If so, please refer back to the detailed advice on this, and be sure to follow all steps as closely as possible. Once you train your puppy not to bite, you can move on to more fun things, like teaching him tricks. This begs the question on what to do if your Shih Tzu puppy should start to bite people. "Never stare down a dog. Household members, and particularly young children or elderly adults, may be down-right scared. Your email address will not be published. For these time outs to be effective your shih tzu needs to be isolated somewhere where he can see you so that he knows he is being ignored. Most of the time, it will be a Shih Tzu puppy that has this problem. If you have a young puppy then one of the things that puppy may not have had a full chance to learn was how not to bite. You may wind up with a snappy little firecracker and it will be up to you to train your dog not to hurt people. I apologize for taking an untypically long time to reply. If you want your shih tzu to completely stop biting it is important that you treat each nip as if it were as intense as the first one, giving your squeal with just as much vigor. There are still more actions you can take to reinforce your status as Alpha. I guess the puppy must be 13 weeks old now! The best way to accomplish this is to have certain toys that are 1) super interesting 2) meet a pup's needs if he is teething and 3) are only reserved to distract after an attempted nip. To learn more from our Veterinarian co-author, like how to use a muzzle if your puppy keeps biting, keep reading the article! Then, pull away and ignore your puppy for a few minutes. Avoid all eye contact during this time. Shih tzu puppies bite everything, especially when they are teething. Will do that and let you know how it works. They also do this to test the limits of their behavior. The good news is that there are lots of things you can do to signal that biting needs to stop, all while reinforcing positive behavior in your puppy. This article has been viewed 1,264,076 times. Unless you are on the receiving end of a bite from a small dog, you may also believe it is humorous. This article received 23 testimonials and 85% of readers who voted found it helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. If you have a mouthy puppy then you may need to use these same tactics to teach him/her some limits. With a biting problem, there is a nervous vibe, and you may feel that your Shih Tzu is truly out-of-control. How can this be coming from such a cuddly little breed? Even though a Shih Tzu is little, this is a fierce action that rightfully scares owners. Fortunately, there are some techniques to stop nipping behavior. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. When you couple this with the strong oral sensations that a teething puppy is experiencing, you have the perfect recipe for the creation of a nipping machine. While it is not common to find a Shih Tzu that is extremely aggressive, every dog is different and therefore has a different personality. We're trying to nip her biting us in the. Furbo vs Petcube Bites 2 Which Is Best. Just like some people, dogs have mental and emotional disorders. All rights reserved. In all, give this sequence of actions up to three tries. Yes, other people around you may think you have gone mad but your puppy will benefit from an important lesson. If you establish yourself as the Alpha with your nipping and biting shih tzu puppy, you will find it easier to implement the methods I am going to tell you about now aimed at getting him to stop. If there's too much commotion around him, if people come too close to his bowls, or even if he wants to rest and someone is trying to brush him, he may nip to say 'Leave me alone' or 'Leave my things alone'. Expect a teething puppy to be pleased with a good teething toy to the point that his chewing urges are directed there, and not to you. As pack leader it is your privilege to go first. Please bear with me but if you have some knowledge of why your puppy is nipping you it will help you to train him out of the habit. To further your claim on the Alpha status, when you take your shih tzu for a walk keep him in his harness on a short leash and dont let him walk in front of you. If you keep that up long enough your pup will learn not to bite too hard when playing. I hope that you have found this article helpful in getting your shih tzu puppy to stop biting. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. A shih tzu puppy, born toothless, will develop its baby, or deciduous, teeth from three weeks until full growth at seven weeks. Puppies, especially ones under 6 months old, bite things a lot because they're teething. If you use a spray bottle, your puppy may become frightened of any squirting sounds and/or water. It really does help here if you have attained Alpha status using the sit before food method described above. The Alpha (this will be you) is never disrespected and orders are not disobeyed. With the den (household), lives the pack (household members, including all humans and animals). Signing up for the mini training course is completely free. Get him to the stage where he will leave your slipper where you drop it on the floor. unlocking this expert answer. And you may feel a bit uncertain about which of the two are happening. If he then does not try to nip you, reward him with a treat or his favourite chew toy. We respect your privacy. If you are going to teach your shih tzu puppy not to bite, you need to make sure that in his mind you are the leader of the pack, or Alpha. The adult teeth come through from three months and are fully developed at seven months. How do you get your puppy to stop biting? or "That hurt!" 3. When he has calmed down you can try releasing him back into circulation, keeping his harness and leash on. After a few repetitions he may come to realize that his aggression is not effective and nice things, his rewards, happen when he doesnt growl and bite. The only strategy you can try that will have any effect on calming aggression is the time out method. As you do this, squeal in a high pitched voice doing your best impression of a puppy in pain. If he starts to pull on the leash, turn him around and walk in the opposite direction. My 6 month old Pomeranian keeps biting me during play. Do not let your dog go first. You can then progress on to objects. Learn about them and how they have lived thousands, "By staying still until he releases his bite then reward by giving treats and praises. Even if your puppy or dog just recently had a visit, something may have developed from then to now. Once you let your Shih Tzu out from his playpen, go back to what you were doing when the nip occurred. ", of years before we took them as pets and wanted them to fit inside our bizarre world. It can be a few days, or even more in some cases, before there are enough symptoms that owners notice something is wrong. You can sign up for this free mini training course here. Now, if the puppy is taken from his mother and the litter before eight weeks, as happens with pet store dogs so that they may be sold at eight weeks, he hasnt stayed long enough for his oral education. And if an older Shih Tzu is acting aggressive and nipping, he may be testing your authority, in which case this corrects his perception. If, on the other hand, it becomes apparent that the aggression is not going to go away, you will need the services of a dog behavioural expert to resolve the situation. Teething continues as the deciduous baby teeth are replaced by the adult teeth. If your dog continues this behavior no matter what efforts you make to correct him or her then you may want to face the possibility that you have an unsound dog who suffers from some sort of aggressive disorder. Typically, there is just one nip. Your vet may also recommend your pup sees an animal behavior therapist. I tried it before but I, "This article is very helpful. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Wed love to hear from you! Before you allow yourself to become overly concerned you must determine whether or not your puppy is teething or actually biting. There are 3 main reasons why a Shih Tzu of any age will nip; note that more than 1 cause may be applicable to a Shih Tzu, so you'll want to consider all of these: Many times, the onset of conditions or illness have no outward clinical signs. If your shih tzu growls, lunges or bites in anger he will need to be isolated in a crate, cage, playpen or gated off part of the room. He will not know anything about biting too hard and causing pain. I have tried all of these strategies with Bruno and Charlie. Shih tzu puppies that are constantly mouthing, nipping and chewing at people or objects are doing so because either they are teething, they are after your attention, they are trying to move up the pack hierarchy, they are just simply exploring or any combination of these. This problem is compounded by teething. By using this service, some information may be shared with YouTube. If he does nip you, repeat the process again. Be persistent with this and he will eventually understand that it is you who decides on where the walk is going. If you are in doubt, there is a good chance that your Shih Tzu is nipping. Applying pressure here will be uncomfortable for your dog. When serving a meal or a treat to your shih tzu, never give it to him unless he sits calmly first. Other signs that there may indeed be some sort of health concern, includes but is not limited to: decreased appetite, lethargy, retreating, and favoring a certain part of the body. After ten minutes he will not remember that he is being punished. Keep up to date by sign up for our newsletter and stay informed. What can I do? Theres more than one way to teach your shih tzu puppy to not nip and bite, if one method doesnt work for you then try another. True biting is very different than nipping. You may need to isolate the dog and/or crate him when a knowledgeable adult cannot be present. Before dealing with the puppy nipping problem, let us take a moment to understand why he does it. Use these on your hands to make them taste unpleasant. This is how the puppy learns to explore with his mouth without biting down too hard. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. Dog behaviorists and psychologists are trained to evaluate the body language of dogs to determine what it is that is going on with them. I have a German shepherd and she is constantly biting my leg or hand. Last Updated: March 18, 2022 How to Stop a Shih Tzu From Nipping and Biting. And on mobile, you may need to turn your screen horizontally, to see all 4. To all canines, there is order. He will be exploring his environment with his mouth, including nipping his siblings to establish rank within the pack. However, there is a big difference between the two. However, a Shih Tzu that fully understands that his human is the Alpha would not be so bold. bud (pun intended). When he does leave your hand alone, obeying your command, reward him with a treat from your reserve pile. Hierarchy at meal times does not stop there. Most people overlook the fact that small dogs can bite as well as large dogs. One huge mistake that dog owners with difficult dogs make is that they get too stressed out when dealing with the dogs. By checking this, you agree to our Privacy Policy. Only restart the game once the pup has backed off and is looking sorry.". The puppy will seek to sooth its oral soreness by clamping his jaws on something comforting such as your ankle, fingers or wrist. It is not acceptable for puppies to bite people, or other animals, unless they are in true physical danger and need to defend themselves. If your Shih Tzu does not know how to sit, do not worry. This is because the goal is to have the pup worried that you, the Alpha, are considering banishing him from the pack due to the offense. Please, if you have any questions or observations about this article or shih tzu in general, make a comment or use our contact us form. In the above paragraph there are affiliate links. This is progressive training and the next step is to place the treats from your fist on the floor. Always manage aggressive dogs responsibly. This article was co-authored by David Levin. In this section we will cover: These words are often used interchangeably by owners. We use cookies to give you the best online experience in accordance with our Privacy Policy. Even small breed puppies can cause damage. % of people told us that this article helped them. If your dog does not have some sort of psychological problem then this should work after some time to show your dog the kind of behavior stops the party. He is not likely to follow your commands unless you establish yourself as the Alpha. Thank you so much. Dont worry, a shih tzu wont starve if he misses one or two meals, or even one or two days if necessary. Repeat this exercise a few times until he leaves your fist alone instantly on command. If your puppy is biting on something it's not supposed to, like your hand or your shoes, try redirecting its attention to a chew toy instead. Play behavior exceeding acceptable limits. Holding food at nose level, and slowly moving it up, while gently pushing down on his rear and giving the command 'Sit' is all it takes. And as much as you may hate to admit it, you may be thinking of your dog as being vicious and dangerous. This is not a scientific fact, but I estimate that 99% of people coming to this website wanting to know how to stop a shih tzu puppy from biting are having problems with an attention seeking, teething puppy that is inexperienced in how to deal with the soreness. If you can put his harness and leash on it will make moving him easier and lessen the chances of you being bitten. It is important for the safety of you, your family, your dog and everyone else that aggressive behaviour is curbed as soon as possible. Citizen Hound has also been ranked #1 Dog Walker by the SF Examiner and A-List in 2017, 2016, 2015. Use the email addresses below to get information about our website, products, and services. This is the #1 reason in regard to a Shih Tzu puppy nipping at his humans. These people are trained to recognize what causes a dog to behave in a certain way and to produce a training program to resolve such behaviour. Remember, you are now the puppy's parent. Thanks. While you can't stop a puppy from biting completely, you can train it not to bite too hard and to focus its biting on chew toys. After a few such time-outs, the bad behavior should stop. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/2\/2c\/Train-a-Puppy-Not-to-Bite-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Train-a-Puppy-Not-to-Bite-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/2\/2c\/Train-a-Puppy-Not-to-Bite-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/aid28056-v4-728px-Train-a-Puppy-Not-to-Bite-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"