The Shih Tzu, whose name means lion, originated in Tibet as early as
A.D. 600 and has been a housepet in China since the times of the Ming Dynasty(A.D.1368-1644).
They are often called the "Chrysanthemum-faced dog" because their
face hair grows in all directions. They were introduced into England in
1930 and brought to the United States by soldiers returning from World War
II. They were registered by the American Kennel Club as part of the Toy
Group in 1969. They are classified as a Non-Sporting Dog in Australia and
a Utility Dog in the United Kingdom.
The Shih Tzu is small, intelligent, lively and alert. The sole purpose of
the Shih Tzu is as a companion and house pet thus he is outgoing, happy,
affectionate, friendly and trusting toward everyone. He needs a minimum
amount of exercise but the coat does need regular brushing to ensure that
it won't tangle. The long crown-hair should be tied in a top-knot to avoid
eye infections.
The Shih Tzu must always appear to be compact and solid. The head is round,
broad and wide between the eyes. The eyes are large, round, placed wide
apart and have a warm, sweet expression. The ears are large, set slightly
below the crown of the skull and carried along the side of the head. There
is a definite drop off (called the stop) between the skull and muzzle. The
muzzle is square, short and should be no longer than one inch from tip of
nose to stop. The pigmentation should be black or liver depending upon coat
color. The bite is undershot in a broad wide jaw. The neck flows smoothly
into the shoulders with sufficient length to allow the dog to carry the
head high. The chest should be deep. The legs are well-boned and muscular
enabling a smooth, flowing and effortless gait. The top line is level on
a short-coupled, sturdy body. The length between withers and base of tail
is slightly longer than the height at the withers. The tail is set high,
heavily plumed and carried in a curve over the back. The coat is a double-coat
that is luxurious, dense, long and flowing over the entire body. All coat
colors are acceptable. The height at the withers is between eight and eleven
inches while the weight may range from nine to sixteen pounds.
budpatjaco@aol.com of Puget Sound area writes:
She stole our hearts!
Our Shih Tzu came into our life in January of 1989 - she was four months
old and during the next fourteen years, we left her only three times and
then with housesitters - she was never boarded away from our home. She
was the delight of our life and shared all things good and sorrowful with
us - always at our side and understanding. I never tired of looking at
her face and still think it to be one of the most beautiful sights I have
ever laid my eyes upon.
We lost her two weeks ago and we are devastated and completely lost without
her. She had multiple medical conditions and her last big bout was with
chemotherapy for lymphoma, which proved to be too much for her frail little
body ... she was so tired.
She never lost her puppy-like appearance and still walked with a bounce,
remained independent and kept all her personality right up to her last day
here with us. These are the most beautiful little creatures on earth and
if it is love and devotion you want, they give it so abundantly.
findsuzy@yahoo.com of Iowa writes:
Definitely will be part of the family.
I have had our Shih Tzu for four months now. He is so much a part of
the family. We have two boys, ages three and seven, and he enjoys playing
with them and has never been mean to either of them. He is such a good companion
and is always there happily awaiting your hugs and kisses. I would recommend
a Shih Tzu to anyone. My husband wanted a big dog and was not that enthused
about a little dog at first, but he would agree with me now ... he loves
his little dog as much as the rest of us. Make them a part of your family,
they will do the same for you.
Name withheld by request of Fresno, California writes:
Funniest little dog ever.
I absolutely love my Shih Tzu. She is so friendly toward everyone. She
loves walks and to have space to roam, but she does great in an apartment
as well. The smallest dog we have, yet she is the boss. Good with kids,
a good watchdog, and loves her family.
Name withheld by request of Vermont writes:
Amazing package.
The Shih Tzu demands lots of attention, literally. They are very loyal.
My only complaint is the house-training issue. I attribute it to their spoiled
and dainty character. If it's raining or snowing, my dog won't go out p;
he doesn't like to get messy.
so_carey@yahoo.com of Lumberton, NC writes:
I love my baby.
She is the most precious thing. She's a great joy to have in the house.
She's hyper, but she has wonderful manners. The only thing that I find difficult
is the hair; I keep her hair short.
JudeCo24@msn.com of Redding, CA writes:
Like one of our kids p; the perfect pet.
Ours is loyal, intelligent and just the perfect little dog. She is so
easy to own. We love her dearly. No other dog comes close.
els777@cs.com of Missouri writes:
The breed that brings out all the maternal/paternal instincts in everyone.
I have had many breeds of dogs and loved them all, but our little Shih
Tzu tops them all and stole our hearts from day one. It is difficult to
treat "The Baby" as a canine for she is such a warm, affectionate
friendly little "person." She knows no enemies and thinks everyone
should adore her. (They do!) Wherever we go, "The Baby" loyally
follows. This breed has such expressive eyes that make you want to melt.
They are sensitive, loving, cuddly little "adorables" who think
they are a little princess. (They are!) Be careful not to hand-feed them,
as they will expect it everyday, choosing who is going to have the honor.
They also seem well versed in math as if we forget to give her the same
amount of doggy treats, she waits, cocks her head and doesn't eat what is
in front of her until the exact number is doled out. They are truly amazing
and I will never own another breed but a Shih Tzu. We have four children
and a granddaughter and even though a couple of the kids are cat lovers,
they still can't resist this breed. They are wonderful around babies and
want to guard them even while the baby has a handful of our Shih Tzu's hair!
Be ready for them to nap a lot ... ours takes an early morning nap, mid-morning
nap, a pre-lunch nap, after lunch nap, mid-afternoon nap, late afternoon
nap and a pre-bedtime nap; then it's time for her to hop in our bed for
her bedtime, cuddled under blankets with her head lying on our (her) pillows.
They have a soft little snore which is so cute. If you are ready for lots
of love, fun, laughs, and are a warm and touchy person, this is the dog
for you. Keep them clean (they hate to be dirty), brushed, fed, and loved,
and your life will be so full of joy!
mcruz832@aol.com of Detroit, MI writes:
Beautiful.
Very loyal; beautiful dogs and great companions; very good with children,
even infants, and very cuddly.
Sara3331@excite.com of Indiana writes:
Adorable, friendly, lovable, and perfect.
My Shih Tzu is the most wonderful dog I have ever owned. Shih Tzu have
many great qualitites to look for in a dog. For instance they do not shed,
they are very intelligent, they are very gentle, they do not bite, rarely
bark, and are great with children. They have wonderful personalities and
act just like humans. My little girl is almost four now and I breed her,
and every litter she bears puppies with her same temperament. I absolutely
LOVE these dogs and would recommend one to anyone.
qtpi4170@aol.com of Flushing, NY writes:
Five stars isn't enough!
My Shih Tzu is truly amazing. Due to the breed's temperament, she has
become a therapy dog in a children's hospital and a nursing home. She has
assisted in motivating children in pain to walk and loves to listen to them
read. If you want a guard dog, do not get a Shih Tzu. She never barks (only
when she wants the cat to get off the dresser and play with her). She has
helped foster feral kittens. When you go dog walking you will need to extend
your trip timewise because the Shih Tzu is quite the social butterfly. If
you want to meet people, get a Shih Tzu. Time and money is needed to keep
the breed looking presentable. It would help to learn to do it yourself.
The Shih Tzu is very sure of herself p; thinks she is hot stuff, will
steal your roast beef sandwich and will commandeer your bed as her own.
Make certain you have something to distract her while you are on the phone,
as she believes you are talking to her and she is the only one in your world.
She will lick your tears and try to make you laugh. She will become the
alpha dog of your pets even if they outweigh her by over 50 pounds. A Shih
Tzu is high maintenance in many ways, but gives so much back in return.
mraybould@somerset.k12.ky.us of Kentucky writes on 5/11/00:
Wonderful, sweet, loving little dogs.
I received my first Furbaby from my son last summer. It was a complete surprise.
However, it was love at first sight. As a single parent with an empty nest,
Baby Girl ahs filled my house with love and joy. She spends the day with
my mother playing with her dog. We go home and snuggle on the couch followed
by a play time with her squeaky ball. She loves to ride in the car and help
me plant flowers. I would highly recommend this breed to anyone who wants
a snuggle bunny who gives lots of wet,sweet kisses.
rain3_1998@yahoo.com of Manila, Philippines writes of 4/10/00:
Loving and sweet.
Our Shit Tzu is absolutely a great bundle of joy! He's a very loyal
and sweet friend who's always by our side! A wonderful companion and friend!
schnel88@midmaine.com of Sangerville, ME writes on 1/13/00:
Joy and happiness.
She was our Christmas present. She has given us total loyalty, unconditional
love, many many hours of happiness. The breeder told us that if we ever
decided that we didn't want her, then just bring her back. We both said
to each other, wow she must like dogs alot. When ever one of us have had
a bad day for whatever reason, we come home, see her, and it seems that
she erases the bad day away.
She waits for us everyday by the family room window. She sits on her bed
looking out the window next to her toys. When we come home, she greets us
at the door with one of her toys in her mouth. We set aside play time for
her everynight and she loves it! My husband who never wanted a dog, is terribly
attached to her and just can't wait to see her when he gets home from work.
Everytime we go shopping, he has to pick her up a toy. Now she has only
500 toys. We now know why the breeder told us that, because she loves the
Shih Tzu's as much as we do. My husband and I send the breeder a picture
every year (for Christmas) of our little bundle of joy and thank her very
much for giving us the best Christmas Present we ever received.
I had to have an emergency hysterectomy 6 years ago, and the only thing
that kept me going was my little girl. She kept me company and watched over
me day and night. She seems to know when I wasn't feeling quite right and
was always there for me. We both love her dearly and hope to have another
8 years with her in our lives. Just can't imagine otherwise!
name withheld by request of College Station, TX writes on 1/8/00:
An outstanding companion.
Growing up, my family had a white and brown Shih Tzu. She was a sweet dog
who loved the entire family, even my little nephew. She was playful, quiet,
and easy to live with. Unfortunately, she died at 11 years old because of
renal failure. A Shih Tzu is the dog I would recommend to any family.
jclyons@sympatico.ca of Tillsonbuyrg, ON writes on 12/27/99:
Excellent family pet.
This is a loyal breed which more often than not seems to take on a "people"
personality. A Shih Tzu needs lots of patience and time as a puppy but this
certainly pays off in the long run. I have 4 of them and they get along
great with my 3 kids - one is 16 months! I not only give answers to questions
from people who buy from me but also to people who have purchased a Shih
Tzu from somewhere else. My dog is used to being dressed up like a baby
and pushed around in a doll carrage and also loves to go for rides in the
wagon down the street. I can't say enough!
lily_53@webtv.net of Michigan writes on 10/11/99:
Sunny, amusing dispositions - tolerant of children.
Our original Shih Tzu came from the local pound. I originally only intended
to rescue and rehome him as I never cared for small dogs. He had been abandoned
for a housebreaking problem which took two months to correct. Housebreaking
seems to require a bit more work with this breed, but their tolerance for
children is unrivaled in the toy breeds. They are quiet dogs for the most
part. Mine only bark to let me know there is someone at the door and stop
as soon as I acknowledge them. Finding the grooming tedious, I have opted
to keep them cut short. We currently own three and they enjoy each other's
company and get along well. Health problems have been minimal.This is a
very social breed, not happy to be left alone all day every day.
belcher@optidynamic.com of Virginia writes on 10/11/99:
Great.
Very loyal friendly little dogs.