Getting Shih Tzu puppy - advice please!

[PiggyMad]

We're getting a Shih Tzu puppy next month - decided on this breed as we have guinea pigs kept indoors (in cages!) and wanted a breed that wasn't a terrier type and just as a companion dog and friendly with other dogs/animals/children/people.

I just have a couple of questions:
Any suggestions on which pet insurance is best? Puppy will be coming from breeder with a month of insurance but we want to get ours up adn sorted asap. Any companies to avoid?

We live in a flat so don't have our own garden but are ground floor. Is it safe to let puppy out in communal garden in teh early week or should we keep him in fully until after 12 week jab?

Any other training/breed specific advice would be most gratefully received :)

[lurcherlover]

Hmm...don't be complacent with the small furries. My Mum's shih tzu would chase after anything that moved and caught a mouse and a squirrel in the park (squirrel managed to escape, mouse sadly didn't). Dogs are dogs, and they're all interested in potential prey to some extent.

In terms of insurance, look for the small print on the deal when comparing companies - some of them will only insure you for a certain amount of time with one condition, or only pay out for one condition up to a certain amount. If it's a chronic condition this can get expensive - eg if they will only pay out up to £3k per condition and the dog needs two or three complex operations, the total bill could easily exceed this (my dog's bill for eye surgery - two operations - was £3600 in the end) and you have to pay the rest. Get a policy which will give you unlimited cover for each condition. The premiums will be more expensive but it will be worth it in the long run.

I'm a bit confused about the garden issue. If you don't let him out, how on earth will you housetrain him? He needs to be going out in the garden very regularly and given loads of praise when he performs out there - as soon as he wakes up, after every meal (he will be on 4 or 5 small meals a day minimum at first) after playing, and any other time he just looks like he might need to go. If your communal garden isn't safe for him you are going to have problems as he won't be learning that outside is the place to go. Don't start using newspaper to train him as that just teaches him that it's OK to go in the house (and you'll later be trying to teach him that it's not OK to go in the house, so that confuses him) and that as long as he goes on newspaper it's fine, which will mean eventually he will poo on newspaper in the living room. Are there other dogs who use the garden, or is it accessible to the general public? If so, it isn't safe for your pup as there is the potential for him to pick up a disease - but I'm at a loss as to what the housetraining answer is there.

Breed-specific advice...shih tzus are very intelligent but also very independent, and can have a slightly scornful attitude towards obedience training. You need to be firm and consistent from the very beginning so pup doesn't think he's the boss. If he won't be allowed on the sofas as an adult, don't let him on as a pup - ditto going upstairs, jumping up at people etc. Start teaching him sit, come, down, stay as soon as - make it into a game. Definitely enrol him at puppy classes, and if you know anyone whose dog is fully vaccinated (including kennel cough) invite the dog round for pup to play with - the more dogs he meets, the better socialised he will be.

[minimu1]

Socialise socialise and socialise. Many dogs you can show one situation as a puppy and they are happy not a Shih tzus they need to be shown the same situation time and time again to be comfortable with it.

So you need to give over loads of time before the puppy is 12 weeks to experience as many different situation, people, dogs, traffic,etc. 4 months is the absolute max with shih tzus so they need to really experience loads before this time.

IF the puppy has not had all the vaccinations then you will have to carry them everywhere you can. Yes do let the pup into the garden to wee etc do not use paper in the house but take the puppy out regularly to wee and poo in the garden.

[PiggyMad]

Thanks for your comments ladies,
The garden is shared between about 36 flats and one of the neighbours has a dog and there are a few cats as well. My neighbour said she let her dog out on the communal gardens at 8 weeks but I am just being a bit cautious. We are ground floor and have patio doors out onto the garden so wondered if should put newspaper by the doors before puppy is vaccinated and then go to outside after vaccs? What do you think?
We rent so are actually thinking of moving into a house with a garden to get around this issue so hopefully it won't be a problem...
I work from home so will be able to be consistent with the training and socialising etc and will get involved in puppy classes. With regards to car travel - I know lots of dogs don't travel well - is it a case of getting him used to the car early on - does this make any difference to car sickness etc?