Cross Breeds

Are my shih tzu puppies being stubborn?

I have 2 shih tzu puppies, the boy is 13 weeks and the girl is 10 weeks. Whenever I take them outside, i have a hard time trying to get them to respond to my calls. At first i used the excuse that they didn't recognise their own names yet - Dougal and Daisy - but its not washing with me anymore! I realise they are curious, especially the girl, but I'm sounding like an idiot constantly calling their name in falsetto! I've been trying to reward them with treats when they do come to me but the pull of the outside world and moving objects is more attractive than me!! What should i do? Also, my male puppy eats very little, which is worrying and when he does, he only likes eating with the female puppy (who has a vorocious appetite) in the same bowl. Is this ok?

Public Comments

1. It is fine for them to eat together. My dogs like to eat together, too.. They are too young to expect them to be attentive to your call. They sound like absolutely normal puppies. Here is a great ( and FUN) training site to help you> http://www.clickerlessons.com/index.htm Everything you will need to know is on that site...for FREE
2. They're very young and you should not be surprised that they still dont respond to their names right away. And dogs are of course naturally curious of its environment (esp. moving objects) so this is not something that should bother you at all. With regard to the puppy's appetite, dogs like humans have preference. You should observe and experiment. Perhaps he doesnt like dry or hard food, then put little water in it to make it more edible for him. (The same thing happened to my retriever, and she's strong and healthy now). Ultimately, as to not spoil the puppies, little by little, try to get him used his normal diet. And yes, its also normal for him to eat with the female puppy in the same bowl. There will come a point that he will eventually look for his own when he gets hungry. I personally think you're being impatient with your dogs. Shih tzus are loveable dogs but they definitely require so much from you too. So take it easy.
3. Your puppies are young enough to go to puppy classes which I highly recommend for your recall problems. As for your food issues.... What are you feeding them? They should both have their own bowls for sure. I recommend puppy classes by Sirius Dog training W/Fawn Pierre! She is a great trainer! She trains in S.F.
4. first of all they are shitzu's they are made to be trouble. If you keep them together all the time they feed off of each other and depend on each other. What i mean by feeding off each other is behavior. They might listen to you more if you seperate them when you do stuff with them. They are young so you can train them. I would go to an animal trainer and ask your questions. And as far as eating out of the same bowl well i think its okay while they are young but eventually they need their own food bowls so you can make sure they each have plenty to eat.
5. Not stubborn, but they are being dogs - dogs won't respect you until you are the leader of their pack. Nevermind the treats. Instead, try taking them on leashes (this works better if you do each pup separate, but time may not allow this) and exercise the 'come' command. Let them go out on a long leash and call them. Snap your finger right after you call their name and point to your feet. When they ignore you (which they will the first 50 times you do this - did I mention you'd have to be patient and persistent?) gently tug the leash and make them walk over to you. Reward with an enthusiastic "good girl/boy!!" Little by little, do the exercise with a longer leash (longer distance between you before you shout "come"). You can treat if you want to once they comply, but they should respond whether treated or not. In the wild, the leader of the pack doesn't hand out treats but rather it's the respect the pack has for him that makes them comply. Be sure you're earning respect in other areas with them and this will 100% work. When feeding them, make them sit and stay before you give them their food. Over time you should be able to do the sit/stay, put the food in front of them, walk out of the room, come back and say "good".....and only then will they begin to get up and eat it. Make them do a trick or sit before giving any treats or toys and be sure to teach the 'drop it' command so you can take them away at will (say, to put the toy away - which you should do now and then to show your leader status). Always keep the commands simple and said in an authoritative tone - and follow up with "good". (and never use their name to call them to something bad, like a punishment for peeing on the floor or for a bath, if they don't like them - this will quickly lead to selective compliance!)
6. hi there i have a tan n Waite Ana she is the best .she works by me with a lease all have to do is give her the evil eye and she melts. i wish i could tell more i tired watch dog wist er good and happy puppy daysoh!being that your still there , try not to yell at her youll get no were
7. We have 3 Shih Tzus and I can tell you this is just them being normal. If you look at them, when you call them their tails are probably wagging. My dogs are extremely pickey eaters but will finally give in when they are hungry. I know they can try your patience but mine are the most lovable and adorable dogs I have ever had.