Puppy Basics
Owning a puppy can be a HUGE responsibility, especially of you have never owned a puppy before or if you aren't quite as ready for a puppy as you thought. So, this is my personal experience and my personal view of how to train your puppy and how to stay on track with teaching it and learning together!
So what is the most important thing to do with a puppy? That question has been asked so many times, what people should do to make sure they're puppy is the best it can be. Well, that all starts here with the breeder! We are the ones who decide what the puppy will be like, really! If we don't do our job to hold the puppies, to love them and snuggle them from birth, then you'll get a pup who is terrified of human contact! I once knew a breeder who never handled her puppies because she "didn't want to get attached", well that is part of raising them! We are also responsible for where your puppy is at in eating and potty training. If we don't start them on food early and have them eating hard food by the time they go home, you'll have your work cut out for you! And if we don't start them on potty training, then its going to be disastrous for you!
Early Spaying & Neutering:
Why is this such a BAD idea? Well lets start with boys, by fixing a male dog under a year in age, you are preventing him from going through sexual maturity. Why is this such a big deal you ask? Well, imagine you fixed a young boy at 10, what will happen to him as he ages? A lot will go wrong, won't it. Exactly my point! This is all a part of nature and the males NEED to go through this in order to develop correctly! Recent studies show males neutered early have a higher risk of developing aggressive behaviors, incorrect bone and joint development, higher risk in getting cancer and mental problems too! By taking away that chance to mature naturally, you are setting your dog up for failure!
So, boys aside, girls are next. Fixing a female before she enters into her first heat and reaches that sexual maturity is incredibly important even if you aren't going to breed! She too will develop all the same issues a boy can and she can have a higher risk to get cancer! That's right! Studies have also shown that by spaying early females are more likely to have bladder control issues. I mean, you wouldn't fix a 10 year old boy or girl, so why do it do a puppy? You can deal with any issues for a little while until your dog can reach at least a year old and safely fix your dog. And if you want to be an amazing owner, look into vasectomies and ovary sparing spays.
Vaccines:
While this is a touchy subject, I believe in following the latest studies on this and practicing what science and veterinary researchers are finding, and that is, we are over vaccinating our dogs. A lot of research is going into this and scientists are finding that one rabies shot is good for the duration of the dogs life while other vaccines are effective and good after all puppy vaccines have been completed. So I really encourage people to looking into this and titer test your dog! The risks of over vaccinating include cancer developing at the injection sight, sudo-symptoms of the rabies disease after vaccinating causing the unnecessary death of your dog, behavioral and aggressive problems, seizures, brain damage and even death moments after injecting with an unnecessary vaccine. So I implore you, PLEASE go do some research on this, keep your dog healthy for life, they can't do this for them self, so it is up to you to protect them.
Food:
Lets talk food, this is a huge subject of debate, feed them no name food that is cheap? Well if you feed your dog food that is not high quality, then you won't get high quality results, poor food such as Pedigree and Purina will not only dull your pup's coat, it can stunt growth and cause diabetes! Its been proven over and over again, those brands put a large amount of sugar in they're food to entice the dogs to want to eat it. How about high quality food? While these are better, they aren't really great, they do balance they're food and you'll definitely have a healthier dog, but Science Diet and Eukanuba have a lot of fillers and grain if you go with they're typical dog food, so whats so bad about that? Well, for years I would have 100% recommended these brands to you, until now. We were tired of ear infections and skin conditions, dogs were mopey, and while they're coats were gorgeous, they're health was anything but.
After a long chat with our vet, Dr. Carolyn McGuire at Animal Medical Services, she suggested we try a raw diet! So we switched to feeding home raised rabbits, quail, ducks and chickens and the difference is outstanding! In almost no time at all my dogs are happy, healthy and no one ear infection in sight! I highly recommend feeding raw, no dog food can EVER compare to what mother nature designed these guys to eat! My dog love it! Their health speaks for it's self, and the best part? I know I don't EVER have to worry about recalls and know exactly where my food is sourced and what it has been eating so I know my dogs are getting the very best!
So how much more expensive is this to do than buy dog food you ask? Well, not much really! I actually save money from time to time! I know that raising your own food is not for everyone, but there are companies around that sell raw food to you for your dogs! In fact, here in Utah, Fords Meat sells ground venison and other meats with the bone and organ already mixed in, making it as simple as serving a balanced meal to your dog! I really can't tell you just HOW important feeding raw is, you will see your dog live healthier, longer and be happier longer. The diet really speaks for it's self! I encourage you to go do some research on this!
Potty Training:
So, with food out of the way, what is the best way to potty train? While many people think potty pads encourage peeing in the house, I have NEVER had this issue, none of my dogs have ever associated it with peeing in the house, ever! We do it differently, our puppies start on the potty pad by 3-4 weeks of age. We teach them from pretty much birth a kennel is were you sleep, so why is this important? Well crate training is essential to potty training. But keep in mind, the puppy doesn't have bladder control until it is 3 months or 12 weeks old, so pottying anywhere will happen, but kenneling puppy at night will help in teaching them to hold it. Our puppies by the age of 8 weeks are sleeping through the night with no accidents. Since we started training in this way, we have been able to get puppies 100% potty broke by four months of age!
So, the puppy pads, a.k.a. potty pads, if you take your puppy outside the moment it wakes up from any nap, you'll be reinforcing going outside to use the bathroom, and by keeping a potty pad next to the door where they go out potty, they will associate the door and potty pad with going to the bathroom, so when the puppy is going less and less in the house and on the potty pad, you can start to take it away and get the puppy to learn how to go to the door for the bathroom. All my Shih Tzus trained in this way now sit at the back door and wait patiently to go out to the bathroom.
And if your dear little angle has an accident, never, I repeat NEVER spank the puppy or rub its nose into it's mess. What you should do instead is try and catch the puppy as its going or about to go and rush it outside to finish it's business, once puppy has gone, reward it with tons of praise and love. Shih Tzus respond very well to praise. And if you can't catch puppy in time, soak up any urine with the potty pad or place any fecal on the potty pad. This will reinforce that the puppy needs to use this only if its going to have an accident inside. By 4 months of age, you should have no use for potty pads, the puppy should begin to properly hold its bowls and wait for you to let it out, this is when your training comes in to learn when puppy needs to go potty.
Kenneling:
While there are those who are against kenneling, it really is essential in many ways, for example, if you kennel your puppy from a young age, when you need to do it when they are older, it won't be a problem and they won't cause a ruckus because they aren't used to it. Another reason, it does play a large part in potty training! Seriously! Another reason I am so pro kenneling is because you know EXACTLY where your dog is. If there is ever a house fire, you can simply scoop up the kennel and have a safe place to keep your dog while things are taken care of, and you know that your puppy/dog is not getting into things and eating the wrong things while you sleep or aren't home. It is all around safe, even if the house is broken into, the dog is safe in its kennel.
Training:
Well, you shouldn't expect much in this department, while yes, you can teach your Shih Tzu many tricks, they are a stubborn breed, they don't really like to listen, but when you do teach them a trick, it sticks and they are happy to repeat it all the time for food. Mine do this. ;) Shih Tzus are fantastic dogs though, and they learn quickly when it comes to learning the rules of the house, your puppy should have it all down in a few weeks. But keep in mind, this is a breed that really needs to be babied, they excel best with those who are patient and will take time with them. You can't get frustrated and lose patience, or you'll never get the puppy properly trained. They are quick learners, but like all babies, you need to be patient and take your time teaching them things. A human baby doesn't learn to talk and walk in only a matter of days, does it? Just keep in mind, your puppy is still a baby.
Toys:
Toys are something I am picky about, so listen up and take notes! Rope toys, look like lots of fun huh?! You could play with puppy for days with one, but what happens when the toy starts to fray and come apart? Well those strings go into puppy's belly, but then what happens? Well, there is a huge change that the string will entwine its self in the puppy's intestine, leading to a major surgery and possible death if you don't catch it in time. I have personally experienced this with a very beloved dog and I still am not over it. The toy is not worth it. Those thing plastic balls with squeaks, fun right? Nope, not only will puppy pretty much chew the ball apart, but it can choke on the squeaker it ate out of the toy! Stuffed toys, nope, puppy will chew it open and the stuffing has a greater chance to blocking up puppy's intestines and killing puppy than the plastic ball. Tennis balls... These are a MASSIVE NO! If you buy tennis balls for your puppy, just take a piece of sandpaper and start sanding down its teeth. It's literally the same thing.
So, what are acceptable toys? I love Kong toys, they are incredibly durable, if the puppy chews a lot, then it will have a blast with these, it won't ever chew a piece off and can chew all day. Something else I love, we went out and bought a large piece of fleece, cutting thick strips of three off, we braided them and knotted the ends. My heavy chewers have NEVER been able to chew any of it apart because fleece is durable, it doesn't fray, no deadly strings and its washable! Just throw the toys in the wash with a little bleach and soap, and ta-da! A nice clean toy for your dog to play with fresh out of the dryer! My dogs have adored them, and I have toys from 10+ years ago that are still holding strong and are favorites of my dogs. :) Plus, you can buy a few yards of fleece for cheap and make multiple toys out of it that will last longer than store bought toys and you'll save a ton of money. We still have brand new toys we've made from the fleece we are saving to replace the old toys when we feel they are to raggedy or have ran they're course.
Treats:
Treats are something most people don't think about, but you should, my dogs grow up getting lettuce, cucumber, zucchini, purple cabbage, japanese cabbage, carrot, green beans, melons, berries, apple, banana and citrus. This is the healthiest treat you can give your dog! Although be weary, broccoli, grapes, garlic and onions are poisonous to dogs while heavy starches like potatoes can cause them to not be able to absorb taurine properly. Its best to stay well away from those foods, but the other vegetables and fruits are very okay for your dog, and they not only help to keep them healthy, but they'll help to clean they're teeth as well and provide alot of missing nutrients in their diet. If you don't want to give these, you can always look up recipes online, I really recommend staying away from store bought treats, a lot of it is really unsafe for your dog and many treat companies have death law suits against them for the harmful preservatives and additives in their treats. Another MASSIVE no, no for Shih Tzus is rawhide, dogs can NOT digest rawhide, and it will stay in they're stomachs and cause health problems and even death not to mention all the bleaching and glue done to the rawhide before your pooch eats it!
My close friend lost a puppy after a PetSmart employee sold her a rawhide, the puppy ended up needing major surgery but due to being so little, the vet couldn't find and remove it all and she lost her two weeks after the surgery. A necropsy proved she died of blockage due to the rawhide. When I asked my vet about it that is when she told us about how no dogs, especially small breed can't digest and pass rawhide. In the 30 years she's been a vet, she told us that she had probably put down over 100 dogs due to stomach blockage by rawhide or pancreatitis caused by pork. And yes, pork is bad, especially for small dogs, pork will inset pancreatitis in both large breed and small breed dogs due to it's high fat content, there is no such thing as a lean cut of pork, so it is best to skip the risk and not give it at all.
Questions:
If you have any questions, or I haven't covered something you were interested in, please let me know, I have tons of experience with puppies and know the ins and outs of this breed and what the best way to deal with them is when it comes to training and potty breaking. I have 18 years of experience, and I have learned a lot in that time. So please, feel free to shoot me a text, give me a call or email me with any questions or concerns you may have. If you don't understand something I have said on here, then let me know and I will better explain it to you if I can. Many thanks for taking the time to read all of this!
So what is the most important thing to do with a puppy? That question has been asked so many times, what people should do to make sure they're puppy is the best it can be. Well, that all starts here with the breeder! We are the ones who decide what the puppy will be like, really! If we don't do our job to hold the puppies, to love them and snuggle them from birth, then you'll get a pup who is terrified of human contact! I once knew a breeder who never handled her puppies because she "didn't want to get attached", well that is part of raising them! We are also responsible for where your puppy is at in eating and potty training. If we don't start them on food early and have them eating hard food by the time they go home, you'll have your work cut out for you! And if we don't start them on potty training, then its going to be disastrous for you!
Early Spaying & Neutering:
Why is this such a BAD idea? Well lets start with boys, by fixing a male dog under a year in age, you are preventing him from going through sexual maturity. Why is this such a big deal you ask? Well, imagine you fixed a young boy at 10, what will happen to him as he ages? A lot will go wrong, won't it. Exactly my point! This is all a part of nature and the males NEED to go through this in order to develop correctly! Recent studies show males neutered early have a higher risk of developing aggressive behaviors, incorrect bone and joint development, higher risk in getting cancer and mental problems too! By taking away that chance to mature naturally, you are setting your dog up for failure!
So, boys aside, girls are next. Fixing a female before she enters into her first heat and reaches that sexual maturity is incredibly important even if you aren't going to breed! She too will develop all the same issues a boy can and she can have a higher risk to get cancer! That's right! Studies have also shown that by spaying early females are more likely to have bladder control issues. I mean, you wouldn't fix a 10 year old boy or girl, so why do it do a puppy? You can deal with any issues for a little while until your dog can reach at least a year old and safely fix your dog. And if you want to be an amazing owner, look into vasectomies and ovary sparing spays.
Vaccines:
While this is a touchy subject, I believe in following the latest studies on this and practicing what science and veterinary researchers are finding, and that is, we are over vaccinating our dogs. A lot of research is going into this and scientists are finding that one rabies shot is good for the duration of the dogs life while other vaccines are effective and good after all puppy vaccines have been completed. So I really encourage people to looking into this and titer test your dog! The risks of over vaccinating include cancer developing at the injection sight, sudo-symptoms of the rabies disease after vaccinating causing the unnecessary death of your dog, behavioral and aggressive problems, seizures, brain damage and even death moments after injecting with an unnecessary vaccine. So I implore you, PLEASE go do some research on this, keep your dog healthy for life, they can't do this for them self, so it is up to you to protect them.
Food:
Lets talk food, this is a huge subject of debate, feed them no name food that is cheap? Well if you feed your dog food that is not high quality, then you won't get high quality results, poor food such as Pedigree and Purina will not only dull your pup's coat, it can stunt growth and cause diabetes! Its been proven over and over again, those brands put a large amount of sugar in they're food to entice the dogs to want to eat it. How about high quality food? While these are better, they aren't really great, they do balance they're food and you'll definitely have a healthier dog, but Science Diet and Eukanuba have a lot of fillers and grain if you go with they're typical dog food, so whats so bad about that? Well, for years I would have 100% recommended these brands to you, until now. We were tired of ear infections and skin conditions, dogs were mopey, and while they're coats were gorgeous, they're health was anything but.
After a long chat with our vet, Dr. Carolyn McGuire at Animal Medical Services, she suggested we try a raw diet! So we switched to feeding home raised rabbits, quail, ducks and chickens and the difference is outstanding! In almost no time at all my dogs are happy, healthy and no one ear infection in sight! I highly recommend feeding raw, no dog food can EVER compare to what mother nature designed these guys to eat! My dog love it! Their health speaks for it's self, and the best part? I know I don't EVER have to worry about recalls and know exactly where my food is sourced and what it has been eating so I know my dogs are getting the very best!
So how much more expensive is this to do than buy dog food you ask? Well, not much really! I actually save money from time to time! I know that raising your own food is not for everyone, but there are companies around that sell raw food to you for your dogs! In fact, here in Utah, Fords Meat sells ground venison and other meats with the bone and organ already mixed in, making it as simple as serving a balanced meal to your dog! I really can't tell you just HOW important feeding raw is, you will see your dog live healthier, longer and be happier longer. The diet really speaks for it's self! I encourage you to go do some research on this!
Potty Training:
So, with food out of the way, what is the best way to potty train? While many people think potty pads encourage peeing in the house, I have NEVER had this issue, none of my dogs have ever associated it with peeing in the house, ever! We do it differently, our puppies start on the potty pad by 3-4 weeks of age. We teach them from pretty much birth a kennel is were you sleep, so why is this important? Well crate training is essential to potty training. But keep in mind, the puppy doesn't have bladder control until it is 3 months or 12 weeks old, so pottying anywhere will happen, but kenneling puppy at night will help in teaching them to hold it. Our puppies by the age of 8 weeks are sleeping through the night with no accidents. Since we started training in this way, we have been able to get puppies 100% potty broke by four months of age!
So, the puppy pads, a.k.a. potty pads, if you take your puppy outside the moment it wakes up from any nap, you'll be reinforcing going outside to use the bathroom, and by keeping a potty pad next to the door where they go out potty, they will associate the door and potty pad with going to the bathroom, so when the puppy is going less and less in the house and on the potty pad, you can start to take it away and get the puppy to learn how to go to the door for the bathroom. All my Shih Tzus trained in this way now sit at the back door and wait patiently to go out to the bathroom.
And if your dear little angle has an accident, never, I repeat NEVER spank the puppy or rub its nose into it's mess. What you should do instead is try and catch the puppy as its going or about to go and rush it outside to finish it's business, once puppy has gone, reward it with tons of praise and love. Shih Tzus respond very well to praise. And if you can't catch puppy in time, soak up any urine with the potty pad or place any fecal on the potty pad. This will reinforce that the puppy needs to use this only if its going to have an accident inside. By 4 months of age, you should have no use for potty pads, the puppy should begin to properly hold its bowls and wait for you to let it out, this is when your training comes in to learn when puppy needs to go potty.
Kenneling:
While there are those who are against kenneling, it really is essential in many ways, for example, if you kennel your puppy from a young age, when you need to do it when they are older, it won't be a problem and they won't cause a ruckus because they aren't used to it. Another reason, it does play a large part in potty training! Seriously! Another reason I am so pro kenneling is because you know EXACTLY where your dog is. If there is ever a house fire, you can simply scoop up the kennel and have a safe place to keep your dog while things are taken care of, and you know that your puppy/dog is not getting into things and eating the wrong things while you sleep or aren't home. It is all around safe, even if the house is broken into, the dog is safe in its kennel.
Training:
Well, you shouldn't expect much in this department, while yes, you can teach your Shih Tzu many tricks, they are a stubborn breed, they don't really like to listen, but when you do teach them a trick, it sticks and they are happy to repeat it all the time for food. Mine do this. ;) Shih Tzus are fantastic dogs though, and they learn quickly when it comes to learning the rules of the house, your puppy should have it all down in a few weeks. But keep in mind, this is a breed that really needs to be babied, they excel best with those who are patient and will take time with them. You can't get frustrated and lose patience, or you'll never get the puppy properly trained. They are quick learners, but like all babies, you need to be patient and take your time teaching them things. A human baby doesn't learn to talk and walk in only a matter of days, does it? Just keep in mind, your puppy is still a baby.
Toys:
Toys are something I am picky about, so listen up and take notes! Rope toys, look like lots of fun huh?! You could play with puppy for days with one, but what happens when the toy starts to fray and come apart? Well those strings go into puppy's belly, but then what happens? Well, there is a huge change that the string will entwine its self in the puppy's intestine, leading to a major surgery and possible death if you don't catch it in time. I have personally experienced this with a very beloved dog and I still am not over it. The toy is not worth it. Those thing plastic balls with squeaks, fun right? Nope, not only will puppy pretty much chew the ball apart, but it can choke on the squeaker it ate out of the toy! Stuffed toys, nope, puppy will chew it open and the stuffing has a greater chance to blocking up puppy's intestines and killing puppy than the plastic ball. Tennis balls... These are a MASSIVE NO! If you buy tennis balls for your puppy, just take a piece of sandpaper and start sanding down its teeth. It's literally the same thing.
So, what are acceptable toys? I love Kong toys, they are incredibly durable, if the puppy chews a lot, then it will have a blast with these, it won't ever chew a piece off and can chew all day. Something else I love, we went out and bought a large piece of fleece, cutting thick strips of three off, we braided them and knotted the ends. My heavy chewers have NEVER been able to chew any of it apart because fleece is durable, it doesn't fray, no deadly strings and its washable! Just throw the toys in the wash with a little bleach and soap, and ta-da! A nice clean toy for your dog to play with fresh out of the dryer! My dogs have adored them, and I have toys from 10+ years ago that are still holding strong and are favorites of my dogs. :) Plus, you can buy a few yards of fleece for cheap and make multiple toys out of it that will last longer than store bought toys and you'll save a ton of money. We still have brand new toys we've made from the fleece we are saving to replace the old toys when we feel they are to raggedy or have ran they're course.
Treats:
Treats are something most people don't think about, but you should, my dogs grow up getting lettuce, cucumber, zucchini, purple cabbage, japanese cabbage, carrot, green beans, melons, berries, apple, banana and citrus. This is the healthiest treat you can give your dog! Although be weary, broccoli, grapes, garlic and onions are poisonous to dogs while heavy starches like potatoes can cause them to not be able to absorb taurine properly. Its best to stay well away from those foods, but the other vegetables and fruits are very okay for your dog, and they not only help to keep them healthy, but they'll help to clean they're teeth as well and provide alot of missing nutrients in their diet. If you don't want to give these, you can always look up recipes online, I really recommend staying away from store bought treats, a lot of it is really unsafe for your dog and many treat companies have death law suits against them for the harmful preservatives and additives in their treats. Another MASSIVE no, no for Shih Tzus is rawhide, dogs can NOT digest rawhide, and it will stay in they're stomachs and cause health problems and even death not to mention all the bleaching and glue done to the rawhide before your pooch eats it!
My close friend lost a puppy after a PetSmart employee sold her a rawhide, the puppy ended up needing major surgery but due to being so little, the vet couldn't find and remove it all and she lost her two weeks after the surgery. A necropsy proved she died of blockage due to the rawhide. When I asked my vet about it that is when she told us about how no dogs, especially small breed can't digest and pass rawhide. In the 30 years she's been a vet, she told us that she had probably put down over 100 dogs due to stomach blockage by rawhide or pancreatitis caused by pork. And yes, pork is bad, especially for small dogs, pork will inset pancreatitis in both large breed and small breed dogs due to it's high fat content, there is no such thing as a lean cut of pork, so it is best to skip the risk and not give it at all.
Questions:
If you have any questions, or I haven't covered something you were interested in, please let me know, I have tons of experience with puppies and know the ins and outs of this breed and what the best way to deal with them is when it comes to training and potty breaking. I have 18 years of experience, and I have learned a lot in that time. So please, feel free to shoot me a text, give me a call or email me with any questions or concerns you may have. If you don't understand something I have said on here, then let me know and I will better explain it to you if I can. Many thanks for taking the time to read all of this!