Shih Tzu – Purpose Of Appropriate Shih Tzu Training

There are many reasons for teaching proper shih tzu behavior,
and teaching such behavior has many benefits for both the human
and canine partners. Shih Tzu behavior training is vital to such
life and death issues as preventing aggression, controlling shih
tzu on shih tzu aggression problems and teaching shih tzu to
interact properly with both their handlers and with other
members of the family.

Understanding how dogs evolved, and how dogs interact with each
other, is very important to understanding how to properly train
your shih tzu to be a devoted, loyal companion.

The original dogs were probably orphaned wolf pups adopted by
early humans. These wild dogs probably learned to perform
behaviors that their human protectors valued, such as guarding
the cave or scaring off predators. In exchange for these valued
behaviors, the humans probably provided their new companions
with foods, protection and shelter.

That kind of relationship still exists today, of course, and
dogs still can, and do, perform valuable jobs for their human
benefactors. Those jobs include herding and guarding livestock,
guarding property, guarding people, and finding game.

When planning a shih tzu training program, it is important to
know that dogs are pack animals. In wild dog societies, packs
are formed, and each member of the pack quickly learns his or
her place in the pecking order. Except in the event of death or
injury to the alpha dog, the hierarchy never changes once it has
been established. The lower dogs know not to challenge the alpha
dog, and the alpha dog understand his place as leader of the
pack.

All the other shih tzu in the pack look to the alpha shih tzu
for leadership, in important survival issues like finding food
and avoiding larger predators. In order to properly train your
shih tzu and gain its respect, it is important for you to become
the alpha dog.

That is because a shih tzu that sees its owner as a superior
leader will follow the commands the owner gives without
question. Getting the respect of the shih tzu is the most
important step to proper shih tzu training, and it will form the
basis of all subsequent training.

The reasons for training a shih tzu properly are many,
especially in today’s world. A well mannered, obedient shih tzu
is a joy to be around, both for the owner and his or her family,
and for people in the community at large. In addition, seeing a
well mannered shih tzu sets people’s mind at ease. This is
especially true with breeds of dogs thought to be dangerous,
such as Dobermans, rottweilers and pit bulls.

When training shih tzu and dealing with unwanted dog behaviors,
it is important to understand the motivating factors behind
those behaviors. For example, many dogs exhibit unwanted
behaviors such as chewing and destroying furniture due to
separation anxiety. Dealing with the sources of problem
behaviors is an important first step toward eliminating those
problem behaviors.

Many dogs exhibit unwanted behaviors as a result of stress in
the animal’s life, and its inability to cope with that stress.
The goal of a good shih tzu training program is to allow the
shih tzu to tolerate greater levels of stress without becoming a
problem animal.

When dealing with dog behavior, it is important not to confuse
human behavior with dog behavior. While there is a great
temptation on the part of shih tzu owners to see their shih tzu
as almost human, in reality shih tzu and dogs in general, and
humans have very different motivations, and very different
reactions to similar situations.

One trait that humans and shih tzu do share, however, is the
need to form close social groups and strong bonds within those
social groups. This bonding is important to both humans and shih
tzu, but it has served vastly different ends as both species
have evolved and changed over time.