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We have found Shorty G (the G stands for gangster) walks much nicer on harness than leash. Maybe it just makes us feel better that he's not pulling with a collar on his neck and tiny trachea. But Shorty is always the path finder....zooming around out front - he's not sure what he's looking for but he is busy, busy, busy. He never moseys anywhere - from first time in the morning to last thing at night, racing me up the stairs.......he is IN CHARGE!

Just my experience: Shorty G was seized by animal control. I have 2 pieces of info from the shelter - one says 2 years, one says 7-8 months. I don't think he was a puppy so have to wonder if he was 2? I believe he was closer to 2 yrs and had been confined to a crate for that long. That being said.....he has some problems (biting) but has been no problem going potty outdoor since we've had him. Recently, we stayed in a rental for a month......and he marked 2-3 times in the house. When we caught him, we scolded him and that was the end of it. After that he knew where he needed to potty and also had his regular 3-4 walks a day and where he needed to scratch at the door to go out. I know that's not a lot of help with a Shih Tzu baby so I'll just share how I've done it with many, many Boxer puppies - healthy and sick that I've fostered over the years. Feed on a regular schedule - 3-4 times a day. After feeding and first thing in the AM take out for a walk (even if it's a small yard like I had) walk loop de loops until the exercise and smells produce pee/poop. Do again when waking from night or naps, after playing or just because it's been 2 hrs. It's not good enough to plop them outside and wait for potty - you must go with them, even if that means walking around w/umbrella in the rain. You MUST potty just before bed. My experience was (usually) that would hold until 6AM or so - but it's not unusual to have to get up and potty in the middle of the night. A story.....just cuz I'm old and have a lot of stories. I had an adorable Boxer puppy I named Romeo because it was the first of FEB - hoping to find his forever home by Valentine's Day. I took him to bed with me (even though I could have crated him - but he was SO CUTE!).. We snuggled down with him close to me under my chin. At some point I was sleepily aware he had walked away. But then was sleepily aware he had come back to snuggle under my chin. I soon felt something wet on my face......he had walked to the end of the bed - went poopies and come back topat me on the face and snuggle with Mama. I well remember that night....washing my face in cold water in the middle of the night and warming it up to wash off Romeo. So many memories like that of foster puppies.....so glad it happened.

Welcome! Pee pads or go outside is usually an individual decision. I had never used pee pads until I got a Shih Tzu. I didn't have anything against them, I'd just never had a need for them for housebreaking. But . . . housebreaking a Shih Tzu is a whole different challenge than with a larger dog. After awhile in desperation I put a pee pad down and that was pretty miraculous. Yogi used them consistently for a year or two, in addition to going outside. Eventually he transitioned himself to just going outside. I have no idea why he decided to do that, he won't tell me. That's a long way of saying "do whatever works for you and the puppies." Most of all, be prepared to be very, very patient and forgiving. Especially with two. In all likelihood that's going to make it not just doubly hard, but exponentially harder. Crate training . . . with young puppies about all you do is make the crate comfy for them, and keep it upbeat and happy as much as possible. Make the crate their secure, cozy place that they want to go in. Usually with young puppies it's not too hard. They nap a lot, so they get lots of opportunity for crate time. I like to give a very small treat each time I put a pup in a crate, or a special (safe) toy that is ONLY for crate time. Something to make them think "Hey, going into this crate is a good thing."

I feel Elliott is doing pretty well. I think it helps when I have Lyla out because he tries to keep up with her

Ellie took those pee pads everywhere and never used them to pee? We use the artificial grass and i wash them out every few days and have extra to give them drying time - thats for peeing - for number two its either the area rug at the front door or on her walks so anyone with a shih tzu knows that any kind of wet weather and our little tzu’s do not mix so it’s a lot of “who did this bad thing ?” LOL i would rather clean up that little mess then a whole dog lol

I had a foster puppy that was deaf. I had a really hard time trying to "translate" my words into hand signals AND to get down low to her level all at the same time. I quickly adapted to having a blind dog (foster failed with one we had for 11 years) but find deafies very hard. Unfortunately, my mouth works very quickly and too well sometimes. I am a little worried that Elliot is growling and thinking about biting when being picked up.......that's not good. Wonder if something is hurting him? Are your kids picking him up? We musn't let him get away with naughty behavior with the kids, especially the 3 yr old.

We have all 5 with us on the bed. Dean and myself are not slender either and it's only a queen, not king. It gets tight but everyone finds their spot. Usually it's me crunched up into a quarter of a bed... Dean gets up at 3:45 am for work and you'd think they'd move over? No! But I love those snuggly faces!

How long did it take for your pups to walk on a leash. Elliott seems to take to it sometimes while other times tries to lie down and attempts to eat grass and whatever is on the ground. I finally found a harness that fits him without him wiggling out of it.

I don't remember! I think what he's doing is normal for his age. I can tell you that somewhere along the way--and fairly early on--Yogi turned into an excellent leash walker. And it was much more from constant practice than due to formal training. He doesn't formally heel (I've never been a huge fan of that, except for when walking in crowds) but he never pulls and he stops/waits when I tell him to.

Need info on how to crate train and potty train is outside better or puppy pad

I know its not pain. Hard to describe. I have had dogs my whole life. This is more of a play type thing..I should correct myself it is not a growl but a play type noise. He will try to bite fingers not anywhere else. And once you distract him and put a toy in front of him when you hold him he will continue playing with toy.

I want to try clicker training. Never used it with my pugs. It is easy? What commands have any of you taught?

I worry too if clicker training would be time consuming for me. I have 4 children of my own 11,10,8 and 3. Plus 2 dogs I would probably give up after a week!

Well, I am far (FAR) from an expert. I know the basics, but I just don't have the coordination and timing to use a clicker effectively. Never have, and especially not as I've aged. I have at times over the years rather accidentally trained dogs using more or less the same method by simply using a word (like "Yes!" and trying to use the same tone/inflection each time) as a marker every time they did what I wanted, or did something that worked them toward a behavior I wanted. My mouth, unlike my fingers, always seems to work fairly well. I'm sure there are many helpful videos about clicker training on YouTube. Watch a few and you'll soon be able to tell which ones are "good" and which ones aren't.

I don’t even know how to clicker train or where to begin he’s been doing this thing when you pick him up he growls and tries to nip. I want to stop that behavior. It’s almost like he’s trying to play. Once I put a toy in front of him when he growls plays with toy. Teething a ton too so will try to chew on finger. He’s mostly doing it when I pick him up to keep placing him on pad to pee

It's never too early to have fun with it! If you don't have a clicker, or if the noise of one is a bit too loud, then use a pen that clicks. Works the same but makes a softer sound. Or you can even use a verbal "click" (any sound you want to make that's easy to repeat) or a word in the same way.

Five!!! Oh dear LOL

Usually when one bed mate gets up......the dog(s) just sprawl and take up any empty space you might have had.

Thank you , he is a very good boy

Washing cold puppy poop off your face, neck hands, nightie and cleaning off the puppy is not fun at 3AM. Mother Nature knows what she's doing making puppies SO cute........otherwise we'd give them to the gypsies. I used to tell my granddaughters that if they were naughty......"I'm going to give you to the gypsies!" One of them asked me "Nana, do gypsies really steal children? What's a gypsie?"