Lynn has a potty training and socialization question about her new shih-tzu puppy:
“I am getting a 8 week old shih tzu puppy in 5 days and I have no idea how to potty train. I would like it to go to the back yard but the breeder has said it is already paper trained. So can I still outdoor train or not? Also I already have a 12 year old female cat and I’m not sure how to introduce them to eachother. Help!!!!”
For help with potty training your puppy, why not read the short house training guide I put together for visitors to this site (there is a link in the navigation menu)- you can also check out the housetraining category here too for more specific tips or visit my squidoo lens on tips for potty training a puppy. Most reputable breeders will paper train the pups in their care. This does not mean that you cannot progress the training for them to start going outdoors. If you leave the potty papers near the door, watch for the puppy heading towards it to toilet, then take her to do her business outside (stay with her until she has “been” then tell her what a good girl she has been) – she will soon not need to have any paper inside.
As the puppy is young, it will be more a case of the temperament of your cat. I would suggest that you get a crate for the puppy and let the cat in while the pup is crated for the first introductions. That will give the cat a chance to get used to her presence without the dog being too playful and excited. When you feel comfortable, open the crate and see how they get on under supervision – if the pup is too playful and the cat gets aggressive, take puppy out of the room to a safe place she can be confined and you go back to the cat (do this without emotion, so the dog realises this is a consequence, not a punishment). The dog will soon realize that she should be more calm around the cat. It’s also a good idea to make sure the cat gets fed before the dog, as this will help when the dog gets older and maybe wants to challenge the cat for her place in the pack.
