You get torn slippers rick-racked with teeth marks around when you forget to keep them from your puppy’s reach. Everyday another item gets chewed.Chewing is a natural Shih Tzu behaviour. You cannot stop chewing but you can redirect this behaviour to other activities to keep your Shih Tzu from chewing things around your home.
The Reason Why You Need to Stop Puppy Chewing
Many dog owners tolerate chewing on anything while their Shih Tzu dogs are young or shout at them whenever they please. This is confusing for the puppy and may develop into other Shih Tzu problems. The right way to respond is somewhere in between. Make your puppy understand that chewing on things in the house is wrong and there are activities good for him other than chewing.
How to Stop Shih Tzu Puppy Chewing
Anytime is a good time to stop your puppy from chewing; it can be done in several ways. To begin with, you should not punish or yell at your puppy. It may be hard to hold your temper when you see things destroyed but it will only make him confused and scared without getting that he did something wrong. Here are some positive and simple Shih Tzu Puppy Training tips you can apply.
• Redirect the behaviour – Since it is a natural behaviour, you can train him to chew only on the things he is allowed to chew on. Once your Shih Tzu puppy starts on your slippers, replace with a puppy toy and praise him when he accepts chewing on his toy. This is teaching him that it is wrong to chew on the slippers and the toy is the right one.
• Keep Your Shih Tzu Busy – Boredom is another reason why your puppy chews on things. Even after teething a puppy has the urge to chew because he is bored; the same when you’re bored doing nothing. You can prevent this Shih Tzu behaviour by giving your puppy a lot of exercise. You can do it by walking, jogging or playing with him. Leave him with his toys to keep him occupied while you’re away from home.
• Crate – This is an effective Shih Tzu puppy training which limits your puppy’s access to your home. If you want to confine him in a small room, that will also serve the same purpose. And don’t forget to leave his toys for him to play with.
• Aversion method – Your expensive carpet and other items can escape your puppy’s chewing if you can coat them with some bad tasting pepper or bitter sprays. The items will be associated with the bad taste and your puppy will refrain from chewing on them.
Consistent Training
The success of stopping your puppy from destructive chewing lies on you as his teacher. Being consistent is a must. If you want your Shih Tzu to stop chewing, apply the necessary training and be strict enough to set the rules and follow them. Your puppy learns quickly if you as the leader of the pack are consistent.
Now, you know that chewing is a normal behaviour which can be corrected through redirecting, enough exercise, and the use of crate and aversion method. You cannot totally eliminate this behaviour but being consistent is very important to grow your puppy with less Shih Tzu problems.
