I just got a cute little 1 year old shih tzu about 2 weeks ago and I am having great difficulty potty training him. The previous owners didn't have him potty trained. I bought him a crate and take him out to "go potty" regularly. Then I keep him on a leash in the kitchen or in the bathroom so he won't go on my carpets. He will pee even right after I have taken him out and watched him go outsid. Help! This dog is such a great dog otherwise. Thanks~

Good question, and such a nightmare for the pet owner. Have you tried praising it when going outside? The bell on door approach that someone mentioned?

What happens when you take them outside? Do you stand out there forever, then come back in and they go? If so, only stand out there a short amount of time. Come in. Take them about again later-- if they won't go outside in time, they might eventually realize that they have to be quick. Doesn't solve your going indoors problem, but, that's the hardest thing in the book to fix...

Hi Chefkaren,

I have a one and half year old Shih Tzu also, he is a wonderful and very intelligent dog but also a bit stubborn.

The lady we got him from had trained him with puppy pads in the house and at first we thought "what a great idea!" but now I think it was bad because it taught him that it was okay to go in the house and I am having a lot of trouble breaking that habit. Shih Tzu's also are a bit wimpy (at least mine is) he does not like to get his paws very wet and I had to get him a sweater because he was shaking from the cold, but he does like to run around in the snow, go figure! He does know his words though, I have to stand outside and watch him so I know if he goes and I say "go potty" and he will sniff around and usually go but then maybe 15 min to half an hour later he will pee in the house just because he feels like it and he does not ask to go out! So I think I am going to have to get one of those indoor potties for the sake of my carpet but I am still going to keep working on getting him to go outside and I am going to try the bell technique to get him to ask to go outside.

Good luck and keep in touch on your progress and I will keep in touch with mine, we can compare notes! :D