedure of microchipping a dog is painless and well worth the fee.
A male dog can smell a female in heat from miles away! And both male and female dogs want to simply run with abandonment to their heart's content. Your Shih Tzu may want to run when you are walking them and pull on the leash until your arm hurts.
Obviously, in most situations, you cannot allow you dog to simply run free for saftely reasons. Therefore, with some training, you can teach your dog to walk nicely with you and that running off is negative behavior.
The key to training your dog in this regard is to clearly make it known what behavior will bring about reward and which behavior will have a negative reaction from you. There is one person that your Shih Tzu wishes to please: you! You are the center of your dog's life and your dog, while having those urges to run, also wants very deeply to please you.
When you are walking your dog, keep the leash short, do not allow your pet to get too far ahead of you. Keep control with the leash and when they are walking. When they are behaving, talk in a happy pleased voice and say "Good dog", etc.
If/when your dog tries to run ahead of you, pull on the leash and stop: freeze in your tracks and do not continue on until your dog sits and then seems to calm down.
In regard to you dog actually running away free, always keep them on a leash, beware of fences: just about any dog will dig under or jump over if motivated enough. Be careful when you open your house door, it only takes a moment for your dog to run away. You should strongly think about having a microchip put into your dog. It is relatively painless and you will be so happy that you did so, if your dog ever runs away.
Having your dog given a microchip is relatively easy. This is modern technology that ensures you will always be able to find your dog if they run away or are stolen. The procedure of microchipping a dog is painless and well worth the fee.
