It sounds like he has decided he needs to take the dominate roll. You are going to have to give him some obedience training in order to show him that you are able to do the protecting and that you rule the home and don't need him to do it for you.
He is a young dog that has had some difficult circumstances. That can cause insecurity that he will make up for by trying to control all situations. He probably was never treated or trained as he should have been. Terriers have a tendency to be very feisty. They were bred to kill rodents so they don't have the same calm disposition as your Shih Tzu. They need to be kept busy. They love their people, have a lot of energy and curiosity. Lots of exercise and lots of training will be a big help to him.
He was naturally scared when he first came to your home but once he settled in his insecurity continued to evolve into dominance. Just teaching him to sit, down, and stay will go a long way to show him that you are in charge and he does not need to be.
A good book about terriers and how to train them properly will help. Terriers need a lot of positive reinforcement. Treats help a lot, too. Be patient with him. Treating him for the right behavior will go much further than punishing him for the wrong behavior. |