Shih Tzu recall training in the city

City centre living with a Shih Tzu actually puts you in a pretty common spot — enclosed parks are genuinely fine for recall work, and in some ways the controlled space is an advantage. Reliable recall is the single most important skill any dog can have, and the good news is a three-year-old Shih Tzu is absolutely trainable. The most effective combination is a high-value treat your dog will do almost anything for, plus a long line so you can practise the mechanics safely before trusting off-lead. Tell me a bit more — how does the recall break down right now? Does she ignore you entirely, come back sometimes, or is it more that she clocks you and then decides not to bother?

That's actually a very specific problem and a very solvable one. What she's telling you is that coming back to you isn't yet the most exciting option available. That's a value problem, not a stubbornness problem. What are you using as treats at the moment, and have you ever tried anything particularly smelly or meat-based? Shih Tzus can be surprisingly food-motivated if you hit the right reward — and the wrong treat is often why recall training stalls.

That's the issue right there. 'Likes them' won't beat a good sniff or an interesting dog across the park. You need something she can't quite believe she's getting — and for a lot of small breeds, that means something softer, smellier, and higher in real meat. My recommendation is Forthglade 100% Natural Soft Bite Liver Treats. They're made from single-ingredient chicken liver, they're soft enough to eat quickly so training stays fast-paced, and the smell is strong enough to cut through distractions in an open space. Pair these strictly with recall — don't use them for anything else — and they become a Pavlovian trigger. She'll start running to you before she's even consciously decided to. Use them on a 5-metre training lead in the enclosed park first, so she's physically coming all the way back to you each time, then build distance. That combination — high-value liver treat plus enforced successful repetitions — is what changes the habit.

For a Shih Tzu in an enclosed park, a 5-metre lightweight lead is plenty — you don't need the full 10 or 15 metres people use in open fields. The key is that it trails on the ground rather than being held taut, so she doesn't feel constrained. Just make sure it attaches to a harness rather than a collar — Shih Tzus have delicate tracheas and any check on a collar can put them off the whole exercise. But honestly, the treat is the bigger lever here. Get the treat right first and you'll be surprised how quickly the rest follows.

That's exactly the right approach — the exclusivity is what makes them work. Give it two weeks of short, consistent sessions in the enclosed park, always ending on a success, and you should start seeing a real change in how quickly she turns when she hears her name. Good luck with her.