Arizona Sunrise Shih Tzus & Poos

Purebred Shih Tzu Puppies

Deanna

How to Recognize Normal Behavior in Shih Tzu Puppies

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An available liver Shih Tzu puppy laying on a fuzzy baby blue blanket next to a stuffed toy.
A Liver Shih Tzu Puppy


So you have finally brought your new puppy home from a reputable Shih Tzu breeder. You’re super excited to do everything in your power to properly raise your Shih Tzu puppy. You have bought books on everything from potty training to teaching your new puppy simple commands like how to sit.

Life is going great! Then one day you’re playing with your sweet Shih Tzu puppy and he nips your finger hard! Unfortunately, mouthing, chewing, and biting are normal puppy behaviors. This behavior is similar to a baby teething. All puppies teethe and seek out something to chew on to relieve the discomfort. I am here to tell you that anything is a game including your fingers. I typically tell my Shih Tzu puppy owners to always have a chew toy in hand when playing with a teething puppy. Simply redirect by offering the toy instead of your hand. If the behavior continues discontinue the play session and try again with a chew toy in hand when the puppy calms down.

Jumping up to greet guests is another normal puppy behavior. Puppies are full of energy and get super excited when it comes to receiving human attention. I recommend staying very still, folding your arms, and ignoring your puppy until he or she has stopped jumping up. Then show your puppy attention. This method will reward appropriate behavior while ignoring the negative behavior. I also advise training simple commands like sit and stay which will help tremendously.

Curiosity is another common puppy behavior. Your new puppy is learning all about this great big world. Puppies are often eager to explore their new environment. This heightened curiosity is great but must also be managed appropriately. Your puppy could easily become injured if he or she becomes curious about your house plant and decides to take a nibble for instance. Many plants and other items in the average pet home are toxic to dogs. It is essential to safety-proof the home before your curious puppy arrives. An app like PupTox is a great idea as well. I also suggest keeping your puppy in a playpen when you’re unable to supervise until trained.

Below, I have put together a list of some of the most common puppy behaviors. Some of the more undesirable behaviors can be properly managed through training. Also, remember that your puppy will mature and outgrow many of these behaviors over time. In the meantime, I advise being patient and consistent with training. Before you know it, your puppy will become an amazing well-trained member of your family.

Common Puppy Behaviors:

  • Curious about everything
  • Energetic (Puppy Zoomies)
  • Affectionate
  • Barking and vocalizing
  • Mouthing and chewing
  • Chasing anything that moves
  • Whining
  • Jumping up
  • Short attention span
  • Pouncing
  • Putting everything and anything in their mouths
  • Vigorously shaking toys
  • Shredding potty pads, toys, beds
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How To Properly Clean Your Shih Tzu’s eyes

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Available female Shih Tzu puppy from my breeding program sitting outdoors.
Eye Cleaning is Important in the Shih Tzu Breed

Shih Tzus is no exception when it comes to eye care. You must take proper care of your Shih Tzu’s eyes. Shih Tzus are a brachycephalic breed. They have a relatively flat face and protruding eyes. This puts them at a higher risk for eye problems. As a result, Shih Tzu owners must take excellent care of their eyes through appropriate cleaning protocols.

I recommend cleaning your Shih Tzus eyes daily if possible. It shouldn’t take you more than a few minutes to complete the procedure. You can schedule to clean your Shih Tzu’s eyes when you do your daily brushing if that is easier. Your groomer may clean your pet’s eyes during appointments as well.

Shih Tzu Eye Cleaning Basics:

I like to use an antimicrobial eyewash like Vetericyn. I saturate a cotton ball in the cleaning solution and clean the eye area. I start in the corner and gently massage to loosen up any gunk that may have become lodged in the area.

Next, I take a tick comb and gently work from the corner away from the eye to remove the gunk. I repeat until the eye hair is free of visible debris. Finally, I pat the area dry with a clean cotton swab or a dry washcloth.

Be sure to contact your veterinarian and make an appointment if you ever notice symptoms of an eye infection. Symptoms include red irritated eyes often accompanied by a discharge. Hopefully, daily eye cleaning will help prevent infections. But, if an infection does occur your veterinarian will most likely need to provide prescription eye drops. It is important to not postpone appropriate treatment.

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Puppy Developmental Periods Defined

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All puppies go through developmental periods where they develop behavioral habits that stick with them throughout their lifespan. All breeders including Shih Tzu breeders need to instill appropriate behaviors that line up with the developmental periods. Responsible breeders should set program goals that align with the puppies’ developmental needs.

It is important to meet litter needs in a developmentally appropriate fashion. Working a litter too fast, too slow, or in an improper manner may have detrimental effects on the puppies in the litter. A good breeder will know when and how to properly socialize. The key is breeder education! Knowledge is power!

Below is a list of the developmental periods that puppies go through:

Birth to 2 weeks-(The Neonatal Period)-Puppies rely heavily on their mother. They rely on their sense of smell, taste, and touch to get around the whelping box.

2-3 weeks-(The Transitional Period)-The puppy’s eyes and ears begin to open. Puppies become more aware of littermates and begin to try to walk.

3-12 weeks-(The Socialization Period)-This is the prime time for a breeder to properly socialize puppies. Puppies should also remain with their mother and littermates for most of this period to learn important skills such as bite inhibition. Puppies absorb everything very quickly during this stage. Also, fear is at an all-time low, minus short fear periods. A good breeder will know how to recognize a fear period and will adjust the curriculum until the fear period comes to a halt.

Puppies should be exposed to a wide range of stimuli during this sensitive period as well to promote ideal brain and emotional development. Working puppies through a developmentally appropriate curriculum during this stage is of utmost importance. Puppies learn faster and quicker during this period than in any other period of development. The socialization period only takes place once in a dog’s lifetime!

13 weeks to puberty-(Juvenile Period)-A puppy’s early behavioral habits begin to take even more shape. This stage is often equivalent to the human teenage years! Puppies are growing rapidly, have a newfound independence, bounds of energy, and hormones are starting to surge. Puppy training will be of incredible benefit during this stage.

6 months to adulthood-(The Adolescent Period)-Much of your puppy’s behavior is now solidified. Training is still very beneficial to continue reinforcing behaviors that are desirable. This period ends when social maturity is reached. The timeline varies depending on the breed. Shih Tzus are typically fully grown by 10 months of age.

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Why is my Puppy Whining all the Time?

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purebred liver Shih Tzu puppy sitting on a blanket full of fall leaves.

I always tell my clients that having a new puppy in the home is equivalent to having a new baby. Puppies like babies are not able to use their words to tell us how they feel. Whining or crying is your puppy’s way of trying to tell you something. Puppy owners must learn to speak their new puppy’s language.

Also, try and remember to be patient! Your puppy has just been taken away from everything he or she has ever known. Whining in the beginning is very normal. The good news is that puppies are very adaptable. With love, guidance, and patience they will grow into amazing family members.

One of the most common reasons for whining will be your puppy’s need for human attention. If your puppy cries whenever you enter the room your puppy might be craving human touch. When it comes to temperament, some puppies have a high human focus. They’re like stickers. They always want to be stuck to you!

This doesn’t mean you should always pick your puppy up every time he or she whimpers. Remember when I said that puppies are like babies? It is your job to figure out why your new baby is crying. You don’t want to pick up your puppy every time he or she whimpers. This will just teach your puppy that whining is an acceptable behavior.

Instead, I recommend first and foremost, making sure your puppy’s needs are met. Does your puppy need a hug and cuddle session with his or her favorite humans? Has your puppy eaten enough and had plenty to drink? Does your puppy need to go potty? Is your puppy in need of an exercise session or some mental stimulation? Is your puppy still acclimating to his or her new home and missing mom or siblings? Is your puppy not feeling well?

Once you find out why your puppy is whining it will be much easier to meet his or her basic needs. On the other hand, remember you don’t need to pick up your puppy every time he or she cries. Your puppy needs to learn how to self-soothe. You can help the process go smoothly by providing your puppy with a snuggle puppy and toys that provide mental stimulation. Feel free to browse my list of ideas for keeping your puppy busy here.

Tip for Success

I thought it would be great to end this blog post with a tip that I feel helps with puppy whining. Whenever you’re getting ready to pick up your puppy stand in front of him or her and freeze. Avoid picking up your puppy until he or she is calm and remains still.

This way you’re not rewarding the negative jumping up and whining behavior. You may have to walk out of sight and watch from a distance until you see the desirable behavior if your puppy is relentless. When you catch your puppy being calm and displaying appropriate behavior pick him or her up and give a big hug, praise, and maybe even a treat!

Always remember to reward the positive and ignore the negative when it comes to whining. The exemption to the rule is if your puppy is hurt. In this case, don’t hesitate to contact your veterinarian. A good trainer will come in handy as well! Follow the following link if you desire more information on online puppy school from Baxter & Bella: https://www.baxterandbella.com/.

They always say it takes a village to raise a child properly. I believe it takes a village to raise a puppy properly as well! If everyone in the family is on board, consistent, and patient the puppy will have all the tools necessary to be successful. In no time at all your puppy will be grow up and you will miss the puppy days of the past.

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How to Safely Introduce Two Dogs to Each Other

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Two purebred liver Shih Tzu puppies for sale in my responsible breeding program on a white rug.
Liver Shih Tzu Brothers & Best Friends

If you plan on bringing a new puppy or adult dog home and already have a dog at home this is a good read for you! Dogs have their special way of getting to know one another. We as humans must take the necessary steps to help the introduction go smoothly.

Dogs are social creatures and they learn a lot of valuable information by interacting with other dogs. You may observe that they use their noses to learn about one another. Sniffing is a huge part of the investigation process. Often dog introductions are a wonderful match from the start. Other times, time and patience come into play.

The human needs to observe the interaction to make sure things are going well. Pay close attention to body language. The dog’s body should not be tense. Their ears shouldn’t be pinned back. The dogs should look relaxed and curious. If either dog looks anxious or afraid this could be a red flag.

It is common for the greeting to be short. One dog may simply walk away and go about his business after the introduction. Another scenario that may play out is that the dogs may not greet one another at all in the beginning. They may simply not be interested in interacting at the moment.

Some tips for helping the dog introduction go smoothly include the following:

  • Ideally, have the meet and greet take place in an open neutral space so the dogs have room to flee if necessary.
  • You may want to have both dogs on a leash to start.
  • Keep meet-and-greet sessions short.
  • Be cautious with resources such as food and toys until a relationship is established.
  • If possible, know the temperament of both dogs.
  • Make sure your new puppy/dog has a safe place when you’re not able to observe the dogs interacting. A playpen, spare room, or crate works well.
  • Praise positive interactive behaviors.
  • Redirect negative interactions and separate for a while.
  • Have a trainer lined up just in case any issues arise.
  • Join an online dog training program like Baxter & Bella for more tips for success. (https://www.baxterandbella.com/)

My biggest tip for success is to be patient. The getting to know one another process often takes time. Your dogs may become best friends overnight or it may take time for them to acclimate to one another. Either way, be there to patiently facilitate the process and step in when necessary. Hopefully, a lifelong canine friendship will be right around the corner.

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Let the Puppy Curriculum Roll

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The puppies are developing so fast! The puppies’ eyes are starting to open. If you watch closely you can see Blaze’s eyes open for a moment. We are starting week 3 in our Shih Tzu breeding program with the introduction of a potty pad to the Whelping box. Puppies are now eliminating on their own. This usually means that Mom is done cleaning up after the puppies.

I also added a soft toy for novelty exposure. Nobody seems too interested in the toy this morning. They’re all about napping.💤💛🐶 I will also do a brief sound desensitization exercise later today. I’ll add it to my Instagram story/highlight for viewing. Have a wonderful day!

I hope you enjoy the short video clip of the puppies napping below!

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