The Shih Tzu

The Chinese Lion Dog

The Shih Tzu originated in China many centuries ago. It is also known as The Chinese Lion Dog and the Chrysanthemum Dog, due to the way the facial hair grows, which resembles that flower.

The Shih Tzu is another of those breeds which appears in different categories, depending on the country. The American Kennel Club puts the Shih Tzu in the Toy Group, while the UK Kennel Club includes it in the Utility (Non Sporting) group.

It is a small sturdy dog, standing between eight and eleven inches tall and weighing from ten to sixteen pounds. The luxurious double coat has long hair to the ground, over a woolly undercoat. For show dogs, the hair is required to be floor-length and requires considerable, regular grooming. The hair can be be cut to a more convenient length for a normal family pet. This breed does not shed its hair so care must be taken to protect the dog from unduly high temperatures, since it originally came from a cool climate.

The Shih Tzu is an aristocrat and knows it! He carries his head high and has an elegant gait, with his large plumed tail curved up and over his back. 

This little dog is everybody's darling, being intelligent, friendly and playful. He is very sociable and loves to be involved in all the family's activities.

For this reason, and his size, he is not effective as a guard dog or a watchdog.  

His profuse facial hair means that the Shih Tzu can be a messy eater and it may be necessary to tie it back with a band. The eyes are prone to a build up of mucus and should be checked daily. If this gets to be a severe problem,   Angels' Eyes from Amazon may be helpful.  

Here are the Breed Standards for The American Kennel Club

Here are The Breed Standards for the UK Kennel Club

Browse this huge selection of books and calendars for the The Shih Tzu at Amazon.com