Training
At Jeffrey’s Shih Tzu Haven, our training and early development program began over 10 years ago after meeting a family searching for a Shih Tzu beyond the early puppy stage—one already familiar with basic obedience and comfortable on a leash. What started as a simple effort to help one family quickly grew into a valued service for many others, providing well-mannered, confident Shih Tzus ready to transition smoothly into their new homes.
Today, our program focuses on early socialization, foundational training, and positive exposure to everyday environments. This approach helps our Shih Tzu puppies develop good manners, confidence, and adaptability, making the transition into family life easier and more enjoyable.
At Jeffrey’s Shih Tzu Haven, we are proud to offer thoughtfully raised and gently trained Shih Tzus that are well-prepared to thrive as loving, loyal companions.
Training
At Jeffrey’s Shih Tzu Haven, our training and development program begins early, incorporating proven methods such as Puppy Culture–based practices, Early Neurological Stimulation (ENS), and the Rule of 7s. These techniques help our Shih Tzu puppies confidently adapt to new sounds, people, and environments, building a strong foundation of confidence and resilience during their most critical developmental stages.
By around 7 weeks of age, our puppies are gently introduced to leash awareness and crate training. Leash training begins by allowing puppies to become comfortable with the feel of a lightweight leash while naturally following guidance, using positive reinforcement such as kibble or small treats. Crate training is introduced to establish healthy routines, encourage bladder control, and promote independence—helping ensure a smooth and stress-free transition into their new homes.
Obedience
At Jeffrey’s Shih Tzu Haven, obedience training begins with recall, forming the foundation of a responsive and well-mannered companion. Our Shih Tzu puppies are first introduced to simple sound associations—such as a whistle, gentle kiss sound, or finger snap—which are consistently paired with food rewards. Using proven positive conditioning techniques, puppies quickly learn to associate these cues with the “Come” command as they begin eating solid food. We reinforce this by pairing the sound with each puppy’s name and rewarding them for returning promptly.
Within the first few weeks, puppies are gradually introduced to basic commands such as Sit, Down, and Stay through positive reinforcement and natural interaction. For families who opt for our trained puppy program, we continue building on this foundation by introducing fun, confidence-building skills such as High Five, Sit Pretty, Roll Over, and gentle play-based exercises. While each puppy progresses at their own pace, these activities make learning enjoyable and help establish strong training habits.
Our program includes different levels of development, such as Started Level, Partially Trained, and Young Adult Shih Tzus. Each trained puppy goes home with a clear training guide outlining commands and hand signals, along with access to video support for continued success. Families adopting a Partially Trained or Young Adult puppy may also receive recommended training tools to support consistency and reinforce good behavior at home.
Training Levels
Fully Trained puppies are like grade-school students. They have moved beyond the basics and can reliably follow commands with less supervision. These puppies are fully crate trained, have strong potty training habits, and can comfortably hold their bladder for several hours depending on age and routine.
They walk well on a leash, respond consistently to Come (recall), and understand commands such as Sit, Down, Stay, Place, Heel, and Leave It. They also perform fun, confidence-building skills like High Five, Sit Pretty, Roll Over, Crawl, Dance, and Fetch. While they still benefit from structure and continued practice, Fully Trained puppies understand expectations clearly and are eager to work and please.
These puppies are ideal for families who want a smoother transition into home life with fewer early training challenges.
Fully trained dogs are about 1 year olds. They understand wrong, their commands, how to play well with others, but can still lose focus so they still need a leash. These dogs walk on leash, are crate trained, potty trained up to 1 1/2 hours to 2 hours, understand their commands with hand signals, and have learned fetch. Different pricing on these are based on ability and age.
Young Adult Shih Tzus are comparable to teenagers transitioning into adulthood. They have completed foundational training and developed the maturity, focus, and self-control that come with age. These dogs are reliably house-trained, crate-trained, and well-adjusted to everyday routines both at home and in public environments.
Young Adults respond confidently to commands such as Sit, Down, Stay, Come, Heel, Place, and Leave It, and walk politely on a leash with minimal guidance. Their improved attention span allows them to maintain commands even in mildly distracting environments. While ongoing reinforcement is always encouraged, they transition smoothly into family life and adapt quickly to new surroundings.
For families seeking a well-mannered, confident companion without the time commitment required for early puppy training, Young Adult Shih Tzus are an excellent choice.
In addition, most Young Adults are fully potty trained and may also be comfortable working off-leash in controlled settings. Pricing varies depending on the level of training, age, whether the dog has been spayed/neutered, and any health evaluations performed.
At Jeffrey’s Shih Tzu Haven, our Young Adult Shih Tzus are carefully developed to provide families with a calm, well-prepared companion ready to integrate seamlessly into daily life.