You may not think your shih tzu can learn any new tricks, especially if you have tried before and it hasn’t worked. However, there are at least 10 fun tricks that you can teach your shih tzu if you use the right methods and have a little patience.
Bark
While you may not care for your shih tzu barking, especially at night. You can command them to bark or speak when you want. Although simple in concept, it may take a while for your dog to catch on. This requires patience as you must wait for your shih tzu to bark first and then provide a reward.
Fetching
A game of fetch may not be as natural to your shih tzu as you might think. While most dogs will chase and get the object that you throw, bringing it back to you is another matter. It will take a little training, but pretty soon you will have your shih tzu bringing back what you throw.
Hugging
Everyone loves a good hug. This is a pretty straightforward trick for them to learn. Remember to reward their behavior when they do it right.
Kiss on Command
Your shih tzu may kiss you all the time, but you can have them kiss on you command if you use the right method. All you need is some masking tape or a post-it note will do along with a few treats and a clicker to alert your shih tzu that they have successfully completed the proper behavior.
Play Dead
A great party trick, this one does take time for your shih tzu to master. The key is to start with the last part of the trick first. A clicker will signal to your shih tzu that they are doing it right. So, start at the end and work your way back.
Roll Over
This is actually simpler than it seems. The key is repetition that uses three steps in the process. once you teach your shih tzu each step, all you need to do is put it all together and reward them.
Shake Hands
This is one of the easier tricks since many shih tzus will use their paws to get your attention. Put a couple of treats in your hand and close your fist. Your shih tzu will usually paw at it to get you to open your hand. Once this becomes a habit, you can have their “shake” your hand every time you extend it towards them.
Sitting Pretty
This is your shih tzu sitting on its hind legs which makes for a great photo. It’s also good exercise for your shih tzu, but they do need to be in shape for this trick.
Spinning
This one is fairly simple to start. Use a treat in your hand to get the shih tzu to spin around. Reinforce with a clicker and verbal commands. The hard part is getting them to spin with just a verbal command, but it can be done.
Standing
This trick is not complex, but it does require patience as a Shih Tzu is not used to standing only on its hind legs. You will need to be determined and patient, but it can pay off.
Teaching your Shih Tzu fun tricks is fun not only for you, but for them as well. Be sure to have a few treats, a clicker to signal good behavior, and some patience.
