There's no denying that the Shih Tzu is one of the most adorable of the toy breeds. Toy breeds are companion animals that are just the right size for many homes and the Shih Tzu is one of the best. Housebreaking a toy breed dog is not that much different that house training any other breed. The key is to have absolute control of your new Shih Tzu until the idea of relieving themselves outside is well established.

It you think that housebreaking a puppy or dog is fast, think again. It takes

time and perseverance for your pet to establish the connection between going outside to go to the bathroom being the right thing to do. While your dog needs to be house broken, remember it's an easy process but not a short one. Scolding does not work!

Toy breeds like the Shih Tzu like to be part of the family. This means that being inside the house is critical to their well being and happiness. It also means that housebreaking is an absolute requirement. Potty training a puppy is easy if you take the right approach and are consistent. Don't be mislead though, puppy potty training does take effort.

And while house breaking dogs does take some effort, it is richly rewarded by having a great little best buddy to spend time with for years.

Dog house training takes being attentive to your pup and being able to keep them on somewhat of a schedule. The better the schedule, the faster the results. Many people think that a dog, especially a toy breed should bark when they need to go out.

The problem with this is that the first thing that needs to be done is to establish in the dogs mind that needing to relieve itself, it needs to go outside. Before this is done, it's a waste of time to assume they will just "tell you."

The key to proper housebreaking is consistency. By YOU being consistent, your dog will establish patterns of behavior that are pleasing to you.

Be aware of your pets bathroom condition with these tips

1. When they just drank a lot of water, the probability that they will soon need to remove some of that water is great.

2. Just after eating. A full belly tends to push on the bladder and cause urges to go

3. They get restless and start sniffing around

4. If your see your pet squat

At any of these times, it's a good idea to immediately take your puppy or dog outside. A good idea is to stop at the door, put your pup down, praise them, then let them outside. This establishes a pattern of positive re enforcement that when they need to go outside, the place to be is at the door.

Next, wait outside with your dog. All dogs but especially toy breeds like the Shit Tzu want to be near their people. The point is that you wait outside until they urinate and/or defecate so you have the opportunity to lavishly praise them for a job well done. This again establishes the behavior in a positive way and soon your dog will be going to the door to be let out and doing her business right where you want her to.

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