GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE SHIH-TZU
ORIGIN:
The Shih Tzu originated in Tibet where it was kept in temples as a sacred dog. It is known that they were occasionally given to the Emperors of China during the Manchu dynasty (17th century) as a tribute of great honor and that is how they came to be established in China. In that country, the dogs became little temple dogs and were kept in the palace and carefully guarded and cared for by the court eunuchs.
In the United States, fanciers obtained the first Shih Tzus in the late 1930s. The breed gained in popularity in 1960, with many imports coming from England and Europe. The breed was shown in the Miscellaneous class at AKC dog shows. It was not until 1969 that the Shih-Tzu were permitted to be shown as a separate breed in the Toy Group.
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION:
The size of the Shih Tzu is between 9 to 16 pounds.
The coat is one of the characteristics that exemplifies the truly regal nature of the Shih-Tzu. The coat comes in a wide range of colors: from total black, to black & white, gray & white, red & white or pure gold. A white blaze on the forehead and a white tip on the tail are highly prized. The coat has an under layer and when the dog is full grown this undercoat helps give an overall graceful appearance to the coat as it falls naturally to the ground.
The Shih Tzu has large, extremely dark expressive eyes. And often, very long eyelashes.
One of the strongest characteristics of the Shih Tzu is its personality. The Shih Tzu is a friendly dog that is a good companion for children and other breeds of dogs. Shih Tzus are known for their fun-loving play, romping around the apartment or in the country side.
The Shih Tzu is a people oriented dog, they cherish the love of people. They are happy to entertain any stranger, once accepted by the family. They make friends where ever they go.
The Shi Tzu has a lap dog personality. It is not high strung nor demanding. The pet Shih Tzu is content during the day to lie in a corner with his legs stretched out behind him, snoring softly. If he has a choice he would prefer to be curled up in your lap.
