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Do Shih Tzus Bark A Lot?

If you are planning on getting a Shih Tzu as a pet, you should know about its personality, temperament, and other characteristics before getting it. It is natural to ask “do Shih Tzus bark a lot?” Yep! Shih Tzus bark a lot, and there are plenty of reasons they do so. Let’s see what is the reason behind such behavior.

Generally, when dogs bark, they alert the owner of some perceived impending danger. Mostly, their most important role in the house is to shield the house from intruders, or they are kept as friendly pets.

do shih tzus bark a lot

Barking is a good thing when it is done to make the owner aware of any danger. But no one will want a dog that yaps all the time. At least if you are okay with it, your neighbors aren’t. If you have the Shih Tzus dog breed, you may want to know whether they bark a lot and how to control them. 

Do Shih Tzus Bark a Lot?

do shih tzu bark a lot

Most Shih Tzus bark a lot. They are renowned for their barking ability. This is how they are. They yap at everything- the wind, the mailman, the doorbell, at almost any sound around them. When putting on a scale among other types of dogs, they are on the upper level as far as barking is concerned.

 

At what age do they start barking?

In most cases, Shih Tzus usually start barking from 6 to 8 weeks after they are born. Just like all dogs, Tzus do not begin making sounds or barking from day one. If you really want to control their barking, you need to start when they are very young.

How Shih Tzus bark compared with other dog breeds?

Dogs bark in different ways and at different levels. Some breeds are less vocal compared to others. Just like Shih Tzus like Beagle, German shepherd, Basset hound, Chihuahua, and Yorkshire terrier bark a lot. Some of them may not be quite vocal because of their size, but they bark too often.

On the other hand, Basenji, Pug, Japanese chin, Great Dane, Greyhound, and Newfoundland are some of the quietest dogs around.

As stated earlier, their barking tendencies are more likely going to be influenced by their traits and secondly by their environment. So, you may see Shih Tzus that stay relatively quiet because of their environment, and you may see another that barks too often.

If you want to buy a dog that has the least barking problems, you can read this article what is the calmest dog breed.

How can I control a Shih Tzu that barks too much?

how to stop a shih tzu from barking

If your dog barks too much, as most Shih Tzus do, there are ways to control and minimize their constant yapping. However, remember that barking is a significant way for dogs to express their feelings to the world. In most cases, there is a reason why your dog barks more than usual.

You cannot shut them up completely. You may even worsen the situation if you try to use forceful techniques. Also, if they have more tendencies to bark, there are still ways to control them.

To control your pup from constant barking:

  • You can try taking him out for a walk. Just like humans, dogs also have moments where they may be overwhelmed by happenings in their immediate environment. When you stroll with your pup, it can help to lessen their stress levels and make them quieter.
  • Also, try to avoid things that trigger his senses. If he doesn’t have much need for action, he won’t bark constantly. For instance, they tend to bark more often when they hear louder noise. If the doorbell rings too loud, it can trigger their action.
  • Again, he will bark more often if he is usually excited. Try to reduce the level of excitement, especially the number of playtimes. Yes, excited barking is a good thing for dogs, but this can be irritating if he is excited at all times.
  • It should not be denied to play altogether. But if you do it too often, cut it down, and it will adjust accordingly.

If your dog barks at other dogs, you can get some useful information about this problem here if the dog you’re walking is barking at another dog what should you do.

Summary

Shih Tzus are lovely dogs who are fun to be with. But they may irritate some of their owners with their constant barking at times.

Generally, it’s much better to have dogs that are relatively quiet than having ones that respond to almost anything with incessant barking. It can be very unpleasant both to you and your neighbors.  There are ways you can deal with their barking behavior to curtail them. We have presented those methods above, and we hope you have learned one of two things about taming them to your desire.

We hope you have gained useful information from the article “do Shih Tzus bark a lot?” and this will help you in selecting the right dog according to your temperament. 

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