For our first class, time was put aside to discuss canine training psychology and dogs in the city. It was time well spent. Training is more than good manners or performance - it can be about saving your dog's life. And so on. Shih Tzu's vocabulary.
Training is also about praise.
Behavior praised, is behavior learned. By reinforcing a dog's good behavior, you are shaping that behavior for the future. You can praise for commands learned, but also, just as importantly, praise for behavior already occurring. This ensures that the behavior will occur again. The Shih Tzu, for example, who gets praised every time he does NOT jump on visitors, will wish to respond that way on future occasions.