Origin: Tibet

Description: Although the Shih Tzu is generally thought to be a Chinese breed, it was developed from Tibetan "lion dogs" which had been bred in Tibet for some 2000 years. The "lion dogs" were an exclusive group of dogs bred by Buddhist monks that included the Lhasa Apso and Tibetan Spaniel. The Shih Tzu, whose name means lion, is reputed to have been the oldest and smallest variety of the Tibetan holy dogs. At one time there was considerable contact between the rulers of 'Tibet and China, and the "lion dogs" were presented to Chinese Emperors as gifts of high esteem. The Chinese called these dogs Tibetan Shih Tzu Kou, or Tibetan Lion Dog. The dogs were bred specifically to please the emperors in each palace, and type varied.

In 1908, the Dalai Lama, Tibet's spiritual leader, sent some small dogs of Shih Tzu type to Tzu Hsi, Dowager Empress of the Manchu Dynasty. The Empress was a renowned breeder of Pekingese and added the Shih Tzu to her interests. She breed these dogs giving rise to dogs with different lengths of coats.

After the death of the Empress Tzu Hsi there was much competition among the various palaces to produce dogs of the finest coats and colours, so breeding practices were tightly guarded secrets and records were not kept.

During the rise of the Communist government in China, many of the royal dogs were slaughtered.

The Breed found their way to England by lady brownrigg when she vivsited Peking in 1930. from this point breeding began in Britain, and in 1935 the breed was officially named the Shih Tzu, but not elevated to championship status in Britain until 1949.

Documents and paintings dating from the sixteenth century show dogs resembling a small lion (which the Shih-Tzu is sometimes called). In the seventeenth century, dogs were brought from Tibet and bred in the forbidden City of Peking, probably by crossing the Tibetan Lhasa Apso and the native Pekingese. The Shih-Tzu became a favorite of the Imperial Chinese court. The breed was so revered that for many years after the Chinese began trading with the West, they refused to sell, or even give away, any of the little dogs. It was not until 1930 that the first pair was imported to England. The Shih-Tzu was recognized in Britain in 1946 and by the AKC in the United States in 1969. Today the breed is very popular, both as a companion and as a glamorous show dog.

The Shih Tzu is a sturdy, lively, alert toy dog with long flowing double coat. Befitting his noble Chinese ancestry as a highly valued, prized companion and palace pet, the Shih Tzu is proud of bearing, has a distinctively arrogant carriage with head well up and tail curved over the back. Although there has always been considerable size variation, the Shih Tzu must be compact, solid, carrying good weight and substance. Even though a toy dog, the Shih Tzu must be subject to the same requirements of soundness and structure prescribed for all breeds, and any deviation from the ideal describAs the sole purpose of the Shih Tzu is that of a companion and house pet, it is essential that its temperament be outgoing, happy, affectionate, friendly and trusting towards all.ed in the standard should be penalized to the extent of the deviation. Structural faults common to all breeds are as undesirable in the Shih Tzu as in any other breed, regardless of whether or not such faults are specifically mentioned in the standard.

This small sturdy dog, like the Lhasa Apso, is covered over with an abundant double coat of long hair lined with a woolly undercoat. This proud looking little dog has hair above the nose growing upward, creating a "chrysanthemum" face. The head is rounded, with a profuse beard and mustache, short hairy muzzle, and black nose (except in liver-colored dogs which have liver noses). There is a definite stop. The eyes are large, round and wide-set, dark on most dogs but lighter on liver and blue colored dogs. The pendant ears are so covered with hair that they blend right into the body coat. The teeth should form a level or undershot bite. The topline is level and the body is slightly longer than the height at the withers. Dewclaw removal is optional. The heavily plumped tail is curled over the back. Any color is acceptable, though white on the forehead and tip of the tail is preferred by most dog show judges.

Utilization: Companion dog

Behavior/Temperament: The Shih-Tzu is an alert and spunky little dog. Happy and hardy, endowed with loads of character. They are royally dignified, courageous and sometimes arrogant. This breed does well with polite, careful children. The gentle loyal Shih-Tzu makes friends easily and although obstinate can respond well to consistent patient training. A very alert watch dog, the Shih-Tzu likes to bark, but is usually quiet inside the house. They are stubborn and clever. Shihs can get snappish if they are surprised or peeved. Playful and lively, this affectionate little dog needs to be with people and are generally good with other pets. Some can be difficult to housebreak.

Although the Shih Tzu has the appearance of being proud and arrogant they are very affectionate, playful and intelligent dogs. Shih Tzu are a good choice for a family with well-behaved children as they love to play, as long as they are handled with care. They get on well with other animals as long as they have been socialised from an early age. A very alert watch dog, the Shih Tzu likes to bark, but is usually quiet inside the house. Shih Tzus crave human attention and do not like being left alone for more than a few hours. They tend to express their unhappiness through destructive chewing. If you work all day, this is not the breed for you.

Coat: Long, dense not curly, with good undercoat.  Slight wave permitted.  Strongly recommended that hair on head tied up.

Colour: All colours permissible, white blaze on forehead and white tip to tail highly desirable in parti-colours.

Height: Up to 11 inches (28cm.)
Not more than 26.7 cm (10 1/2 ins), type and breed characteristics of the utmost importance and on no account to be sacrificed to size alone. 
Weight: 9-16 pounds (4-7kg.) Ideal weight 4.5-7.3 kg (10-16 lbs).
 

Health: They tend to wheeze and snore. Some bloodlines are prone to ear, eye and respiratory problems. Spinal disc disease caused by a long back and short legs may be a problem. Their teeth need regular veterinary attention, as they tend to be lost early. These dogs gain weight easily and should not be overfed.

Hip dysplasia: a malformation of the hip joint resulting in a poor fit between the head of the femur bone and the hip socket. This condition can be alleviated by surgery, at some cost to dog and owner. Because dysplastic dogs often produce dysplastic puppies, buyers should ask if both the sire and the dam of the puppy in which they are interested have been rated clear of hip dysplasia. Do not take yes for an answer without seeing a certificate, and ask for a copy to take to your veterinarian.

Renal Dysplasia: A kidney disease known as Renal Dysplasia is common in the Shih-Tzu. This disorder inherited and every effort should be made by Shih-Tzu breeders to avoid breeding any stock whose former puppies have been affected. Currently the disease is irreversible and death is inevitable. There are 3 stages of development. Unfortunately there are no clinical symptoms of early renal disease which may progress over a period of months or years to the second stage, when symptoms first become obvious. The affected dog will develop an excessive thirst and will pass greatly increased amounts of urine. Some dogs will be listless, poor eaters, and may suffer a weight loss. In the final stage, the symptoms of stage two are more pronounced and may be accompanied by severe depression, diarrhoea, vomiting and dehydration - all evidences of kidney dysfunction which will sooner or later result in coma and death.

Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA) is a hereditary disease of the eye that has been identified in this breed. PRA is a blanket term for many types of retinal diseases, all of which result in blindness. All shetland sheepdogs, regardless of age or breeding status, should be examined yearly by a member of the Veterinary Opthalmologists.

Distichiasis: Eyelashes that are abnormally located in the eyelid margin which may cause irritation.

Dry Eye: Caused by abnormal tear production due to a deficiency in production of the watery secretions from the lacrimal glands. Normal tears are essential for the health of the cornea. Deficient tear production causes chronic irritation of the cornea and conjunctiva resulting in corneal ulcers and eventually corneal scarring and can also result in blindness. A dog displays irritation and discomfort by rubbing their eyes, squinting and being sensitive to light. The eye may appear reddened and inflamed and there may also be a thick mucous type discharge in and around the eye. If left untreated, over the long term, the normally transparent cornea becomes thickened and scarred. Blood vessels and pigmented cells move into the cornea and blindness may result. Tear stimulants and artificial tear replacements are used to treat KCS. This is not a cure but away to manage a frustrating, painful, and potentially blinding condition.

Life Expectancy: About 15 years or more.

Grooming: These little dogs require a good daily grooming using a bristle brush. Some owners prefer to have them trimmed to make the coat easier and less time consuming to care for. Keep the ear passages and area around the eyes clean. This breed sheds little to no hair and are good for allergy suffers if their coats are kept very well groomed.