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Step 1
Create a toilet area where your Shih Tzu can go when you are home and when you are away. Consistency is important for puppies, so make sure there is an area that is not reminiscent of your home's carpet or tile to act as the location for your Shih Tzu to use the bathroom. Use something like blacktop or grass to keep your puppy organized.
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Step 2
Take your Shih Tzu out to its bathroom area every 45 minutes while you are home with the dog. This will help prevent accidents within your home and also help associate going to the bathroom with a specific place.
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Step 3
Praise your puppy when it goes to the bathroom in the proper space. Nothing reinforces positive behavior in dogs like praise. Whether it is a scratch behind the ears and some kind words or a special doggy treat, rewarding your puppy when it does the right thing will encourage it to do so in the future.
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Step 4
Be positive with your Shih Tzu. These dogs are small animals and can be easily intimidated. Avoid scolding your puppy when it has an accident in the house. Dogs do not make associations like humans and it will not know what it is being punished for.
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Step 5
Have patience when training the Shih Tzu. Young dogs do not possess the proper bowel control to become housebroken immediately. It can take until your Shih Tzu is six months to 1 year old before it can be successfully considered house-trained.
