(1) Jump
Lead the Shih Tzu to a place where it must jump to get across. First let it sit on the owner's left side. The obstacle should not be too high. The owner crosses the obstacle first, gives the command ?Jump,? points to the obstacle with the right hand, and gently pulls the leash with the left hand to encourage the dog across. Once the action is completed, give praise.
(2) Stand
If you want a Shih Tzu to rise from sitting or lying down, give the command ?Stand,? lift the collar slightly with the right hand, and use the left hand to gently support the lower abdomen so that the dog stands up. Reward immediately after the action is completed. In training, the distance between owner and dog when giving the command can gradually be increased.
(3) Sit
If you want the Shih Tzu to sit on your left side, let it stand on your left, give the command ?Sit,? then raise the collar with the right hand while pressing lightly on the waist or hindquarters with the left hand. Reward immediately when the action is completed. If you want the dog to sit facing you, let it stand in front of you, give the ?Sit? command, and use an L-shaped hand gesture while guiding the collar. The sitting time can gradually be extended, and the action should be practiced repeatedly until it becomes standardized.
(4) Wait
During walks, if you need the Shih Tzu to stay still in one place, first let it sit, then say ?Do not move.? Hold the leash and slowly step back two steps, then walk around the dog in a circle. Once the Shih Tzu is familiar with this, the owner can let go of the leash and go farther away while the dog still waits patiently in place. At the beginning, if the dog changes position while you circle it, the training should start again from the beginning.
(5) Go Forward
If you want the Shih Tzu to move forward to a designated place on command, first let the dog sit. The owner then walks about twenty meters away, pretends to place something there, and quickly returns. Kneel slightly with the left leg, stretch the right arm forward with the palm facing inward, point to the target area, and order the dog to go forward. Once the dog reaches the destination, tell it to sit and reward it immediately. After repeated practice, the owner no longer needs to go to the destination, and hand signals plus the command will be enough.
(6) Heel
If you want the Shih Tzu to follow while on leash, place the dog on your left side, guide it lightly with the leash at waist level, and give the command ?Heel? when it reaches the correct position. Reward with a pat when the action is completed. Off-leash heeling should only be attempted after the dog can already heel successfully on leash. If the dog leaves the correct position during training, correct it immediately with a turn and repeat the command.
(7) Lie Down
If you want the Shih Tzu to lie down on your left side, first let it sit. Give the command ?Down,? pull the collar gently forward and downward with the left hand, and use food in the right hand to lure the dog's front legs into a lying posture. Reward immediately after success. The same can be done with the dog in front of you. As training progresses, the lying duration and the distance between owner and dog can both be extended gradually.
(8) Shake Hands
Give the command for the dog to offer its paw. Gently lift the left paw with your left hand and the right paw with your right hand. Praise it while doing so, and before it loses balance, support it with one hand. Frequent rewards help the dog learn faster.
(9) Retrieve
This is generally divided into three steps. First, hold an object the Shih Tzu likes and move it in front of the dog to encourage it to take the item in its mouth. After the dog holds it for a short time, give the command ?Drop,? catch the object, and reward the dog.
Once the first step is familiar, let the dog sit on your left side, throw the object a short distance away, point to it, and give the command ?Fetch.? When the dog picks it up, call it back with ?Come? and a hand signal. When it returns, praise it, and once it drops the object, reward it again.
In the third stage, the dog sits on the owner's left side. The owner places an object about ten meters away and quickly returns. Then the owner gives the command ?Fetch,? points toward the object, and sends the dog to bring it back. Once the dog returns and sits down on the left side, give the ?Drop? command and reward it well after completion.
(10) Come
When the Shih Tzu is wandering around, call its name and say ?Come,? while gently pulling the leash and stepping backward so the dog follows you and returns to your side. Then let it sit on your left side and reward immediately. Over time, the distance between owner and dog when giving the command can gradually increase.
(11) Swim
Take the dog to the water's edge and use something it likes to attract its interest. Then throw the object into the water and give the command ?Swim.? If the Shih Tzu is unwilling to enter the water, you can gently pat it and slowly carry it into the water until it becomes more comfortable. Never throw it into the water by force, or the dog may become afraid.
(12) Go There
Let the dog sit. The owner walks about twenty meters away, places an object there, and quickly returns. Then give the command ?Go,? lightly pull the collar with the left hand, and stretch the right arm forward to point toward the object. Guide the Shih Tzu in that direction. Once the dog reaches the object, ask it to sit and reward it. This needs to be practiced repeatedly, and the distance can gradually increase. Once the dog is skilled, it can be directed from a long distance.
(13) Crawl
On flat ground, give the command ?Crawl,? pull the collar gently downward with the left hand, and guide the dog to move forward while staying low. Reward after the action is completed.
(14) Bow
Let the Shih Tzu stand in front of you and command it to stand up. Once it is standing steadily, hold both front legs and move them up and down while saying ?Thank you.? Repeat several times and then reward it. Once the dog is familiar with the action, you no longer need to use your hands. Instead, stand about two steps away and give the ?Thank you? command. After enough repetition, the Shih Tzu will stand and bow when it hears the cue.
(15) Hold an Object in the Mouth
First, train the dog simply to hold an object in its mouth while the owner's hand is removed. Then teach it to obey by showing an object in front of its nose and giving the command ?Hold it.? If the dog is unwilling, the object can be touched lightly to the upper lip while the command is repeated. Once the dog holds the item, praise it. The owner can help the dog keep the object in its mouth by gently supporting the muzzle. Most Shih Tzus enjoy this kind of game. Later, place the object in front of the dog, command it to hold it, ask it to keep holding briefly, then give the commands ?Good? and ?Let go,? remove the object, and reward the dog. The object can gradually be placed farther away. With repeated practice, the dog learns to obey the holding command reliably.