Teaching your Shih Tzu certain commands is not just a neat party trick, but it can be quite helpful when it comes to correcting behavioral issues. The good news is that you don’t have to hire a trainer or send your dog to training school in order to learn five basic commands. All you need is a little patience, effective use of repetition, and a treat to reward your dog when they accomplish the task.

1) Sit

This is arguably the easiest of all commands and an excellent place to start training your dog.

Hold a treat close enough to your dog’s nose for them to lock in on it
Move your hand up. This will cause the dog’s head to follow, and he will naturally sit down
When he sits, say, “Sit”, give him the treat, and pet him

Doing this a few times a day will let the dog relate the command “Sit” to actually sitting down.

2) Come

This is the perfect command to stop your dog in case they break loose or get off of your property.

Place a collar and leash on the dog
Kneel down to the dog’s level and say, “Come,” while lightly pulling with the leash
Reward the dog when they come to you with a treat and affection

With enough repetition, your dog will come to you on command even without the leash.

## 3) Down A difficult command because of its submissive nature, this will require additional repetitions.

Place a treat inside your closed fist
Hold it in front of the dog’s nose
As he sniffs it, move your fist to the floor
As their head follows your fist, use your other hand to encourage the dog to lay down
Once there, give the dog the treat and reward them with affection

Remember not to push your dog or use too much force. This command is a bit more difficult and may take your Shih Tzu time to learn.

4) Leave It Alone

Here, you want to teach your dog when to leave something potentially dangerous alone.

Put a treat in both of your hands, then show one enclosed fist and say “Leave it Alone”
Let the dog lick, sniff, paw, and bark for the treat, but ignore it
When the dog gives up, give the dog a treat from the other hand
Repeat until the dog moves away from the first hand when you say “Leave it Alone”

5) Stay

Your dog should know how to sit first before trying this one.

Get your dog to Sit
Make a “Stop” motion with the open palm of your hand and say “Stay”
Keep your hand in front while taking a few steps back. If the dog stays, offer a reward.
Increase the distance a little at a time before giving the treat
Always reward them for staying, even if just for a few seconds

Teaching your dog these five simple commands will provide you with the tools needed to control and keep your Shih Tzu safe.

5 Essential Commands You Should Teach Your Shihtzu

4) Leave It Alone