How to House Train Your Shih Tzu Puppy?, by Shih Tzu Care on YouTube. 2 min 17 s.
- Video length
- 2 min 17 s
- Time to do it
- 3 to 4 weeks
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 9
What you need
Steps
Choose one toilet spot outside, ideally on grass, and always take your Shih Tzu puppy to that same spot on a leash. The scent helps the puppy know why it is there.
Fix meal times and take the puppy out first thing in the morning, after every meal, after naps, after play and right before bed.
Take a young puppy out every one to two hours while it is awake. Small bladders empty fast, so waiting for a signal is risky.
Watch for sniffing, circling, whining or sudden restlessness indoors. Pick the puppy up and carry it straight outside.
Stand still outside and wait five to ten minutes. Say a cue like go potty in a calm voice and give no attention to play.
Praise warmly and give a small treat the second the puppy finishes, while it is still in the toilet spot.
Keep the puppy in a crate or tethered to you indoors so you can see it at all times. Free roaming leads to hidden accidents.
Clean indoor accidents with an enzyme cleaner and never scold the puppy. If you catch it mid squat, clap once and move it outside.
Take the puppy out once during the night, then add ten to fifteen minutes to the daytime gap each week as it stays dry.
Tips and common mistakes
Punishing a puppy after the fact does nothing, because it cannot link the scolding to the earlier puddle.
Shih Tzu puppies are small and slow to housetrain, so expect a few accidents for the first few weeks.
Keep treats tiny and save the best ones for successful trips outside.
Do not let the puppy loose in the house right after it comes back in, since many puppies toilet twice in one outing.
Questions
How long does it take to house train a Shih Tzu puppy?
Most puppies need three to four weeks of a strict routine, and some take a few months. Bladder control improves with age, so progress speeds up after about four months.
Should I use puppy pads or go straight outside?
Outdoor training is quicker if you have easy access to a yard or street. Pads work for flats or bad weather, but you will later need to move the pad outside and fade it out.
Why does my puppy pee inside right after coming back in?
It probably did not fully empty its bladder outside. Stay out a few minutes longer and walk around a little so it toilets twice before going in.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
