The Chinese royalty kept and bred shih tzu and, when the British arrived, the breed made its way to England and then on to the United States. The name shih tzu means "lion dog" in Chinese, which further confuses the ancestry because lion dog usually denotes the Pekingese. Fanciers speculate about crosses with Pekingese to shorten the face as well as selection for the smaller Lhasa-type dogs. Given as gifts to the Chinese emperors, the breed developed into the dog we recognize today. The shih tzu originated in Tibet, probably back around the 7th century, and they may have simply been the smallest of the Lhasa Apsos there. Do not count on your shih tzu to guard the house he would probably welcome a burglar with open paws. Shih tzu should be socialized to children early on, but they enjoy people of all ages. They enjoy training and learning tricks, making them the center of attention. They thrive on human company and can easily become spoiled. The shih tzu tends to require a large amount of personal attention each day. Dogs with the correct texture of coat do not mat nearly as much as those with a soft coat. These dogs require weekly baths with oiling of the coat to help keep matting down and daily grooming to keep any foreign objects from catching in the coat. If you wish to keep the long flowing coat, you must be prepared for some serious grooming time. Most pet owners resort to a short year-round body clip, which looks quite nice and is very easy to care for. Hair is a four-letter word when it comes to the shih tzu.
Beware of exercising a shih tzu in hot, humid weather with the short muzzle, the breed is prone to heat stroke. Shih tzu do compete in obedience and agility with some success. They do not need or want a mile hike every day, but they do enjoy walks and should be kept fit. Shih Tzu are very easy to keep and quickly become obese if given too many treats. They have a big desire to be with people, whether that is sitting on your lap or taking a hike through the park. With their short muzzles, shih tzu are not big chewers, but they do enjoy digging and some indulge in nuisance barking. Rarely you will find a snippy shih tzu, but most are very sweet. Shih tzu tend to get along well with people of all ages and with other dogs as well as other pets of different species. Shih tzu are renowned for their perky, happy temperaments. Shih tzu tend to be fairly hardy little dogs and often live to 14 or 15 years of age. Any color is acceptable for the coat, but dark pigment is preferred around the eyes and on the nose. This double coat does require a fair amount of upkeep, especially if left long on these short dogs so that it sweeps the ground. The shih tzu is covered with luxuriant, long, straight hair. The gait is long and swift for such a small dog.
The tail is carried gaily curled up over the back. The head is rounded and the eyes are quite prominent. The muzzle is quite short, with an undershot bite. The shih tzu is often slightly longer than tall, with a sturdy body and a good-sized head. Shih Tzu are classified in the toy group in most countries, with a height of eight to 11 inches and weight of nine to 16 pounds (four to seven kilograms).Īs with most toy breeds, shih tzu are quick to mature, reaching adult size by about 10 months.
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