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Shih Tzu – Socializing And Introducing A New Shih Tzu Puppy

29 14:02:23

Bringing a new shih tzu puppy into the household is always an
exciting and fun time. Everyone wants to play with, cuddle and
hold the little ball of fur. The last thing on the minds of most
new shih tzu puppy owners is training the new addition, but it
is important that shih tzu puppy training and socialization
begin as early as possible.

Socializing a new shih tzu puppy is a vital part of any training
program, and it is important for socialization to begin early.
The window for socialization is very short, and a shih tzu puppy
that is not properly socialized to people, dogs and other
animals by the time he or she is four months old often never
develops the socialization he or she needs to become a good
canine citizen.

Learning how to interact with other shih tzu is something that
normally would occur between littermates. However, since most
shih tzu are removed from their mothers so soon, this littermate
socialization often does not finish properly.

One vital lesson shih tzu puppies learn from their littermates
and from the mother shih tzu is how to bite, and how not to
bite. Shih tzu puppies naturally roughhouse with each other, and
their thick skin protects them from most bites. However, when
one shih tzu puppy bites too hard, the other shih tzu puppies,
or the mother shih tzu, will quickly reprimand him, often by
holding him by the scruff of his neck until he submits.

The best way to socialize your shih tzu puppy is to have it play
with lots of other shih tzu puppies. It is also fine for the
shih tzu puppy to play with a few adult shih tzu dogs, as long
as they are friendly and well socialized. Many communities have
puppy playschool and puppy kindergarten classes. These classes
can be a great way to socialize any puppy, and for handler and
shih tzu puppy alike to learn some basic obedience skills.

When socializing shih tzu puppies, it is best to let them play
on their own and work out their own issues when it comes to
appropriate roughness of play. The only time the owners should
step in is if one shih tzu puppy is hurting another, or if a
serious fight breaks out. Other than that the owners should
simply stand back and watch their shih tzu puppies interact.

While this socialization is taking place, the pack hierarchy
should quickly become apparent. There will be some shih tzu
puppies who are ultra submissive, rolling on their backs and
baring their throats at the slightest provocation. Other shih
tzu puppies in the class will be dominant, ordering the other
shih tzu puppies around and telling them what to do. Watching
the shih tzu puppies play, and determining what type of
personality traits your shih tzu puppy has, will be very
valuable in determining the best way to proceed with more
advanced training.

As the socialization process proceeds, of course, it will be
necessary to introduce the shih tzu puppy to all sorts of humans
as well as all sorts of shih tzu puppies. Fortunately, the puppy
kindergarten class makes this process quite easy, since every
puppy gets to interact with every human. It is important that
the shih tzu puppy be exposed to men, and women, old people and
children, black people and white people. Dogs do not see every
human as the same. To a dog, a man and a woman are completely
different animals.

It is also important to introduce the shih tzu puppy to a
variety of other animals, especially in a multi pet household.
Introducing the shih tzu puppy to friendly cats is important, as
are introductions to other animals the shih tzu puppy may
encounter, such as rabbits, guinea pigs and the like. If your
household contains a more exotic creature, it is important to
introduce the shih tzu puppy to it as early as possible, but to
do it in a way that is safe for both animals.

It is often best to start by introducing the shih tzu puppy to
the smell of the other animal. This can be easily accomplished
by placing a piece of the animals bedding, like a towel or bed
liner, near where the shih tzu puppy sleeps. Once the shih tzu
puppy is accustomed to the smell of the other creature, he or
she is much more likely to accept the animal as just another
member o the family.