Shih Tzu Information Center
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Leaving Your Shih Tzu Home Alone
Overview
No one wants to leave their baby home alone; however the time must come when you must train your Shih Tzu to handle being home alone.
Not only must you address the issue of possible separation anxiety, you must also train your dog to behave appropriately while you are gone. Whether you leave the home for 5 minutes or 5 hours, life will be a lot easier if you are confident that your Shih Tzu behaves properly while you are gone.
To have a well adjusted dog that is emotionally content and non-destructive when alone, this will involve preparation and repetitive training techniques.
No one wants to leave their baby home alone; however the time must come when you must train your Shih Tzu to handle being home alone.
Not only must you address the issue of possible separation anxiety, you must also train your dog to behave appropriately while you are gone. Whether you leave the home for 5 minutes or 5 hours, life will be a lot easier if you are confident that your Shih Tzu behaves properly while you are gone.
To have a well adjusted dog that is emotionally content and non-destructive when alone, this will involve preparation and repetitive training techniques.
"Wait...Please come back home!"
Age Appropriateness
A Shih Tzu should be at least 6 months old before you leave him or her home alone for the day (which in this discussion will refer to a 7 - 8 hour day). If you have a Shih Tzu puppy that is from 2 months (the youngest a dog should be when you first obtain one) to 5 month, they will require frequent feedings and plenty of opportunities to be brought outside to eliminate. Therefore, if a person must be gone for the day and has no one who can step in to take care of a puppy, they should not obtain the puppy. Having a dog should be a well planned out event. One should ensure that they have the time to devote to the care of a young Shih Tzu. Alternatively, one may opt to have an older dog. However, one must keep in mind that although an older Shih Tzu will have a better understanding of what is expected in regard to behavior and elimination, they must be given adequate time to become accustomed to their new home and the schedule of their new owners.
How to Prepare
If an owner is to keep their dog in a crate all day, it forces one to wonder why they would decide to have a dog in the first place. A canine such as the Shih Tzu or any other dog deserves to be in a comfortable, clean, happy and healthy environment. Since the Shih Tzu is most certainly not an outside dog, a plan must be made to keep the dog inside while the owner/s are away. No matter what the weather and temperature, this dog breed should never be left outside. Weather can change quickly: what starts off as a warm sunny day and end as a drizzly cold one!
Being crated all day or being outside are not options. Therefore, the Shih Tzu must have a comfortable area inside the home. It is suggested to find an area that will be the dog's environment while home alone. While it is noted that not all owners are going to have a spare room to designate as their dog's room, effort should be made to at least reserve a 1/2 of a room or corner specifically for this dog.
The area can be gated off with baby gates; gates can be found with many options that show the advancement since the days of top-of-the-stairs gates. You can create a wonderful play area for your Shih Tzu. The other option is to have a large play pen. No matter which of these 2 options are chosen; the key is that the dog has plenty of room to spend their day.
The space that you choose should have the following features:
Before You Leave
If an owner is to keep their dog in a crate all day, it forces one to wonder why they would decide to have a dog in the first place. A canine such as the Shih Tzu or any other dog deserves to be in a comfortable, clean, happy and healthy environment. Since the Shih Tzu is most certainly not an outside dog, a plan must be made to keep the dog inside while the owner/s are away. No matter what the weather and temperature, this dog breed should never be left outside. Weather can change quickly: what starts off as a warm sunny day and end as a drizzly cold one!
Being crated all day or being outside are not options. Therefore, the Shih Tzu must have a comfortable area inside the home. It is suggested to find an area that will be the dog's environment while home alone. While it is noted that not all owners are going to have a spare room to designate as their dog's room, effort should be made to at least reserve a 1/2 of a room or corner specifically for this dog.
The area can be gated off with baby gates; gates can be found with many options that show the advancement since the days of top-of-the-stairs gates. You can create a wonderful play area for your Shih Tzu. The other option is to have a large play pen. No matter which of these 2 options are chosen; the key is that the dog has plenty of room to spend their day.
The space that you choose should have the following features:
- A spot for their food; set up in sturdy no-spill bowls
- An area of newspapers for elimination in case the dog can not wait until the owner comes home
- A basket of toys; a dog will actually learn to keep their toys in the basket and choose which ones they wish to play with. For prime happiness and to stop boredom issues the toys should be original, fun, colorful (yes, the Shih Tzu can see colors!) and be interactive.
- A place to rest. A soft and cozy dog bed is preferable.
Before You Leave
To have things flow as smoothly as possible, an owner should set aside time for their Shih Tzu before they leave the house. The most important activities to do (without rushing):
- Go for a brisk walk
- Allow your dog to eliminate
- Play, hug and give kisses - to stop Separation Anxiety, it is important to do this early and not close to the time that you are leaving.
You Shih Tzu may miss you so much when you are gone that they develop Separation Anxiety. This can cause your dog to become so stressed out that they do damage to your home, eliminate inside the home, bark incessantly while you are gone and once you arrive home: act out of control due to happiness.
This is not healthy for your Shih Tzu nor will this make for a peaceful home and environment for you. You can help your Shih Tzu handle your departure and arrival with grace. The key to this is to never allow your dog to think that your presence or lack of presence is a huge event.
Hugs, kisses and play time should be done well before it is time to leave. After your dog is tired from the brisk walk that you give them and they have had plenty of your attention, you should leave your Shih Tzu to occupy themselves while you prepare to leave. Act casually around your dog as you get dressed, have breakfast and go about your daily activities.
When it is time to leave, do not say the word "Goodbye" , "Bye" or any word that implies something sad is about to happen. You should throw a fun toy to your dog and leave when they are paying attention to it. Do not worry that your dog will spend the day wondering where in the world you disappeared to; they will simply not go into a state of anxiety; because in this way they are not watching you depart and say words that imply you are going to be gone.
If you make your dog aware that you are not going to be around, you will trigger a response in them that can put your Shih Tzu into panic mode as they then wonder if they will ever see you again.
When you come home, you should greet your dog with a gentle pat and go about some business for about 5-10 minutes. Then, you may go over to your Shih Tzu and give all the hugs & kisses that you wish. In this way, your dog will not associate your arrival with lots of attention. Your arrival back will be a peaceful and calm event. After a bit of time passes, you may go for a walk, play games and give your dog as much attention as you wish. Your Shih Tzu will then not connect your arrival back with attention and therefore be able to have control over their emotions.
This is not healthy for your Shih Tzu nor will this make for a peaceful home and environment for you. You can help your Shih Tzu handle your departure and arrival with grace. The key to this is to never allow your dog to think that your presence or lack of presence is a huge event.
Hugs, kisses and play time should be done well before it is time to leave. After your dog is tired from the brisk walk that you give them and they have had plenty of your attention, you should leave your Shih Tzu to occupy themselves while you prepare to leave. Act casually around your dog as you get dressed, have breakfast and go about your daily activities.
When it is time to leave, do not say the word "Goodbye" , "Bye" or any word that implies something sad is about to happen. You should throw a fun toy to your dog and leave when they are paying attention to it. Do not worry that your dog will spend the day wondering where in the world you disappeared to; they will simply not go into a state of anxiety; because in this way they are not watching you depart and say words that imply you are going to be gone.
If you make your dog aware that you are not going to be around, you will trigger a response in them that can put your Shih Tzu into panic mode as they then wonder if they will ever see you again.
When you come home, you should greet your dog with a gentle pat and go about some business for about 5-10 minutes. Then, you may go over to your Shih Tzu and give all the hugs & kisses that you wish. In this way, your dog will not associate your arrival with lots of attention. Your arrival back will be a peaceful and calm event. After a bit of time passes, you may go for a walk, play games and give your dog as much attention as you wish. Your Shih Tzu will then not connect your arrival back with attention and therefore be able to have control over their emotions.
Did you Know?
- Did you know that the way in which you enter the home will make a giant difference in how your Tzu copes with Separation Anxiety?
- Do you know how to help your shy Tzu come out of their shell & stop hiding behind you?
- Do you want to know if your particular dog would do better with another canine friend?
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