Hi,
We have a 4 year old female shih tzu. We have had her for a year now. this may sound silly, but she doesnt play. we have fostered dogs older than her who were so much more livelier. If she could, our dog would sleep all day! she has a wide range of toys to play with, including tug ropes, squeezy teddies and balls.
also, she wont go toilet in the back garden. sometimes we dont have time to walk her in the morning and when we nip out to go to the shop or for whatever reason for a short time, she will go toilet in the house because we havent taken her out...but she wont go in the garden!

Please help us!

Ok, well there's a couple of issues here: playing with toys (or lack of) and housetraining.

The former I am not an expert in this area, so hope another more experienced person can answer this.

The latter point: I doubt your bitch is lazy as she toilets in the road given the opportunity, she is just not used to toileting in the garden and therefore needs to be trained to do so - this maybe a time consuming process but it is possible, I know, I've had to go through this within the last couple of years with my bitch.  One point I would make is though, you must make time to take your bitch out to toilet before you got out - no excuses, you're dogs toileting needs are crucial and by not taking her out, you will simply reinforce the idea that it is ok to toilet in the house.

Ok, back to garden training...start by using a command word when she toilets outside on the road (wherever) ie I use "go weewees" and then huge amounts of praise - your bitch will click that weeing/pooing will result in reward, a good thing! :-)  This may take sometime however for her to click exactly what you mean, but my dogs now wee on command (very useful I can tell you!)  You may need the patience of a saint!

Second stage, once you are sure she connects the command with toileting, start taking her in the garden and using the command word.  This stage will also not be immediate and she maybe a bit confused at first as she may see this place as a non-toileting area, but persevere with the walking outside with her and requesting her to perform.

It is essential you go with her into the garden, don't just send her out there by herself, otherwise she won't have a clue what you want.  It took a few days for my bitch eventually to toilet in the garden and boy did she get soooo much praise for that! :-)

She would still prefer to toilet on walks and not in the garden, but I still insist that she goes in the garden to reinforce the commands etc.

Good luck with this and remember, it will not be instant and will require patience and encouragement, but if I get persuade a stubborn Staffie to do it, I'm sure your little girl will get there eventually! :-)

Some dogs are just not into toys.  Myown breed tend not to be toy minded, unlees specifically encouraged to be so, past th adolescent stage.  they are a hunting breed, and not a herding or retrieving breed, and it is these breeds that seem easietrs to get toy fixated.  Bones and che3ws are a different matter entirely :D

She may never have played with toys when she was young.

My dogs idea of play is to play with each other or hunt for interesting smells,  they will chase a thrown object, but as soon as it stops they loose interest.

I don't actually enjoy throwing a ball for a dog, or games of tug, so have never wanted them to get toy mad, it is bad enough when they take things they shouldn't when they are pups :D

Was about to say the same Brainless, some of mine will play with one another and a toy or will play on their own but never with us.

My pup has a very amusing habit that I have tried to photograph but so far with out luck. When all the adults are laying around, mouth open in this hot weather, and he picks up a very small ring that he has had since he was tiny and hangs it on one of the exposed canines, guess it is an invitation to play but all it usually gets is a raised eyelid.

Oh lord mine drops bones on their heads, sometimes a ball or tuggy.  but as soon as I try and join in a game they immiediately stop, as if to say, oh you want the toy then have it!

Have to say that Varg is the only one who will fetch a ball or toy if we throw it all the other just walk off and carry on doing their own thing, if we interfere.

Much like mine really. They will play with tuggies and suchlike together, but immediately 'concede' the game if I try to join in. Clearly they have decided that I'm so much 'alpha bitch' ;) that they wouldn't dream of 'challenging' me.

It can be lonely on a pedestal ... ;)

I will pretend that is how mine view me, but rather suspect they wouldn't condescend to play wityh that clumsy human, not after what happened to Tula's tail :(

Oh! Barbara, the dogs would view that for what it was, an accident, but realise it will have been difficult for you to come to terms with, these sort of things do.

Doesn't stope her from always ;ying in the way :D  She doesn't seem to worry about the fact I might tread on ehr again, so it is only me that seems to remeber :(

Try transfering her toileting 'scent' from the house to the area in the garden you will newly assign has her loo. Our bitch was already toilet trained when we got her, but obviously unfamiliar with her new home. I mopped up her wee with kitchen paper and placed it in the chosen area in the garden and then placed the poo bag from the house to the garden also. Each time she went out, she was taken on a lead and given a command as Juliet has said. Huge praise given when success happened. The morning trip to the loo simply has to be a priority in your routine for your shih tzu...just as it is for yourself :)
Although my dog is also not hugely toy orientated, I received good advice previously on this forum which has worked. With the 20 odd toys she had, she now receives a different one each day ie rotating them...so by day 20...it seems on eternity since she last had 'Mr Duckie' etc etc...and is far more thrilled to receive him, thus encouraging play time between you both.
HTH
Jo