Adopted Shih Tzu privately, came from puppy mill

13 years ago

We took in a Shih Tzu from a friend of a friend a week ago. Husband lost his job, etc. She is pretty well behaved, but is driving us crazy with hyper activity.

When she is awake, she constantly runs in circles, all through the house, and in between, demands attention and holding all of the time. Additionally, she has pooped in the house twice; yesterday and today.

I did some online research of her background and it appears that she came from a puppy mill breeder, then to a pet broker, then to the pet store where they bought her. She was born on June 30, 2008 and they bought her on October 19, 2008, which means she was confined to a cage for 4 months, which would explain her strange behavior.

Wondering if this behavior is treatable without a lot of work. DH is elderly and not in good health. I can't be another caregiver. Any thoughts?

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mylab123

13 years ago

last modified: 9 years ago

My four and a half month old Shih Tzu is nothing like the dogs listed here: she is a very sweet natured dog, wants to please, wants to play and I make very sure that she gets a good, running type of exercise twice a day, every day - be it throwing a small ball down the long hallway so that she can chase after it and bring it back for about 20 minutes, or a good run in the back yard on a leash, or taking her for a good brisk walk in the neighborhood if weather permits - taking that walk is very important as these dogs need the mental stimulation of seeing different things and meeting different people on a regular basis.

I don't find her to be yappy at all because I didn't allow for barking from the minute we brought her home - just told her "no" firmly and she caught on right away. She isn't manipulative at all, she seems to be willing and eager to please. She is very affectionate and I'm careful not to walk around holding her. She gets held when I'm sitting down and only when I allow her into my lap - several times a day but not all the time when I sit down. I decide when she will be held and she knows not to assume that when I sit she gets held.

She plays with her toys, she ever chews on anything but her toys, she eats well and sleeps well, is a calm dog and is now completely potty trained.

On the potty training, the key is to keep an eye on your dog - remember these dogs are very tiny and therefore have very tiny bladders. They need to be taken out very, very frequently.

She will poop about an hour and a half after her meal and if I'm not paying attention and she urinates or poops in the house, it's my fault because she goes to the slider whenever she needs to go - it's my job to see her there and take her out. I never make a big deal if she goes in the house, I don't even comment upon it.

It's a rare thing when she does and it's my fault if she has, so why would I comment - her bladder and bowels are very small, I can't expect her to hold it indefinitely until I get the clue that she is sitting right at that door for a reason.

I don't work, so this is not a problem - and I rarely miss her signal that she has to go outside. She is cheerful, affectionate unless I want to be mushy and hold/kiss on her for too long a period of time and then she lets me know *enough!* as she wants to play with her toys. She wants to please, is very easily pleased and is calm and easy going with a distinct and affable personality.

I don't know that I have an exceptional shih tzu, as her personality is pretty much like the personalities of those I know who have one. I think good training and educcating yourself about this breed along with the helpful tips to avoid ending up with a problem dog is something to keep in mind.

Everything I have ever read has stated to be careful about designing a diva from your puppy - it happens fast and easily if you allow it. You are the alpha and the dog needs to understand and accept that fact right from the start.

I can't really recall ever even raising my voice towards my dog - I will say "no!" firmly and quickly remove her from the place where she is doing whatever it is I object to, and that is how I handled the barking - just said "no!" and handed her a chew toy. She is a smart dog, she got the message within just a few objections and now she very rarely ever barks. She has always gotten along perfectly with my old yellow female lab - she knows when she is bothering the old dog and will leave her alone then, she understands that in the ranking, she is on the bottom of the ladder but is top dog for affection - she is very affectionate to all around her and is completely charming to family, friends and strangers. She is a very likeable dog.

She is priceless - a wonderful little companion. She understands that I am the boss, she is not, and she is fine with it because that is how it was from the day she came into this house at exactly 12 weeks of age. She is content with her ranking and content with her family and home.

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Comments (9)

christine1950
13 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Yes the behavior is treatable with alot of work, others here will give you great advice. God Bless you for opening up your heart & home to this poor dog, I hope you can work with her and give her what she needs, poor little thing has never known love or security.
Christine
sylviatexas1
13 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
She needs obedience training & lots of patience.

If you're overwhelmed at the prospect, as well you might be in your situation, see if you can find a new home for her with someone you know, or try to find a Shih Tzu rescue that has a tax exemption so that you *know* it's a true rescue & not a front to obtain purebred dogs.

Whatever you do, don't let go of her until she's been spayed, & don't advertise her on craigslist.

Puppy mills & backyard breeders aren't going to tell you that they're puppy mills & backyard breeders;
they know exactly what to say & how to say it to get what they want, which is a dog they can put back into a cage & breed until her uterus falls out.

I wish you the best.
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housefairy
13 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
QUOTE>I did some online research of her background and it appears that she came from a puppy mill breeder, then to a pet broker, then to the pet store where they bought her. She was born on June 30, 2008 and they bought her on October 19, 2008, which means she was confined to a cage for 4 months, which would explain her strange behavior.QUOTE

Other than looking at a pedigree I didn't know you could even do any kind of background research on a dog. It's just amazing how much stuff is open for viewing.

Aren't Shih Tzu's bred to be lap dogs? That may be why she is very much into wanting your attention. I would also suspect she is still nervous about being left (again) in a new environment. She is still a young dog so just some good old fashioned walking will probably help with her energy levels. Also walking when she normally goes poop will help with her bowel movement. And since she is such a small dog you will probably notice a difference in just walking her around the block.

As far as pooping in the house, I would restrict her and basically go back to house training rules. Is she pooping in just one area? If so, you need to get a odor neutralizer. If there is a hint, and you won't be able to detect the smell, the dog will return to the area.

One of my dog's new friend is a Shih Tzu. She is an adorable little dog, kind of feisty, with a mop of hair. She's under a year and like any pup, she is full of energy.
sue36
13 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
I don't know if this is true of dogs, but with cats the accrediting association can tell you how many registrations a breeder does per year. In my case, my (now departed) Persian was from a "breeder" with many, many registrations. Definitely a "mill".
heydeborah
13 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
welcome to the wonderful world of the shih tzu. we had one little guy "Buddy"that was so mean, he bit and growled all the time if you said to him hows your little foots, he would just come after you! i think he might have come from a puppy mill. the house where we got him from was really weird, wall to wall stuff and the "babies" were in a play pen, plus i noticed in the paper that this woman had ads in the paper for puppies every 5 months or so.(he also peed all over the house and the sofa, he would just dare you to say something while he was doing his thing. sad thing was buddy passed away 1 week before his 9th birthday. one year later "Gracie Joy Devine " came into our lives, she was a gift from by husband for my birthday--the big 50, i went and looked at these little girls (1lb. 14 oz) she picked me and we have been friends ever since, my dear,dear love of my life passed away 3 weeks after she came home to live with us, she will be 4 on dec. 2, she goes on pittle paper, you should also know that shih tzu are the hardest to train and they also eat their b.m.'s. they do not like to be alone and this might be the way they are punishing you. our Gracie is 7 pounds, wears puppy clothes and loves to ride in her puppy stroller, yes i am weird, i have never heard her growl at all so you can see how different they are Gracie is just happy to be happy, except for this week she has to wear her puppsters because she is in heat (these can also be used for those little friends that are hard to train. even though these 2 were as different as night and day, they are just lovable little friends!
dabunch
13 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
I guess nobody told you about a Shih Tzu personality BEFORE you took him in?
They are very smart, happy little dogs with a HUGE personality. They talk with their eyes.

Having been a Shih Tzu owner most of my life, I can tell you that they are one of the best dogs....BUT they train you, not the other way around.
You are lucky to cater to them ;)

These dogs are very sensitive, and take things in when you least expect it. They are more like people, or spoiled brats. LOL. They are not yappy, or hyper dogs, unless they were damaged...as in having irresponsible breeders or owners who didn't care or didn't understand their personality.

Their personalities are closer to medium dogs...and PEOPLE. They manipulate you, and they come first. You need to have a routine and boundaries with them. They will not listen or go away like most dogs. They'll argue with you. Just wait and see. They need positive reinforcement, and lots of praise. Never scold them. They have to get things THIER WAY, or they will pout, be unhappy, and possibly get into trouble... I know I'm biased but they make the BEST pets. Once you learn that your Shih Tzu is the boss, you'll get along just fine. LOL.

They are a lot of work grooming-wise....and sometimes not the best pet for the much older peeps.

Cleanliness is a must with these dogs:
1- You must have their ears plucked every couple of months. You should use an ear washing/drying solution i.e. Nolvasan, once every 1-2 weeks to keep their ears clean and DRY, so they don't get infections. Ask a Vet Tech how to use it. The hair that grows in the ears keeps the ears moist, so the bacteria multiplies and festers, and they can get infections. That goes for all the long haired dogs.
2-You must keep the eye area trimmed, clean and wiped, so they don't get eye irritations/infections. Many Shih Tzus lose their eyesight early in life because their owners don't take care of their eyes properly.
3-They need to be bathed 1-2x a month, with constant MOUTH wiping. Keep a hand towel, or tissues handy. I wash my Shih Tzu's mouth a few times a week, additionally to wiping and bathing. Just a quick rinse and wipe will do. The food sticks to the long hair, and they start smelling....THIS is very important. I wipe my dogs' paws after going outside, and wash her paws after walks. The long hair really picks up a lot of dirt and dust, which spreads to the rest of their fur and the house.
4-They have hair growing out of every hole in the body, so constant trimming is necessary i.e the butt area, eyes, mouth, paws, and ear plucking.
If you follow these suggestions, you will avoid many Vet visits.

The great part is that although they require a lot of wiping and some washing, they don't shed.

A clean Shih Tzu is a happy and healthy Shih Tzu.

The running around is extra energy and will subside if you walk him, and/or when he grows out of the puppy stage.
They are easy to train, but consistency, praise, and persistence are necessary.

If your pooch poops or pees in the house....say NO! in an authoritative way (not yelling) and immediately take him outside, and tell him- GO HERE!(obviously he won't go at that time cuz he just went in the house)so then take him back in, saying nothing. Just leave him alone and walk away....

I would take him out often in the the first year. You may want to utilize hanging the bell at the door, or near the door routine. Ring the bell, open door and go pee outside... When he goes, get all excited and tell him GOOD BOY! and give him a treat. They really want to please you. Good luck.
mazer415
13 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Leash walks leash walks leash walks....anytime you get 15 to 20 minutes, take the dog for a leash walk.
Also, since your dog is already interested in you, utilize that to your advantage..teach your dog some tricks. They are not hard to complete. Sit stay lay down, roll over....good luck
spedigrees z4VT
13 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Lots of outdoor exercise. This is a young dog who requires an outlet for her natural energy. Most likely she is not getting the exercise she needs.

Frequent outdoor excursions allowing her the opportunity to relieve herself outside and lots of praise when she does. Help her to succeed at house training by being vigilent and taking her outdoors at the slightest sign of restlessness.

Her behavior does not sound strange but pretty much typical of a young energetic dog, confused and perhaps stressed by a new environment. In short, a new young dog requires a lot of work just as a small child does. It is the nature of the beast. If you cannot be a caregiver this is probably not the best situation for you or your new young dog.

Adopted Shih Tzu privately, came from puppy mill

mylab123

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