Shih Tzu

Often, people will make a fuss when it comes to the genealogy of the dogs. They will persistently say that this one comes from an ancient family which has been on the earth since 3000 or 1000 years ago. Others will blatantly said that their dogs are the descendants of a royal family dog, or a rare guard dog ancestor, or else.

Source: dogs.about.com

Not all of them do come from such an everlasting family tree though. There are, at most, crossing-breeds. However, it is indeed pleasing to have a dog that comes from a clear lineage. Well, if it is really a matter of clear lineage, then Shih Tzu will absolutely meet the requirements.

Popular belief says that Shih Tzu came from old ancestors that can be traced back to 5th century in Asia, particularly Tibet. Eventually, these dogs were known as the noble dogs of China. Ming Dynasty notables during the 18th century put them as royal house pets. The name Shih Tzu itself came from the Chinese word "lion dog ".


How come? Well, Shih Tzu has indeed an appearance of lion-like even when pictured depicted in traditional oriental art. Can you see it on the picture?

This fur-rich canine is also known as Xi Shuan. It is based on the name of Xi Shi, regarded as the most beautiful woman of ancient China. However, by the 1930s, when many Shih Tzu were imported to Britain and Norway, they were also known as Chrysanthemum Dogs.

Since the dogs were an inevitable member of the court, during the Chinese Revolution they were banished. Not completely: seven males and seven females were managed to be saved. Now, it is widely believed that most of the Shih Tzu present until today is the descendants of that seven pair of court dogs.

A typical Shih Tzu has short muzzle and large deep dark eyes, with a soft long double coat. When it stands, the dimension only measures no more than 26.7 cm (10 ½ inch) at the withers. It is light enough: only 4.5 to 7.3 kg (10-16 lbs). It absolutely would listen to any sound though its ears are covered with long fur.

Shih Tzu is an arrogant dog – may be because of the noble ancestors. When it walks, it would carry its heavily furred tails over the back and pay no attention at all to its surroundings. The arrogance carriage could be due to its coat, which can be of any color although a blaze of white on the forehead and tai-tip is frequently seen, or its uderbite which is required in the breed standard.

This arrogant canine is inevitably hard to handle. Its traditional long silky glossy coat reaches the floor and requires daily brushing to avoid tangles. The coat is long and the hair is growing fast so that regular grooming is absolute necessary. To reduced expense for the grooming, owner may be required to clip short the coat. However, for conformation showing, the coat must left in its natural state, although trimming for neatness around the feet and anus is allowed.***

Basic Physiological dataWeight: 4-7.25 kg (8.8-16.0 lb)
Specialty: long silky hair, silky glossy coat