House Training a Small Shih Tzu Puppy

by Mrs Janice Mitchell

Getting a Shih Tzu puppy who will be seven weeks old. I live on my own and I'm in my early 60s. can you please tell me will it be easier to house train my puppy if I am with him all day and how long it will take thank you very much.

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Hi, Janice Here from Miracle Shih Tzu
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First, let me congratulate you on your new puppy. Puppies bring so much joy and happiness into our lives and getting one is like getting a new family member.

Potty training is one of the first training tasks that new puppy owners tackle. Sometimes it takes quite a few repetitions for puppies to figure out what you want them to do. Luckily most catch on, but I must warn you that small breed dogs are not as easy to housebreak as their larger cousins.

If you want to be most successful, being home makes the job easier, but not everyone has the luxury of staying home all day.

Setting up a schedule and sticking with it will help speed up the process. So will confining him to a small area when you are not playing with, grooming, training, or otherwise interacting with him.

As long as a puppy or dog continues to have even an occasional accident in the house (assuming you have ruled out a medical reason for it) you will still think of yourself as in the potty training process. I normally give my dogs about 6 months to become fully trained. I know that is a long time. I also have a bulldog and she was trained completely in two weeks. That is the difference in breeds and sizes of dogs.



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I hold an undergraduate degree in Psychology with a minor in biology, Early Childhood Education, and Nursing, and a Master's in Mental Health Counseling.

I'm a lifelong learner, a dog lover, and passionate about the welfare of animals. Though Shih Tzu is my favorite breed, I've also lived with Poodles, Maltese, Yorkshire Terriers, Beagles, English Bulldogs, Carin Terriers, and a Cocker Spaniel. Little critters that shared my space included guinea pigs, rabbits, chinchillas, hamsters, mice, tropical fish, and birds. (Oh, and one crayfish and hermit crab that my daughter brought home from school)

When not writing, reading, and researching dog-related topics, I love spending time with my 6 Shih Tzu dogs, husband, and family, as well as knitting and crocheting. She is also the voice behind Small Dog Place and Smart-Knit-Crocheting. Please visit my other two sites or send me a note.