How to Control Shih Tzu Biting
Shih Tzu biting is usually only a problem when the dogs are small puppies. Generally, a Shih Tzu is a good natured dog that likes to run and play.
Sometimes the dog will become overly territorial and threaten other people and animals if they come too close to the Shih Tzu’s home or play area.
The key to avoiding Shih Tzu biting is to properly socialize your dog and make sure that he or she feels comfortable and confident in their role in the home.
Begin Training Early in Life
Start training your Shih Tzu as soon as you bring it home. It is natural for a young dog to bite and chew on items when it is teething. To reduce the amount of unacceptable Shih Tzu biting during this stage in life you can give the dog specific toys to chew on.
Teach your dog that it is only allowed to chew on certain items and that it is never acceptable to bite or chew on a person or another dog. You can use treats as rewards for good behavior and remove your attention from the dog when it bites the wrong thing.
The Power of Playmates
Allowing a Shih Tzu to play with other dogs during its first few years is a wonderful way to naturally curb Shih Tzu biting tendencies. The dogs will teach each other not to bite as they play together.
There may be some loud skirmishes as the rules among the dogs are put in place, but eventually they will all understand that biting is not an acceptable behavior during play.
Your Shih Tzu will translate the behaviors that were learned through playing with other dogs to the way it treats playing with people.
Curbing a Shih Tzu’s Natural Territorial Instincts
Some Shih Tzu biting occurs when a dog is trying to protect the family or the family’s home from strangers. A good way to make a Shih Tzu feel more confident when someone new is in the house is to establish a clear understanding that you are the alpha dog.
Your Shih Tzu will naturally defer to your behavioral rules when it understands that you are completely in charge and will make all of the decisions.
It is a good idea to introduce visitors to your dog in a non-threatening manner so that the dog will feel more comfortable with the new person.
Keeping Your Shih Tzu Comfortable
Shih Tzu biting can be the result of many different types of situations. A common biting response occurs when the dog is afraid and feels threatened. Defensive biting happens when your Shih Tzu feels there is no other way to remove the danger than through biting.
You can control your dog’s environment so that he or she feels confident and comfortable at all times and never needs to be aggressively defensive. Establish a clear chain of command so the dog always knows who is in charge.
Don’t allow young children to treat the dog in ways that upset it. You can also provide a specific pillow or bed that the dog feels safe in so that the dog can retreat when it begins to feel worried.