I wanted to know are they good with kids? Are they sweet puppies? The one we are getting is 3 months old! We had a pug and it was a nightmare he was wild and bite our kids and we had to give him away and we have heard nothing but good things about shih tzu's so I wanted to hear from people who have them and kids?
2007-11-19 12:42:26 · 10 answers · asked by mrsjenniferparris 2 in Pets ➔ Dogs
I have a "Malt-tzu.1/2shih tzu , 1/2 maltese. She is the best to me, but she can be snippy at times with others. She is great with our family, but doesn't like other dogs. Don't get me wrong -I love her to pieces, but she can get testy at times. Small dogs usually make up for their size with big attitude. I'd be careful with small kids. It may be fine but she is a little pup & kids can be rough.
2007-11-19 12:52:16 · answer #1 · answered by Karebear 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Any dog's behavior depends greatly on the owner. I have 3 shih tzus and they are wonderful with children, very laid back and submissive. But not all shih tzus I have seen are this way. Just like people, each one has it's own personality. But good training of the dog and more importantly of the children should render a good outcome. Try to avoid allowing the puppy to crawl over the children or stand on top of them. Although it may seem harmless, and even fun, this is interpretted as dominance for a dog. Also, make sure that the children do not play with the puppy like a toy. Children can be very threatening to a dog, especially a small dog. And if any dog feels threatened it may react by biting as an attempt to escape the situation. As long as the children can learn to play appropriately with him/her, and he/she can trust the children, you should all have a lot of enjoyment.
2007-11-19 14:49:54 · answer #2 · answered by i_love_my_maxwell 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, I can guarantee this dog isn't going to come perfectly trained. A puppy will be a puppy and you should have done a lot more research before you went off a bought one.
Shih Tzus can be just as wild as pugs. They are dogs, and dogs are going to act like dogs. Consider obedience training (this takes months and months and months; you are NOT done training after only one class), which should be started about three weeks after you get the dog and should continue for the dog's life.
You also need to watch your kids around the dog. The pug was probably biting your kids out of either excitement or annoyance. In almost every case where kids are bitten by dogs, it is the fault of the dog owner AND the kids involved.
So train your kids, train your dog and do a whole lot of research.
2007-11-19 12:47:52 · answer #3 · answered by Fur and Fiction 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Any dog will be as good or as bad as you train it to be. No puppy will come into your home and be the perfect dog. All puppies nip on fingers and toes until you teach them not to. All puppies will chew things until you teach them not to. It's up to you to train it how to behave. If you don;t train a Shih Tzu pup it will be as wild as the Pug was or any other pup would be, but if you are willing to put in the time and effort you can have a well behaved dog whatever breed you choose.
2007-11-19 12:54:10 · answer #4 · answered by Mr. P's Person 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It depends. Honestly, all dogs are different. I think like said, you should find a puppy you like, and look into it. Go to your local humane society and ask some questions.
Shih Tzu puppies are very yippy and loud from what I have encountered, so they might not be best for your atmosphere with 2 small children in the household.
I personally have a maltese/toy poodle mix, and she is absolutely wonderful. Loves attention and people. Never has biten ANYONE in her life (she's 9-years-old, got her when she was 2 months).
However my best advice I can give you? Puppies are very much like children. The way you raise them is what ultimately will affect their behaviour in life. Not their breed.
2007-11-19 12:53:43 · answer #5 · answered by Scorpio 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I grew up with shih tzus, and they're super sweet.
But of course they're puppies, they're going to nip. Tell your kids not to stick their hands in the puppy's mouth, and not to tease the puppy. You have to train him or her with kindness and consistency. It's going to take time. The puppy's gonna pee on the rug, chew shoes, everything. That's what puppies do. They're animals and they don't know any better. But they grow up to be great pets if you train them well.
And don't give the puppy away! Jeez! Be kind, it's a part of your family!
2007-11-19 12:52:27 · answer #6 · answered by thalesgirl 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would not suggest getting a shihtzu with young children.They are known to be nippy. I have known several Shihtzu breeders and most will not let there pups go to anyone with kids under 10 years old due to there temperment. Also young children often have a tendency to pull dogs hair and a shihtzu often will not accept this.
I would never get any with childeren under 10.
2007-11-19 14:15:04 · answer #7 · answered by Kit_kat 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think you should find out things like this BEFORE you decide to get a dog. Find a dog you like, ask questions about him, see how he is with your kids, etc. etc.
2007-11-19 12:48:36 · answer #8 · answered by That's not my name 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They are only good with older children. Although considering it is so young, it can be trained to be good with young children. Make sure you do your research and you wont have any troubles!
2007-11-19 12:50:57 · answer #9 · answered by Ameliaaaaa (: 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
yes their the best little and playfull your kids will love him my aunt has one and when she comes to visit we have to call her before she leaves to make shure shes bringin buddy otherwise my little sis would flip
2007-11-19 12:50:22 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋