Shih Tzu – Does Your Shih Tzu Refuse To Come When Called?

Many shih tzu owners fail to recognize the importance of having
a shih tzu that comes when called until there is a problem, such
as the collar or leash breaking, or the shih tzu tearing free to
chase a person or another animal. These situations can be
dangerous for the shih tzu, the owner and other members of the
community. In areas where there is a lot of vehicular traffic,
the situation could even prove fatal to the dog.

Unfortunately, many well meaning owners sabotage this important
part of their shih tzu’s training by allowing it to run off
leash and unattended. Whether the shih tzu is allowed to run in
the park, on the beach, or just play with other shih tzu, this
teaches the shih tzu that there are many fun things that do not
involve its owner. In fact, from the shih tzu’s perspective at
least, these fun times are often ruined by the appearance of the
owner.

Look at things from the shih tzu’s perspective for a moment. You
- the shih tzu – are having a ton of fun running on the beach
with all your doggy friends, and suddenly here comes this human
to take you away from the fun. When you see the shih tzu’s point
of view it is easy to see how the appearance of the owner, and
the leash can be seen as a negative.

This negative perception causes many shih tzu to delay this
outcome by refusing to come when they are called. From the shih
tzu’s point of view, this makes perfect sense, since every
minute of delay means another minute of romping on the beach or
in the park. In other words, the shih tzu has learned that the
most rewarding thing to do is to ignore the calls of its owner.
While this may seem like a good idea to the shih tzu, it is
definitely not a good thing from the owner’s perspective.

For shih tzu who have not yet learned this type of avoidance
behavior, it is best to prevent it from happening by supervising
the shih tzu at play, and making the time you spend with your
shih tzu as much, or more, fun, as the time it spends alone or
with other dogs.

For shih tzu that have already learned the value of ignoring
their owner, some retraining is definitely in order. It is vital
that every shih tzu respond to the “come here” command, for the
safety of both humans and dogs alike.

One thing to avoid is following the “come here” command with
unpleasant activities. Calling the shih tzu, and then
immediately giving him a bath, clipping his nails, taking him to
the vet, etc. will quickly teach the shih tzu that coming to the
owner has negative consequences. It is best to ask the shih tzu
to come and then play with him, feed him, walk him or engage in
other fun activities. If you do need to take your shih tzu to
the vet, bathe him, etc. be sure to allow some time to pass so
the shih tzu does not associate the “come here” command with the
bad experience.

It is important to remember that shih tzu are constantly
learning, whether a formal training session is in process or
not. Your shih tzu is always learning something from you,
whether good or bad. It is therefore important to make every
interaction with your shih tzu a positive one.

When teaching the shih tzu to come on command, it is vital that
the shih tzu be consistently rewarded every single time he does
as the owner wants. A reward can be as simple as a pat on the
head, a “good boy” or a scratch behind the ears. Of course,
treat based rewards are appreciated as well, and many shih tzu
are highly food motivated and respond quickly to this type of
training. The key is to be consistent. The shih tzu should get
some kind of reward, whether it be praise, a toy, or a treat,
every time he appears at the owners side when called.