Breed guide
How to train a Shih Tzu
The Shih Tzu was bred to sit on laps and look magnificent, and it takes both duties seriously. That history explains a lot: the stubborn streak when asked to do anything inconvenient, the whining when left alone, the growl when someone else approaches the throne. None of it is hard to change. It does take more structure than most owners think a companion dog needs.
Last reviewed August 26, 2026
Behind the topknot
Bred for the lap, ruling the house.
Shih Tzus are companions by design, which means the breed's full attention is on you: where you are, whose lap you are on, and who else dares to approach it. Lap guarding often starts as a cuddle and hardens into a growl at your partner or the other dog. Add a genuine stubborn streak, this is a breed that simply stops when unconvinced, and you get a small dog that runs a surprising amount of the household.
The practical struggles are predictable. House training runs slow because a small dog's accidents often go unnoticed, and every unnoticed accident teaches the wrong lesson. The coat demands daily attention, so a Shih Tzu that fights the brush is signing up for a lifetime of stressful grooming visits. And because the breed bonds hard, whining the moment you leave the room can escalate into full separation distress if it is never addressed.
- Stubborn is part of the package
- Laps are shared, not owned
- Daily brushing starts as training
- Alone-time is a taught skill
A better routine
Structure, not sweetness, wins the standoff.
Work in short sessions with food this breed rates highly, and mark the instant the dog gets it right, because a Shih Tzu that stalls is usually confused or unconvinced, not incapable. Run house training like a schedule: out on waking, after meals, after play, with the reward delivered outside. Teach place as the alternative to lap patrol, and make brushing a daily two-minute ritual with treats long before the coat actually needs it.
Departures deserve the same discipline: leave briefly and often from day one, keep exits boring, and come back before the whining starts rather than after. The Calgary trap is winter pee pads: a cold snap arrives, the pads come out, and by spring the dog has politely un-learned outdoor plumbing. If house training, whining or lap guarding has already dug in, Day Training at $650 per week plus GST, with a weekly one-hour go-home lesson, rebuilds the routine while you keep your job.
The programs
Where this breed usually lands.
The programs below are the ones this breed most often needs; the consultation confirms it for your dog.
W · One-hour session
Private Training
One-on-one coaching with you on the other end of the leash.
Includes a written weekly plan to work from
N · 3-week board & train
Puppy Fundamentals
Your puppy's first months decide the habits of a lifetime.
Includes handover lesson, follow-up session, slip lead + collar
Asked and answered
The questions people ask us.
Are Shih Tzus easy to train?
Easier than their reputation suggests, provided the rewards are real. They learn quickly for food and praise but see little reason to comply without them, which reads as stubbornness. Short sessions and consistency get you a genuinely cooperative dog.
What are typical Shih Tzu behaviour problems?
House training setbacks, whining when left alone, guarding a favourite lap and fighting the brush are the usual four. They share one root: a companion breed with too few rules. Structure fixes more than punishment ever will.
How should Shih Tzu puppy training start?
Begin with a strict potty schedule, crate comfort and daily hands-on practice with brushing, paws and face. Keep obedience sessions short and heavily rewarded. What the puppy rehearses in the first months becomes the adult's normal.
Any Shih Tzu training tips for the stubborn moments?
Check the rewards first: a Shih Tzu that ignores you is rarely defiant, usually just underpaid. Ask for something easy, pay well, and end the session on a win. Repeating a command five times only teaches the dog that four of them are optional.
Keep reading
Calm, clean and brushable
House training, grooming manners and calm alone-time, built one short session at a time. Book a consultation.
From real owners
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Real Northline dogs