Shih Tzu

Breed Information

History: The Shih Tzu originally hails from Tibet, although it is often associated with China, where the breed is extremely common. Dating back to the 16^th and 17^th centuries, this dog was considered sacred by the Tibetans and became known as a dog of royalty.

This breed is often confused with the Pekingese, with good reason, as the English breeders crossed the original Shih Tzu with a Pekingese in the mid 1950s in order to restore proper structure. Many of these breed versions were exported to other parts of Europe and the United States, making this the American Kennel Club standard of the dog that exists today. Although recognized by the AKC in 1938, it was placed in the miscellaneous category and did not become part of the toy breed until 1969. They did not become popular dogs in the U.S. until the 1980s.

Description: Covered in a coat of long, sleek, but sometimes wavy hair with another thick coat underneath, the Shih Tzu most often comes in all white, a mixture of black and white, or brown, although there are other variations available as well. Despite color of the fur on their bodies, it is common for this breed to have white on the face and lower legs down to the paws. The hair on the ears is long and if similar in color to the face or body, it may be difficult to tell where the ears end and the face begins.

The face of this puppy is very small and cute, with a button-like nose, large wide and deep-set eyes and hair that hangs down off of the face. Although a very petite sized dog, usually only weighing between 8-14 pounds and only 9-11 inches off the ground, the Shih Tzu is a very sturdy and well-proportioned dog. There are also miniature teacup versions of the breed available that will always look like a tiny pup, as their adult weight is only between 3-10 pounds.

Life Span: 12-14 years

Common Ailments: May be prone to disc disease or disc injuries, often caused by small dogs jumping on and off high furniture or in and out of cars. Also prone to kidney disease, allergies and ear infections.

Suitability with Children: No, as they are known for being snappy and territorial around small children, although will do well with older children.

Suitability with Other Pets: Yes, although they may be territorial if not properly trained.

Living Conditions: Can fulfill exercise requirements indoors, so will do fine in an apartment or home with no yard

Training: Considered a stubborn breed that will need consistency in training, especially housetraining.

Exercise Required: Low

Cost of Maintenance: High

Breed Temperament: A lively little dog with a big spirit, hence the reason it is named after a lion. Similar to the lion, he is also known to have an air of arrogance, both in attitude and in posture. This arrogance may get them in trouble with other animals, particularly large dog breeds because they may not realize they are small and easily harmed. Although they can be trained to be obedient and kind around small children, they have been know to get snappy, so keep an eye on them. This breed makes an excellent watchdog because of their loud bark as well. Of course the size of the breed should suggest that they are definitely not much of a guard dog.

Current Shih Tzu owners will almost always say that once you have one of these dogs, you will probably want another, as it is hard to resist their sweet, energetic attitude and their gentle nature around the family. Remember that part of this lifelong friendship with the Shih Tzu may not mean a lot of exercise, but it will definitely mean getting used to consistent training information, as well as grooming. Although the Shih Tzu may be prone to allergies themselves, they are actually considered a hypoallergenic breed that works well in homes with owners who may otherwise be allergic.

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