As time went by, China became known as the creators of this breed, more so than the original Tibet. The Shih Tzu is one of the oldest dog breeds in the world. Scientists have found fossils from more than 10, years ago, showing that the dogs of that day were closely related to the breed that is now recognized.. CoCo, 4 months old. Photo courtesy of owner: Anita W. This dog was quite wild and most were untamed. This breed moved from Tibet into China most likely around the time of the Qing Dynasty between and The Lion symbol played a large role in Buddhism.
Because the actual lion was not indigenous to China, the Chinese bred their dogs to look as much like a lion as possible. It was the Chinese empress Cixi who bred dogs very carefully to arrive with the breed that we know of today. However, after the Communist Revolution, her large breeding facilities were destroyed, along with most of the dogs. Playful and mischievous, he will steal your shoes. One of the more ancient breeds in existence, Shih Tzus are believed to have been bred by Tibetan lamas to be a tiny replica of a lion, which is associated with Buddhist mythology.
But his assumption that the world revolves around him rarely comes with arrogance or aggressiveness. The Shih Tzu is, somewhat inexplicably given his willingness to be spoiled, one of the sweeter of toy breeds and one of the more popular, too.
Shih Tzus do not guard, hunt, or tunnel into the earth, although they may retrieve balls for you to throw again. They are bred to do one thing, and they do it well: They are companion dogs who give love to the world and soak it back in. Intelligent dogs, Shih Tzu like learning. They are good in obedience classes and can do great at agility and obedience competitions.
They may take a little more time during training, and housebreaking can be a problem that requires perception and consistency on your end. Colors in the breed are gold and white, red and white, black mask gold, solid red, black and white, solid black, solid liver, liver and white, blue and white, brindle and white, and silver and white. A terrific apartment dog who does equally well in mansions and farms, he will adapt to whatever living arrangement you provide. The Shih Tzu is too small, too human oriented, and too heat sensitive to live outdoors.
He may not need a palace, but he definitely needs a home. Little is known about the origins of the Shih Tzu, but genetic testing tells us that he is one of the more ancient breeds in existence. The smallest of the Tibetan breeds, he is noted for his heavy coat and tail that curves over the back. The Shih Tzu served as companions and watchdogs to the monks in the lamaseries. The happy and entertaining little dogs were surrounded by myths.
One belief held that they were incarnations of mischievous household gods; another that they carried the souls of lamas who had not yet achieved nirvana, the transcendence of human desire. In China, the Shih Tzu was bred to have a stylized appearance. After the end of imperial rule in China, the little dogs might have disappeared, spurned as a reminder of bygone days, but fortunately some of them had been presented to foreigners, in particular General Douglas and Lady Brownrigg.
They and others took some of the dogs to England. All modern Shih Tzu descend from only fourteen dogs. The American Kennel Club recognized the breed in Today the Shih Tzu is popular for his loyal, gentle, cheerful attitude. He ranks 10th among the breeds registered by the AKC, a position that has held steady for a decade. Whatever you do, a Shih Tzu is willing to be there with you. Shih Tzus tend to like dogs and children.
They enjoy play dates and can make great therapy dogs. He is playful and, on occasion, mischievous. He will steal your shoes. He may want you to chase him after he steals them.
On the other hand, if he really wants them, he just might bury them. Toy breeds can easily become picky eaters, but that problem is often unintentionally created by people. GIve him time to adapt to what he is supposed to eat, as opposed to lunging for your cheesecake. He may not give training the same priority that you do, and it may require some patience and extra time on your part to fully housebreak him.
He can be terrific at agility, so he can certainly learn to follow commands. Some Shih Tzus can chew too much stuff, nip a bit too often, jump on people, and lick enough to lose fur. Any dog, no matter how sweet or small, can develop obnoxious levels of barking, chewing, and other undesirable behaviors if he is bored, untrained, or unsupervised. Start training your puppy the day you bring him home. He is capable of soaking up everything you can teach him.
Never wait until he is 6 months old to begin training, or you will have a more headstrong dog to deal with. If possible, get him into puppy kindergarten class by the time he is 10 to 12 weeks old, and socialize, socialize, socialize. However, be aware that many puppy training classes require certain vaccines like kennel cough to be up to date, and many veterinarians recommend limited exposure to other dogs and public places until puppy vaccines including rabies, distemper and parvovirus have been completed.
In lieu of formal training, you can begin training your puppy at home and socializing him among family and friends until puppy vaccines are completed. Breeders see their puppies daily and can make uncannily accurate recommendations once they know something about your lifestyle and personality. Whatever you want from a Shih Tzu, look for one whose parents have nice personalities and who has been well socialized from early puppyhood.
All dogs have the potential to develop genetic health problems, just as all people have the potential to inherit a particular disease. A reputable breeder will be honest and open about health problems in the breed and the incidence with which they occur in her lines.
The Shih Tzu suffers from many of the health problems common to tiny dogs and has a few particular health problems of his own. Shih Tzus can have teeth that are misaligned or missing. Because their small mouths contribute to tooth crowding, they're also prone to periodontal disease and require regular veterinary dental care. Like many small dogs, their kneecaps can pop out of position easily — the common condition known as luxating patellas.
Their eyes protrude and can be easily scratched or injured, and their breathing can be full of snuffles and wheezes that sometimes turn into major respiratory problems. This is something a puppy inherits from his parents, so buy puppies only from breeders who test all their dogs for renal dysplasia. The Shih Tzu is prone to several inherited eye diseases, including cataracts and progressive retinal atrophy PRA.
The Shih Tzu was likely given this name because of its association with the Tibetan Buddhist God of Learning, who, according to legend, traveled with a small lion dog that could transform into a full-sized lion. This may not have actually been caused by communism; a contributing factor was the death of the Dowager Empress Tzu Hsi, who supervised a world-renown breeding program of Shih Tzu, Pekingese, and Pugs.
When she died, the breeding program fell apart, and it became nearly impossible to get a Shih Tzu. Because their numbers dwindled down to almost nothing during the first half of the 20th century, every Shih Tzu alive today can be traced to one of 14 dogs — seven males and seven females — that were used to rebuild the breed. American soldiers stationed in European countries took Shih Tzu back to the United States with them in the late s and s.
Given the long flowing coats of Shih Tzu show dogs, we tend to think of this breed as more glamorous than sporty. But underneath that gorgeous coat is a muscular body that can perform well in agility. Many Shih Tzu have won agility competitions. Other monikers include "under-the-table dog," "Fu dog," "shock dog," "sleeve dog," "Tibetan poodle," and more.
They are sometimes referred to as the chrysanthemum-faced dog thanks to their unique facial fur, which fans out like flower petals. As with other Chinese dog breeds, the shih tzu was nearly wiped out when the Communist party began its takeover. Luckily for shih tzu lovers, some dedicated fanciers protected the breed and seven males and seven females survived. Those 14 dogs were responsible for rebuilding the entire line. The hair of a shih tzu is truly something to envy.
Show dogs can be seen sporting stylish long hair that drags on the floor like a dress's train. Other owners opt to shave the body hair closely, leaving the hair on the head and ears in a bob-like style this is known as the "top knot cut.
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