You know, as I think on training things more, something comes to mind. Sometimes you have to wonder who is training whom? Afterall, as we humans are trying to train our canine companions to comply with “house rules” about keeping the “den” clean (i.e., going outside to potty), we find we have to learn things as well.

For example, when puppy is only 8 weeks old, you have to learn to watch her to see when she’s getting ready to relieve herself so you can hustle her outdoors and start teaching her that is the proper place to go. Usually, if a puppy has her nose to the ground for more than a couple of seconds, that is one of the signals that she’s hunting a place.

You probably already know that puppies cannot go more than an hour of busy playing without needing to relieve themselves. So, you start watching carefully and take the furry child out when she starts to look around for a good place.

Between three and four months old, puppy begins to gain some control of bowel and bladder and you two have begun to agree on a signal that outside is a good idea. The people that will tell you their puppy was perfectly house-trained sooner, are perfectly trained themselves. I’m not saying that’s bad, just that it’s so.

Eventually, the lesson will sink in with the dog, but then, you run into the dog teaching you her signal for needing to go outside. My Jack Russell mix will go to the door and bark once, then jump up at the door. If I don’t notice, she’ll repeat it until I do.

My Border Terrier, on the other hand, has a much more subtle signal. He’ll come and stand by my chair. At first, I thought it was his way of telling me he wanted attention or scratching. He would stand there facing more or less away from me, but near enough to be petted. He finally trained me to understand that is his way of asking to go outside. As a secondary method, he’s managed to teach the JR mix to bark like she has to go out, but then, when I respond, it’s him that has to go, not her. She’ll back away from the door.

My “heart dog,” a full-blooded Jack Russell Terrier, used to trot between me and the door. The more imperative that she go out, the faster the trips. She’d come and look at me, then trot to the door. Come back and look, then to the door, until I got the hint.

Now, you can modify this behavior to some extent by encouraging a particular signal be used. Scratch at the door, ring a bell you’ve hung from the door, come and place a paw on your arm, just about anything that will get you up out of your chair to let her out. Perhaps it’s a certain tone to the bark–a rather high-pitched yip? Maybe it’s that breathy whine with the mournful look?

The upshot is, to be able to teach your dog a signal you decide on for this particular behavior and need, you first must learn what the dog’s signal is indicating the need. So, who is training whom?

C. Rogers Upson has been training dogs and studying them for nearly 40 years. Her website is Dog Potentials and she has two dog-related stores at Keeping to the Borders and Dog Potentials-The Store.

I have wondered just who are the ancestors of the shih tzu. Like all other dog breeds, shih tzu ancestors most likely come from five choices: Grey Wolf, Golden Jackal, Coyote, African Wild Dog. It is hard to imagine our little shih tzu baby dolls has any of these wild characters in their background. According to researchers, all canines have their roots in one of these five categories. I don’t think I could ever be in love with a real live wolf or a coyote. A coyote makes those strange sounding “howls.” I have some shih tzu that have a howl sound rather than a bark.

Out of the five groups, wolves and dogs share 71 of 90 charted behavioral patterns, more than any other two canid species. My thinking is then probably most breeds as we know them today have the wolf as its ancestor. The fact that the shih tzu has ancestors in the wolf family, however, does not thrill me in the least. I cannot imagine sharing my bed with a real live wolf. The shih tzu faces are so sweet and innocent. A lot of my shih tzu look like chinese men and women in the face. They do not seem like even “dogs” to me.

The Egyptians had a real talent for taming animals and kept a variety of pets. They probably receive the most credit for the domestication of the cat, but there were dogs in the Egyptians’ homes as well. We can imagine this because of the many canines that prance across egyptian tomb paintings. Some of those canines have been identified as greyhounds, salukis, pharoah hounds and Ibizan hounds. I have to admit the only one in this group I recognize is the “greyhound.” Our shih tzu was not in this group at all it seems. However, less frequently, were paintings of small, short-legged dogs, (not our shih tzu) in domestic settings. They could have been the watchdogs for the Egyptians or just simply pets.

The Romans were crazy about dogs and seemed to realize they could choose dogs to mate based on appearance or behavior and develop specific abilities. They had guard dogs and dogs who fought in battles. They had a variety of house dogs including one that most likely was of the Maltese type.

The Chinese emperors were quite fond of pets. Their puppies had human nurses and their adult dogs had human servants. The Pekingese exists as a breed at least from the period of A.D. 700. They were developed to resemble the spirit lion to ward off evil and bring good luck. The chin were sometimes called “sleeve dogs.” There are ancient imperial dog cemeteries scattered about Beijing in China. Pekingese dogs were very often entombed with their emperors. The thing that really amazes me is how the faces of some our shih tzu look like the faces of chinese men and women. How did the Chinese accomplish that?

During the 14th Century the Chinese began to recognize the dog’s many functions such as being able to lead the blind.

Henry III of France was noted to have kept at least 2,000 lap dogs, who lived in luxury. Louis XIV spent 200,000 gold francs for the construction of the royal kennels at Versailles where he kenneled hunting hounds, truffle terriers and toy poodles. Tsuanayoshi of Japan nearly plunged Japan into bankruptcy to feed his 100,000 dogs. Connie Limon (writer of this article) built her shih tzu a cabin costing around $10,000 and she may be plunged into bankruptcy to feed her dogs… and the list just goes on and on and on. What people will do “for the love of dogs” is estounding. It is a bond that sometimes transcends the bond even between humans.

Connie Limon publishes a FREE weekly newsletter. A professional newsletter with a focus upon health and wellness for you and your pets. Discounts on shih tzu puppies are offered to subscribers. Sign up at: http://www.stainglassshihtzus.com

Two terms most new dog owners hear early on are Obedience Training and Socialization.

Obedience Training is pretty self-explanatory. It’s teaching your dog to obey you better. It’s very important, since it helps put the humans in the position of “leader of the pack,” and also helps develop control of the dog and establishment of house rules for her.

Socialization is not quite as clear most of the time. Well-socialized dogs tend to be much calmer and more adaptive to strange situations than dogs that are not given that educational advantage.

Starting at home, you can begin socializing your new dog or puppy by making a point of exposing her to new things in a non-threatening manner. For example, if you seldom wear a baseball cap, it might be a surprise to your dog the first time you do. Things that change your appearance should be introduced to the dog frequently and she should be given time to adapt to them. Wigs, masks, cowboy hats, anything that is different and makes you look strange to your dog is a step forward. It also allows her to begin to comprehend that there are different people out there.

Other things you can do would be like bouncing a basketball near the puppy. Then, let her examine it. Have some crutches lying around? Use them around the puppy and then let her examine them, too. Always encourage the puppy to examine new things, but don’t force her to go near things she’s reluctant to get near. Less is more in this case.

Introduce your puppy to stairs, the car, taking short trips with you, friendly people in your neighborhood. Make it all as fun as you can and praise the puppy or dog when she does well. Allow her to approach things from different angles. Sometimes, just a different angle/viewpoint of an item makes it seem totally strange to the puppy.

An example of this is when I was teaching obedience at a major pet retailer. One thing I used in my puppy classes was a child’s play tunnel. It was six feet long and about two feet in diameter. Many of the puppies would be very leery of this strange thing. For some of them, we would close the tunnel totally up and let them go through it that way, then, we’d slowly let the tunnel out and encourage the puppies to go through it. One of my reluctant (at first) students even decided one day that the tunnel was a great place to just take a nap during class.

The easiest way to do this is to have two family members working with the puppy. Put the lead on the puppy (hopefully she knows what that is) and run it into the tunnel. One family member holds the puppy at one end of the tunnel and the other goes to the far end with treats and takes hold of the lead. The puppy is encouraged to come to the family member with the treats through the tunnel. Work the puppy back and forth, as this will look different from the other end to the dog. Part of what this teaches, too, is trust. Trust that you would not expose the puppy/dog to something dangerous to her.

Other socialization things you can do include handling the puppy’s feet (helps with nail-clipping later), handle her tail and pat her bottom (helps her learn that her bottom is not sacred territory, especially if temps need to be taken at some point), give her a massage now and again (gives you some more control over her body and helps you know when something is wrong with muscles or in case of lumps of some sort). Teach her to be rolled from one side to another without struggling (helpful if she needs to be moved when wounded). All the time you work with her, use lots of praise and try to end all sessions on a positive note.

Once the shot schedule is complete at about 4-6 months, start taking the puppy, or dog (if an older adoption), to places like pet stores that allow pets in, shopping areas where you can have people pet the puppy while she sits nicely, visiting to “grandma’s” house or other relatives’. Going to the vet’s just to say “hi,” dog parks where she can meet other dogs.

Use your imagination about anywhere you might ever concievably need to take the dog. The more you can expose the puppy to other people, dogs, places and activities, the more socialized the dog and the calmer and easier to live with she’ll be. Besides, then she can go anywhere a well-trained, well-socialized dog is welcome and do you proud.

C. Rogers Upson has been training dogs and studying them for nearly 40 years. Her website is Dog Potentials and she has two dog-related stores at Keeping to the Borders and Dog Potentials-The Store.

Many dog owners love to dress up their little pooches in small dog clothes, and we’re no exception. Our Chihuahuas, Sox and Bruiser, have just as many small dog clothes and small dog sweaters as any other pampered pup. Dressing up little dogs can have a very important function, especially in the harsh cold of winter. Dog booties can protect paws from rock salt and collections of ice in between toes. Small dog sweaters and dog coats protect thin coated breeds form losing too much heat to the freezing wind and ward off frost bite. They also help small dogs in warmer climates that stay inside very air conditioned houses. Having the right small dog clothes is an important step in keeping your little one safe and warm through winter.

Even with the functions small dog clothing serves, there is a point where dressing up your dogs can go too far. Putting a dog costume on them one night for a Halloween or Christmas party is fine, but putting dog clothes and booties on them everyday can be detrimental. When the weather isn’t cold, dog clothes can lead to overheating, and the excessive bootie wear can soften the natural calluses on a dog’s paws. Softened paws become sore easily and are
more susceptible to damage.

We tend to project
human status onto our dogs, but sometimes it’s best to just let dogs be dogs.

Grant Carroll proud father of three dogs and co-owner of http://www.littlepamperedpets.com with Dog Clothes and Small Dog Sweaters.

Also visit Little Pampered Babies where you can find Unique Baby Clothes and Toddler Clothing

Some common parasites affecting shih tzu and dogs in general are: Chiggers, coccidiosis, fleas, flies, giardia, heartworm, hookworms, lice and mange.

There are three basic forms of parasitism: Internal organs, blood and skin. The geographical region in which you live will determine which parasites can affect your shih tzu.

Worms are a common parasitic infestation and one cause of diarrhea. The presence of diarrhea, however, does not mean a definitive diagnosis of “worms.” Definite diagnosis is made by a veterinarian, under microscopic examination, of a fresh fecal or blood sample. Only a veterinarian who has made the determination of the type of parasitic infestation should prescribe medications to treat the infestation.

Chiggers affect man and dogs and are prevalent in southern U.S. Areas. Eradication if chiggers is generally best achieved by manual removal. Prevention is somewhat effective if you will limit your shih tzu to manicured grass.

Coccidiosis cause an enteritis condition of cats and dogs. Coccidiosis is most common in puppies and kittens. Symptoms are mild to severe bloody diarrhea, lethargy and weakness from dehabilitation of nutrients caused by the diarrhea, anorexia and death if not treated. Coccidiosis is seldom fatal when treated with the proper medication by the veterinarian who diagnoses the parasite in a timely manner. Coccidiosis is always present among canines. Some canines become carriers and have no symptoms themselves. Excessive stress can cause symptom producing coccidia in very young puppies and kittens that can become life threatening if not treated properly.

Fleas are most common to dogs of any breed including the shih tzu. Fleas constantly bite and can produce allergic reactions in some shih tzu or any breed of dog. A sensitive dog will scratch and chew to relieve the itch, only to produce a “hotspot” or some other type of skin dermatitis which can lead to a secondary infection.. Fleas can also act as temporary hosts in tapeworms’ life cycles. A dog can acquire a tapeworm as it chews and ingest the fleas. Tapeworms can be effectively treated by your vet. The best protocol is to avoid fleas altogether. Flea control is comparatively easy through a wide selectin of products including soaps, shampoos, sprays, powders, dips, natural and herbal treatments.

Giardia is usually found around remote bodies of water. It can occur in dogs or shih tzu of any age and can be transferred to humans. Onset is usually sudden. Symptoms are diarrhea, lethargy, lack of appetite and weight loss. Diagnosis is made by fecal microscopic examination. Resolution is successful provided treatment is initiated early.

Heartworm occurs in two forms throughout the lower forty-eight states. One is harmless, the other if left untreated is deadly. The heartworm is carried by mosquito bites. Diagnosis is made through a blood test. Regular prophylactic treatment is available and highly recommended.

Hookworms are found primarily in the southern portions of the United States. Infection may also be transferred to puppies from the mother’s milk. For this reason, all newborn puppies need to be regularly dewormed starting at 2 weeks of age up until at least 12 weeks of age following the recommendations and schedule of your own personal vet. There are a variety of dewormers available that completely eradicate the problem of hookworms.

Mange occurs in one of two forms: Demodex or Sarcoptes. Positive diagnosis can be made only by a veterinarian under microscopic examination of skin samples taken from an affected area. If treated early, mange can be completely cured. Treatment is usually by therapeutic shampoor or dips once a week for several weeks. Prevention of the mite infestations that can cause Sarcoptes mange is recommended. Ask your vet for appropriate mange mite medication to prevent the disease. The same mites that cause mange in dogs and shih tzu can cause ear mites and ear infections.

Connie Limon publishes a FREE weekly newsletter. A professional newsletter with a focus upon health and wellness for you and your pets. Discounts on shih tzu puppies are offered to subscribers. Sign up at: http://www.stainglassshihtzus.com