My 4½-month-old Shih Tzu, Archie (aka *Mr. Growls* 😂), has recently started showing some behavior that concerns me. Anytime he gets something in his mouth that he shouldn’t have like a leaf, mulch, or rabbit poop 😩 and we try to take it away, he immediately growls and has even snapped at us a couple of times.  
He’s still tiny and barely has any teeth, so thankfully it doesn’t hurt, but I’m worried about what this could look like as he gets older. I’ve never had a dog show this type of behavior before, and I definitely want to address it now before it becomes a bigger problem.  
I’ve started carrying treats whenever we go outside and practicing **“drop it”** and trading whatever he has for a treat. It seems to be working pretty well so far, and I’m trying very hard not to turn it into a battle over whatever he has.

For those of you who have raised Shih Tzus or puppies in general **is this normal puppy behavior? Did your puppies go through a similar phase?** I’d really appreciate any advice, training tips, or experiences you can share. I just want to make sure I’m handling it the right way while he’s still young.

Thanks for your help. 

First-time Shih Tzu owner here with a puppy behavior question! 🐶