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Animal Shelters and Rescue
from David the Dogman
Just this side of Heaven is a place called The Rainbow Bridge. When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all our special...
Change Your Thinking to Change Your Dog's Behavior
Bad Behavior is only a Game. I recently changed the way I
think about training my dog. I have one of those high spirited
dominate alpha males who instinctively thinks he is the leader
of the pack and is always testing my authority. I often...
Crate Training Your Pit Bull Terrier Puppy: How Big Should The Dog Crate Be?
Were you aware that crate training your Pit Bull terrier is the
responsible thing to do as a dog owner, and that everyone should
be doing this? Properly crate training your Pit is one of the
best things that you could possibly do, and I'm going...
Dog Training - How To Train Your Dog Not To Chase People, Bicycles, Joggers, Etc
Dogs by nature are predatory animals, and all predatory animals
share the motivation to chase fleeing objects. While this may be
a natural instinct, it is not appropriate when those fleeing
objects are joggers, bicyclists or the mailman.
...
How to Begin a Dog Training Career
Do you love dogs? Do you find yourself automatically trying to train each dog you come across? Would you like a fun, satisfying career that revolves around working with dogs? Then starting a dog training career could be the best career option for...
How To Discipline Your Boxer Dog
How To Discipline Your Boxer Dog Most would agree that the day you bring the Boxer puppy home, you must already pick the direction in which you want to go with him. Disciplining one is a matter of thinking and working a step ahead of your Boxer....
Meet My 4-Legged Family
If you've been reading this ezine for very long, you probably already know a good bit about my wife, Ann, who is also my business partner and soul mate, and my soon-to-be 13-year-old daughter, Amber. Today I want to introduce you to the rest of the...
Shih Tzu Have Had Many Nicknames
Several theories exist as to how the Shih Tzu was created. It
has been reported that around the year 1650 the Dalai Lama
visited China and brought along three "holy dogs" from Tibet.
The Dalai Lama. The Dalai Lama was believed to be...
Teaching a puppy to accept his collar and leash
Learning to walk on a collar and leash is the basis of all
further training for every puppy. Until the puppy has learned to
accept the collar and leash, it will be impossible to perform
any additional training.
The first step toward getting...
Your Cats Health
Cats need only be provided with decent shelter, food and water and they will be quite healthy most of the time. Like any other living thing, however, they can get sick and can come down with anything from a minor cold to a major ailment. As a...
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Shih Tzu - Does Your Shih Tzu Chase Cars?
One of the most serious, and unfortunately most common, problem
behaviors among dogs and shih tzu is that of chasing cars. Dogs
must be trained as early as possible that chasing cars is not
acceptable. That is because shih tzu that chase cars eventually
become shih tzu that catch cars, and car plus shih tzu always
equals big trouble.
There are many reasons that shih tzu and any breed of dog chase
cars. For one thing, chasing moving objects is an ingrained,
instinctual behavior that can never be completely removed.
Chasing behaviors, however can and should be controlled through
a combination of good training and supervision.
Some dogs are more apt to chase cars, bikes, joggers, cats and
other dogs than are others. Dogs that have a high prey drive,
including breeds that have been bred for hunting, are
particularly susceptible to the thrill of the chase. Herding
breeds are also apt to chase cars, attempt to herd the neighbors
children, or express other undesired traits of their breeding.
One reason that many shih tzu chase cars in particular is that
they have learned to associate cars with good time and fun
things. Most shih tzu love to ride in the car, and when they see
a car they may try to chase it down for a ride.
No matter what your shih tzu's motivation for chasing cars,
however, it is important to curb this dangerous behavior as
quickly as possible. Training the shih tzu not to chase cars
starts with teaching the shih tzu the meaning of the "Off"
command. The "Off" command is one of the basic tenets of
obedience, and it must be mastered by every shih tzu.
Teaching the shih tzu to stay where he is, even if interesting,
exciting things are happening elsewhere, is very important to
all aspects of dog training. In the world of professional dog
training, this is sometimes referred to as distraction training.
Distraction training is very important, and it is applicable to
teaching the shih tzu not to
chase cars.
Teaching this important lesson is not something you will be able
to do on your own. You will need at least one other person - a
volunteer who will slowly drive by and tempt your car with his
bright, shiny object. You will stand with your shih tzu on his
leash as the volunteer drives by. Having the volunteer drive
your own car can provide an even greater temptation, since dogs
are able to distinguish one car from another. If your car is the
one that provides his rides, it is likely to be the most
tempting object in the world.
When your friend drives by, either in your car or his, watch
your shih tzu's reaction carefully. If he begins to jump up or
move away, repeat the "Off" command and quickly return your shih
tzu to the sitting position. If he remains where he is, be sure
to give him lavish amounts of praise and perhaps a treat or two.
Repeat this process many times over the course of a few days.
Once your shih tzu is reliably remaining seated when your friend
drives by, start lengthening the distance between yourself and
your shih tzu. A long, retractable leash works great for this
process. Slowly lengthen the distance between you and your shih
tzu, while still making sure you have control.
Even after your shih tzu is trained to not chase cars, however,
it is important to not leave him out off the leash unsupervised.
Leaving a shih tzu unattended, except for within a properly and
securely fenced in yard, is simply asking for trouble. Dogs are
unpredictable, and it is always possible that the chase instinct
could kick in at exactly the wrong moment. The best strategy is
to confine the shih tzu when you cannot supervise him.
About the author:
Connie Limon is a shih tzu breeder. She publishes a FREE weekly
newsletter. A professional newsletter with a focus upon health
and wellness for you and your pets. Discounts are offered to
subscribers. Sign up at: http://www.stainglassshihtzus.com
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