Take It Slowly
Introduce your Shih Tzu to the crate slowly. Do not force your dog to go inside. Show your pet the crate and allow him or her to sniff around and inspect the new item. You want to make your dog feel comfortable, not stressed out or overwhelmed. Make sure that you leave the door open so that your pup can step inside. If after some time, your Shih Tzu still has not entered the crate, you may want to use a treat to entice him or her to get inside. Whether you have to use a treat or the dog just goes inside without encouragement, make sure to heap on the praise to let your pup know that he or she has done the right thing. If your pet seems uninterested after a long amount of time, you can always try again later. Remember, you do not want to force this upon your pet, or it could backfire.
