Chew Toys and Shih-Tzu Training
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Stumble it!
Chew toys can either work for you or against you. Many Shih-Tzus will chew on their chew toys exclusively, while other Shih-Tzus will chew on both the toys and anything else in the house that resembles the toys.
There are many different reasons behind why people use chew toys in Shih-Tzu training. It is true that Shih-Tzus instinctively chew, so many believe that if he is going to chew on something then it might as well be something it is okay for him to chew on. Unfortunately, the Shih-Tzu does not understand this realm of thinking, so he is more likely going to chew on his toys as well as his other items around the house. People also use chew toys in Shih-Tzu training to help relieve a Shih-Tzu’s boredom. Instead of chewing on the sofa, it is better for the Shih-Tzu to chew on a nylon bone.
It is instinctive for Shih-Tzus to chew, and when a Shih-Tzu is investigating something new, he will smell it and then taste it to see if he can eat it. You cannot get rid of this natural behavior because it has been ingrained in them for thousands of years. However, when you use a chew toy, you may inadvertently cause that instinct to become stronger and the Shih-Tzu moves from one item in the house to the next chewing up items that are not necessarily a chew toy.
The fact of the matter is that when you feed your Shih-Tzu a well-balanced diet you should not have a destructive chewing problem. The key to training your Shih-Tzu not to chew and to not need chew toys is to not allow them to put his teeth on anything that he cannot eat. This means not allowing them to chew on sticks in the yard or anything else. Whenever they begin chewing on something, you tell them to “leave it” and then redirect their attention elsewhere. The Shih-Tzu still has the instinct to chew, but because you never allowed him to chew destructively on anything while bored or playing, the Shih-Tzu will not associate chewing with boredom. You can think of it as “preventative Shih-Tzu training.”
There are several types of toys that do have a role in Shih-Tzu training. Things like balls, Frisbees and similar items are invaluable training tools. These can be regularly used to motivate your Shih-Tzu while training. However, you do not want the Shih-Tzu to see the ball has “his” but “yours.” When you do this, you still get the full effect that a ball can have on a Shih-Tzu’s training and motivation, but he is not going to associate chewing and boredom with it. In fact, it is a better idea to keep these toys out of sight and out of mind for your Shih-Tzu only a daily basis. This will help them to be more effective as training tools in your obedience training and the Shih-Tzu will have an even greater amount of motivation towards that ball instead of seeing it as just another chew toy.
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