How To Prepare For A Shih Tzu Puppy

How to prepare for a Shih Tzu puppy? If you want to know what are the preparations for your Shih Tzu puppy, then you are in the right place!

In this post, we’ll talk about the new fur parent checklist, what to do and expect for your Shih Tzu puppy, and why you need a veterinarian.

How To Prepare For A Shih Tzu Puppy

Adopting or buying a new Shih Tzu puppy is a wonderful and exciting idea, but you should be aware of some basic concepts and standards for caring for this toy breed before bringing one home.

Don’t worry, this guide will help you know the basics of preparing for a Shih Tzu puppy! 

New Fur Parent Checklist

Home Preparation – Puppy-Proof Your Home!

Your new Shih Tzu will be a curious little dog with no sense of boundaries, so make sure your home is a good and safe environment for such a playful and adventurous newcomer. Install locks on cupboards storing toxic household chemicals, and bundle up and remove any exposed cords that could seem like attractive chew toys.

When your new Shih Tzu puppy comes, ask everyone in the house to keep the closet and outer doors locked so it doesn’t get into any trouble or escape.

You may be aware that dog food should be stored in secured cupboards or bins, but don’t forget that Shih Tzu puppies are attracted to human meals.

Don’t leave half-eaten chips or candies on the counter, and keep all kitchen goods out of reach of your Shih Tzu puppy. Dried fruit, chocolate, and allium foods like onions and garlic are dangerous to Shih Tzu puppy, so be cautious.

Finally, because Shih Tzus are prone to heatstroke, your puppy should have access to an air-conditioned room where they can rest on hot days.

Things You’ll Need

Food and water bowls

Food and water bowls are essentials for your new Shih Tzu puppy. Food and water should be ready for your new puppy as soon as it enters the house, so make sure you get a set of dog bowls in advance.

Crate and bedding

Your new Shih Tzu puppy needs a crate and bedding. 

It will provide them with a warm, secure haven into which they may escape when they are exhausted, overwhelmed, or anxious. Second, it will help you in housebreaking a breed that is notorious for being tough to housebreak.

Install a comfy bed, chew toys, and a few treats inside the crate before your Shih Tzu puppy arrives to make it a welcoming environment.

Chew toys 

Shih Tzu puppies might have rough teething periods, you’ll want to make this brief period as comfortable and damage-free as possible. Buy special freezable toys to relieve the pain of swollen gums and provide plenty of hard rubber toys so your dog doesn’t take his teething displeasure out on furniture and household things.

Collar and leash

Even though your Shih Tzu won’t be able to break free from a standard leash at full size, you should make sure that your walking materials are durable and safe. Measure your puppy’s neck and buy a collar that can be adjusted as the dog develops.

Grooming supplies

Whether you plan to groom your new Shih Tzu puppy yourself or hire a professional groomer, you’ll need a range of grooming supplies.

A brush, comb, nail clipper, teeth brush and paste, as well as shampoo and conditioner, are the first items you’ll need.

Dog food and supplements

As a new puppy owner, you will likely find choosing quality dog food to be a difficult task. You must give your Shih Tzu puppy the proper food in the right amount.

Naming Your Shih Tzu

Before you start making a shortlist of your favorites, it’s a good idea to collect a lot of name suggestions.

A simple technique to do this is to scribble words that could be used as names on a large piece of paper at random. Try not to judge each word based on its possibilities as a Shih Tzu name; instead, write it down.

You’ll be able to choose the best one later. This technique allows you to be more creative while also supporting your brain in coming up with more ideas.

There are a few things to consider before entering into the world of Shih Tzu puppy names. Your puppy should be able to recognize and respond to their name quickly.

Even if you choose a long name, you’ll use a short and sweet form the majority of the time.

We recommend pinning a few of your favorites on the wall in the center of your home. The best area is usually the kitchen. You can take away your least favorite name each day for the next few days until there is only one left!

But, if you’re are still having difficulty coming up with a name for your Shih Tzu puppy, start collecting names from your favorite movies, TV series, novels, video games, and other sources.

Organizing Your Puppy’s Things

Do you end up searching the entire home for your pet’s hairbrush when you need it? Is it under the bed or, even worse, in the refrigerator vegetable drawer when you discover it? If that’s the case, you’ll need help; if that’s not the case, you could do better.

Organizing pet supplies doesn’t have to be a difficult task, and it won’t be if you divide it down into manageable sections.

You can organize your Shih Tzu puppy supplies in two ways.

The first step is to gather everything, sort it, and then place it in functional areas around your home. The other option is to go where your pet supplies are kept and clean and arrange them.

Both of them work! And, depending on how your things are now stored, you should use both methods. I prefer to gather all of my things in one area so that I can get a complete image of what I have.

Once you’ve collected all your Shih Tzu belongings in one location, divide your puppy supplies into different categories based on the item’s function, such as a grooming supply section or a pet medicine section. Once you’ve grouped like items together, you’ll be able to discover a convenient and easy place to keep them.

The most important thing to remember while sorting things is that organizing a large amount of clutter is difficult and should not be attempted. If you have dozens of old torn toys or leashes lying around, keep one or two in reserve and trash the others.

After you’ve gone through your things and trashed anything that’s too old or isn’t in use, you’ll be able to see how much of each item you have. Then you can look for containers that are suitable for the space and try to fit whatever you have into them.

If things don’t fit, test if you need to keep what’s left cluttering up your house.

House Training

Consistency, patience, and positive reinforcement are important while housetraining your Shih Tzu puppy. The idea is to develop positive behaviors and a loving relationship with your Shih Tzu.

When your Shih Tzu puppy is between the ages of 12 and 16, it is recommended that you begin house training them. They have enough control over their bladder and bowel functions at that point to learn to contain them.

Housetraining may take longer if your Shih Tzu puppy is older than 12 weeks when you bring them home and has been eliminated in a cage (and eating their waste). With encouragement and reward, you’ll have to change your Shih Tzu behavior.

Keep your Shih Tzu puppy in a controlled environment, such as a kennel, a room, or on a leash. You can offer your puppy more freedom to walk around the house as they learn that they need to go outdoors to do their business.

Steps in housetraining your Shih Tzu puppy

• Maintain a consistent feeding schedule for your Shih Tzu puppy and remove their food between meals.
• Take your Shih Tzu out for a potty break first thing in the morning and then every 30 minutes to an hour after that. Also, take them outside after they eat or after they wake up from a nap. Make sure they go out last and before they are left alone.
• Take your Shih Tzu puppy to the same area every time they need to go potty. They’ll be made to leave by their aroma.
• Keep an eye on the outside, at least until they’ve learned to use the toilet.
• Praise or reward your Shih Tzu when he or she eliminates outside. A wonderful reward is a walk around the neighborhood.

House Rules

Dogs have natural tendencies that may or may not be accepted in their new home, and some of these behaviors may be dangerous, destructive, or unhealthy. You’ll be letting your Shih Tzu puppy know what is and isn’t appropriate from the start if you create a set of house rules.

You may want to consider questions like: Where in the house is my Shih Tzu allowed to go? What places are they forbidden to visit? Rather than confining your Shih Tzu, establish clear boundaries and limitations in your home.

Decide whether your Shih Tzu puppy has access to the couch or your bed.

Determine how you want your Shih Tzu puppy to greet visitors and whether jumping and barking are acceptable. Are you okay with them begging? Or do you prefer that when your dinner is served, they remain in their personal space?

Crate training is also an excellent approach to establishing limits. 

Finally. teach your Shih Tzu puppy what is and is not okay to chew, and make sure everyone in your household is on board. It’s a good idea to teach your Shih Tzu puppy where to sleep and where not to sleep, as well as create a potty break plan for them.

What You Need To Do Everyday

Love and  attention 

Spend time with your Shih Tzu puppy, give them affection, hugs, treats, new toys, and belly massages on them. Every day, they beg for your attention, and you must give it to them.

Feed your dog daily

This may seem obvious, yet many owners have no idea what kind of food to feed their dogs or how much to feed them.

Your Shih Tzu puppy must eat the correct diet. It’s important to discuss your pet’s health with your veterinarian and ask for ideas.

Exercise them

Although Shih Tzu doesn’t need a lot of activity, it’s still important to allow them to do so. It is important to walk your Shih Tzu and ensure that they receive daily exercise.

Let them socialize

Shih Tzu is a breed that is friendly and can get along with anyone. They may seem to be a person dog, you still need to let them practice being with other dogs or individuals. 

Taking him to the park or putting him in a doggy daycare for a few hours each week is a great approach to get him to interact with other dogs. 

They also enjoy it when you chat with them while sitting in front of the television. It doesn’t matter whether you’re hanging out with friends or relaxing.

Keep them hydrated

Fill their water bowls with fresh water. Shih Tzu puppy needs to stay hydrated every day.

Train them

It is possible to teach new tricks to Shih Tzu puppies. Chance is a smart dog who picked up commands like sit, roll over, lay down, and jump up.

When teaching your dog, it’s important to be consistent and work on those abilities daily. When you need an expert, you can also hire a dog trainer.

What To Expect The First Week

Make the first few days of your Shih Tzu’s new home as stress-free as possible for them. Maintain a peaceful and pleasant atmosphere, and don’t let the kids chase or bark at the puppy.

Spend as much time as possible with them and include them in household activities to show them that they are valued members of the family. As your puppy learns the ins and outs of the house, be patient.

Your Shih Tzu will settle in fast if you plan ahead of time and stick to a routine.

Choosing a Veterinarian and Why You Need One

Considering that pets are part of the family, it’s only natural that you treat them like family members would.

Your Shih Tzu, like people, needs to see a veterinarian regularly for veterinary treatment. Many problems can be detected early and addressed at the veterinarian’s office before they become more serious.

It’s critical to keep an eye on your Shih Tzu’s health to ensure that he or she is as healthy as possible.

Conclusion

Now that you know how to prepare for your new Shih Tzu puppy, we hope you will not have any trouble welcoming one into your family!

Thanks for reading! You can get many more tips and tricks for your Shih Tzu here.