The Shih Tzu is probably one of the most stubborn and arrogant breeds of dog you will ever come across and they very much prefer their way of doing things even over your way whether you like it or not. So do not be surprised when tasks like housebreaking seem to take forever because remember that you are on the dog’s schedule and not yours. This is probably why some people resort to Shih Tzu litter box training as opposed to waiting for their dog to be housebroken.

Patience is a virtue when training a Shih Tzu and you will need a lot of patience to housebreak your Shih Tzu. Even the best-behaved Shih Tzu dogs can take up to six months to be properly housebroken. So if you have only been at it for a few months then you need to keep trying. Litter box training should be a last resort, a very last resort.
A Shih Tzu thinks of things in very broad terms and it needs to be taught that certain things are for outside and other things are for inside. If you let your Shih Tzu know that going to the bathroom inside is okay with Shih Tzu litter box training then it may not always associate the litter box with that activity, it may only associate being indoors with that activity. This is why it is not a good idea to give up on housebreaking in lieu of a litter box.

The size of the dog can also determine whether or not you want to consider the litter box. The Shih Tzu is a toy breed but it can grow to sizes that are much too big to be using a litter box with. Consult your breeder, or your vet, on their advice about whether or not a Shih Tzu the size of yours should be considered for litter box training or not. A bigger dog is going to have problems with a litter box so be sure before you start training.
If you really want to start Shih Tzu litter box training then place a large litter box in the part of your house that your Shih Tzu has been soiling the most. Praise it profusely when it uses that litter box. but do not punish it when it does not use it. Punishment confuses a Shih Tzu and causes any training already completed to have to be done over. Watch your Shih Tzu and take it to the litter box when it displays the signs of getting ready to go to the bathroom, like sniffing in a spot or circling.

A litter box is not the answer to housebreaking and it can more than likely undo old housebreaking training and prevent any further housebreaking. Use the litter box as a very last resort but have the same dedication to litter box training as you had with housebreaking because this process may take a lot longer than standard housebreaking.

This article offers great insight into Shih Tzu training. This article contains information that can be used along with dog training books for training your Shih Tzu.

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