Shih Tzu House Training – How To Change Your Puppy’s Shy And Shy Behavior
If you are a proud new dad or mom of an extremely shy shih tzu puppy, don’t worry! This is a fear-based behavioral trait and is very common in a puppy. It is a well-known fact that in every litter, there will be at least one shih-tzu puppy that is shy and needs a little more care than the normal puppy. However, you should not worry as shih tzu house training is not difficult at all.
First, we need to understand the cause of this fear. When the shy shih tzu puppy grows up, he may develop unwanted behaviors such as neediness and always look towards his owners in whatever situation he finds himself. This may seem harmless, but did you know that this need to “run to mommy or daddy” every time he gets scared, your pup can start to initiate aggression if he doesn’t get the reassuring attention? This is what is known as fear-induced aggression.
Did you know that if you constantly pet and calm your shih tzu puppy every time he shows extreme shyness or gets scared, you are actually reinforcing this behavior? Of course, it’s hard and hard to ignore your scared puppy when he needs you… it’s like your own baby crying for help and how can you not run to hug the helpless baby? But know that if you want to change your puppy’s behavior and help him grow into a fearless and social animal, you need to let him know that it’s “okay” to be afraid.
How to help your shy Shih-Tzu puppy change
When you first get your puppy, you need to watch him. If your pup shows signs of fear and shyness, patience is needed as he helps him adjust. Coax your pup, but you must let him realize that you are no longer his protector. First, you need to start stopping your puppy’s behaviors that he is used to doing when he gets scared. For example, behaviors like barking while he hides behind his legs when he is startled, bolting when he sees a normal part of the outside, like a person walking or a bush swaying in the wind, etc.
Two simple tips you can use to help your Shih Tzu puppy be less shy:
Tip 1. If your puppy often barks or cries when people approach him, you should correct this behavior by informing and explaining to your family and friends to ignore your puppy’s fear-induced barking or crying. So when these people naturally ignore your puppy’s barking or crying and don’t stop coming around, your puppy will learn that this behavior doesn’t work in her favor. So, from now on, your pup will start to understand that fear-induced barking doesn’t really work and will stop.
Tip 2. In a situation where your pup needs to interact with guests, you should always secure him on a leash. Bring your pup along when he approaches guests. Therefore, whenever your puppy gets scared and starts crying, barking, or even hiding behind your legs, he should act confidently without trying to pet or calm your puppy down. In other words, you ignore your pup’s cry to be comforted. This will help your pup to be more courageous and let him know that such behaviors will no longer work.
These simple shih tzu house training tips can help you train and correct your puppy’s behavior before the situation gets out of hand.