You probably have noticed with shih tzus and most other dogs that while an unfamiliar woman can approach to pet them, an unfamiliar man will for the most part have no such luck. In fact, most shih tzus will retreat from men that they do not know. Again, this is not only true for shih tzus, but for most dogs as well.
It is why many dog kennels will hire female assistants because the dogs seem far more comfortable with them around compared to men. In addition, research has discovered that female dogs are less likely to have such a strong reaction to unfamiliar men as male dogs. This is certainly true of shih tzus as well, although the reasons are not fully understood.
Why Shih Tzus Back Away from Unfamiliar Men?
There has been considerable speculations that because men tend to be bigger, walk differently than women, and have deeper voices that such differences may be recognizable to dogs. Of course, a shih tzu that is familiar with a man will not react any differently than with a woman they are familiar with. This can be seen in the waiting rooms of animal hospitals when men, women, and dogs are present.
What does seem to be the trigger for shih tzus as well as most dogs to back away from unfamiliar men is how they approach them. One study which used human subjects had them compare a silhouette of men and women and ask if they appeared to be in motion. The result was the male figures appeared to be approaching while female figures appeared to be retreating.
It may be that your shih tzu sees things the same way. And since people are more alerted to those approaching them compared to those who are moving away, the same may be true for your dog. The more fearful the shih tzu, the more likely this perception is enhanced which is why they react the way that they do. Although it should be noted that this theory remains unproven.
Solution
Whatever the reason, there are ways to solve the issue and keep your shih tzu calm around unfamiliar men. For dogs that are skittish around strangers, start by feeding them a treat and then having an unfamiliar woman feed them a treat. The association with an unfamiliar person and food will start to connect. After a few times with an unfamiliar woman feeding them, an unfamiliar man may now try to do the same. Be sure to pet and encourage your shih tzu in a positive way when this happens so they understand the connection.
This form of positive reinforcement helps your shih tzu understand and cope with the situations. This is because the fear response in dogs as well as humans is often based on not knowing what to do. It is this aspect which can be treated, so that the next time an unfamiliar man approaches, your shih tzu will treat them just like an unfamiliar woman.
