How Long Does It Take To Potty Train A Shih Tzu?

A pet parent needs to know and accept that every dog is different and how or when they do things may be different from the Shih Tzu down the street. Learning any new skill is a process, and every puppy will learn in their own time. Pushing training, acting aggressive or abusive, mistreating the puppy, and hoping the puppy will accept the training sooner will not make the process any easier. It can even delay the process of learning or cause setbacks later in the puppy’s life, not to mention the awful effects these attitudes have on the dog’s health and wellness.

That being said, pet parents should always start this process with the right mindset. In the beginning, they should be prepared for the process to take time and there to be many setbacks. They should plan and remain positive but understanding, empathetic, and patient with their Shih Tzu puppy as they learn.

How Long Does It Take To Potty Train A Shih Tzu?

It can take a few weeks to a few months to potty train a Shih Tzu. Most Shih Tzu is potty trained in two to four months, but it really depends on the individual Shih Tzu, their home life, and how much focus the pet parent puts on the training. 

Potty training, like other training, is a process that happens at different times. Every puppy is different in personality and temperament; therefore, how quickly they learn something is different.

Some Shih Tzu may pick up potty training very easily, and they may be eager to please their parent and catch on fast without much fuss. In other scenarios, a Shih Tzu puppy may have a harder time. Perhaps the potty training isn’t consistent, or the dog has health issues, which can delay learning.

It can be very important for a pet parent to know how long the potty training will take because it can take up time and energy in their day, not to mention cause disturbances in the happiness of their home life with their Shih Tzu.

A very important factor in any training for a puppy is time. A pet parent should be prepared to devote some time and energy to potty training.   Potty training doesn’t happen overnight. They should have the time to devote to consistent potty training to be effective and learning to be smooth.

Therefore if the pet parent can’t take time off or has a very rigid work schedule, potty training should be delayed, or a professional should be hired to formally potty train the Shih Tzu.

Whatever method is chosen, the pet parent should have a thoughtful plan. This idea means that they should know where they want their puppy to use the bathroom before they begin learning.

If there is a yard, they might designate a certain area of that yard. Suppose the pet parent lives in a community. In that case, it might mean that the puppy has to use a particular spot in that community.

The plan should also include having a schedule for when the puppy will be taken outside. This should be done consistently regardless of whether the puppy has to go to the bathroom. At this age, the Shih Tzu may not realize when they have to go until it’s too late.

A pet parent can begin by taking them out every half hour in the beginning when they are very young. If they have an accident, the parent can shorten the duration of their bathroom breaks. If they don’t have to go, the parent can lengthen the time between breaks.

It’s a learning process for the parent at this stage and can often seem like a back-and-forth game. When the parent finds the right spot that prevents the puppy from having accidents, the process can move forward.

Puppies should be taken out when they first wake up in the morning and immediately when they wake up from a nap.    If they just ate, they may have to go out, or if they drank a ton of water.   Playtime might cause accidents; therefore, they should go out at some point during the fun to make sure this doesn’t happen.

Even in the best-case scenarios, accidents can still happen. When they do, the parent will have to assess the situation and determine if they didn’t take them out soon enough or if it was a real accident, like the Shih Tzu got too excited to see the mailman and piddled on the floor.

These setbacks will happen for quite a while as the parent and puppy pair move through the process of potty training. They can also happen even after the puppy has finished potty training, and that’s why they call them accidents.

At this age, Shih Tzu puppies also have small bladders, which is one reason why they need to go out so often. As The Shih Tzu puppy matures, its body and bladder will grow, and the time between breaks can be increased because they can hold it more.

With time and usually before a pet parent blinks, the dog holds their bladder longer and lets the parent know when they need to go out with minimal accidents inside the house.

What makes potty training easier?

What makes potty training easier is having the right mindset and loving your puppy and yourself. Learning a new skill takes time, sometimes with many failures before success. The right mindset and attitude towards the actual learning and participants make the difference in whether it’s a positive experience.

Adding unnecessary stress or strain to the situation can delay the actual learning process, making everyone feel less happy.  Creating the right environment in the home during any training makes it easier and fosters healthy learning for everyone involved.

In Conclusion

Potty training is a process that can seem daunting to some Shih Tzu parents, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Patience and persistence with a positive attitude and time are usually all that are needed to succeed.