Shih-Tzu Dogs Information

Written by: Shawna L. Krautheim

Copyright 1997 to 2010 Dogs and Puppies Central
All rights reserved.

Alternate Names: Chinese Shih-Tzu

Common Misspellings:  Shih-Tsu, Shihtsu, Shitzu, Shitsu

Learn all about Shih-Tzu Dogs and Puppies through our indepth guide to the Shih-Tzu dog breed. You'll find solid information about Shih-Tzu dog history, Shih-Tzu life expectancy Shih-Tzu dog appearance, Shih-Tzu temperament and personality, Shih-Tzu health problems, Shih-Tzu puppy care, training Shih-Tzu puppy dogs and more. Also includes important information about choosing a responsible Shih-Tzu dog breeder.

One of the loveable dust mops of the canine world, the Shih Tzu's sweet face and gentle, loving disposition has made him, not only a favorite pampered pet, but a helpful therapy dog. Additionally, this surprising little dog does extremely well in both obedience and agility courses, and loves an active lifestyle. A top choice with the elderly, the Shih Tzu is more than happy to travel with the retiree throughout their golden years, soaking up the sun and seeing the world with a happily wagging tail.

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Shih-Tzu Facts

The Shih-Tzu Dog Breed In Brief

Country of Origin: China

Shih-Tzu Height: 8 to 11 inches at the shoulder

Shih-Tzu Weight: 9 to 16 pounds

Shih-Tzu Color Variations: Solid and parti-color

Shih-Tzu Size Variations: Toy variety only

Shih-Tzu Exercise Needs: Minimal

Shih-Tzu Grooming Demands: Demanding

Shih-Tzu Trainability: Medium Difficult

Shih-Tzu Life Expectancy: 11 to 13 years

Average Shih-Tzu Prices: $750 to $2500, depending on Pedigree

Good With Children: Yes, with supervision.

Good With Other Pets: Yes

Breed Group: Toy

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Shih-Tzu Dog History

While the exact origins of the Shih Tzu are obscured by time, it is believed that this sweet-faced toy dog originated in Asia, his ancestors probably dating as far back as 1000 B.C. Although the exact facts are not known, many claim that the Shih Tzu was the favored holy dog of the Tibetan lamas. The lion played an important part in Buddhism and, while there were no lions in China, certain breeds of dogs could be bred and groomed to resemble lions. Considering that Shih Tzu actually means "lion," it is strongly believed that this little dust mop was perhaps both the smallest and oldest of all the different lion dogs.

We do know that a great portion of the breed's existence is thanks to the Dowager Empress Cixi, who kept a kennel of Pekingese, Pugs, and Shih Tzu that was famous throughout the world. With a watchful eye, she carefully supervised the three breeds, doing her best to keep the strains pure and completely separate from one another (although it is believed that the eunuchs, in charge of breeding the dogs according to her plans, often experimented and crossed the breeds in an attempt to make the dogs smaller and to find unusual colors and markings).

The Communist revolution almost saw the extinction of these unique little dogs. Fortunately, however, there were 3 Shih Tzus that had been imported to the Tashian kennel, owned by Lady Brownrigg of England and, to these, an additional 8 dogs were added when they were imported to England from 1933-1959. Meanwhile, in Norway, 3 other Shih Tzu had been imported in 1932 - one of which was the only Shih Tzu that had ever been bred in the Imperial Palace to ever set foot on Western soil. From these 14 dogs would stem the gene pool of all modern-day Shih Tzu and he would make his way into the United States by 1940, instantly becoming an overnight sensation and favored pet across the world.

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Shih-Tzu Dog Appearance

The Shih Tzu is a very beautiful little dog - possessing a very long and flowing double coat, he is often jokingly referred to as a dust mop, due to the way his hair drags along the floor as he moves. There is nothing common about these toy dogs however. In fact, the little lion dog carries himself with a proud and regal bearing, befitting his ancient and honorable lineage. With his head held high and tail arched high over his back, he is a very arrogant-looking little canine, though sweet in disposition.

While there is a great size variation amongst the Shih Tzu, it is generally said that they should be between 8-11 inches at the shoulder, and should ideally weigh no more than 16 pounds. His coat, beautiful to gaze upon and silky-soft to the touch, comes in a wide array of colors, including gold-and-white, red-and-white, red, black-masked gold, brindle-and-white, blue-and-white, liver-and-white, silver-and-white, black-and-white, solid black and solid liver.

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Shih-Tzu Grooming

This is the one area where your beloved Shih Tzu is bound to be a great deal of work. Those who insist upon maintaining these unique little dogs' long flowing coat quickly discover that it requires daily combing and regular trims to keep them looking beautiful. This is often too much of a headache for the average pet owner. Most pet Shih Tzus travel to the grooming salon every couple of weeks, getting their long locks cut to a shorter, cooler, and more manageable style.

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Shih-Tzu Exercise Needs

The Shih Tzu is very low-maintenance when it comes to exercise needs. While he does enjoy going for short walks, he is also very capable of amusing himself and is not above tearing around the living room with a favorite toy, should he feel the need to stretch his legs. Additionally, the Shih Tzu loves to travel and is a very happy-go-lucky companion on any road trip.

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Shih-Tzu Temperament

The Shih Tzu is a very docile and well-mannered little dog, on the whole. Not prone to some of the high-strung tendencies of some of the other toy breeds, he is a very quiet and even-tempered little individual. The Shih Tzu is non-quarrelsome and tends to get along very well with other animals and children (though they may hide from those who are very small and pull hair). Well-suited for either country or apartment living, this unique little dog’s main goal is to be close to his owner and enjoy your company.

A word of warning, however - the Shih Tzu is notoriously difficult to housebreak!

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Shih-Tzu Training

The Shih Tzu is a very loving and obedient toy dog, who enjoys pleasing their human companions. Because of this, coupled with the dog's high intelligence, they are well-suited for obedience training, learning tricks, and can even shine in agility and obstacle courses. Most who have known Shih Tzus will be sure to tell you that they love learning new things and seem to really enjoy performing for the enjoyment of their owners. Be forewarned, however, that they are known to be very difficult to housebreak. Housetraining your Shih Tzu takes a lot of patience and understanding.

Shih-Tzu Health

Fortunately, the Shih Tzu has very few major health concerns, when compared to many other purebred dogs. Nevertheless, considering the small gene pool that the modern-day Shih Tzu stems from, it’s not surprising that there are still a few genetic problems. Some of these health issues include:

Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA)
Ear infections
Hip dysplasia
Elbow dysplasia
Renal dysplasia
Abnormal thyroid functioning
Hypersensitivity

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Is the Shih-Tzu Right For You?

The Shih Tzu is a very sweet and affectionate little dog that makes an excellent companion, especially to the elderly. Loving and patient, he gets along with other animals, and tends to avoid all manners of confrontation. Unlike many breeds, he was bred not for hunting, retrieving, fighting or work - from the beginning of his days, the Shih Tzu was bred to be a loving companion and he takes great pride in this task.

Shih Tzu are not fighters and not good at defending themselves, so should always be supervised and kept on a leash when outside. One should also watch the Shih Tzu in the presence of small children, not because they are biters, but because they are small and delicate enough that they can be easily injured if dropped or played with too roughly. Aside from taking these safety precautions, if you have a lot of love to give and enjoy getting a lot of love in return, these sweet little lion dogs are sure to win your heart.

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Shih-Tzu Prices

Average Shih-Tzu Price: $750 - $1000

Price always varies when it comes to the purchase of a quality, home-raised healthy Shih-Tzu dog or puppy. It's of utmost importance that you place the most weight on acquiring a great Shih-Tzu puppy from a highly responsible, reputable breeder, and put the price as a secondary concern in making your decision.

Buying a Shih-Tzu dog or puppy at a cheap price from a breeder of questionable reputation can be a one-way ticket to heartbreak and great additional expense throughout the dog's life, should your Shih-Tzu puppy have hereditary health problems or behavior and temperament issues (which very often is the case with cheap-priced puppies). Buying from a highly reputable Shih-Tzu breeder is your best insurance for acquiring a well socialized, healthy puppy of stable temperament.

Shih-Tzu prices also will vary according to the puppy's conformation; puppies placed as pets and companions will generally be less expensive as show-quality Shih-Tzu puppies intended to be shown in conformation.

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Finding Shih-Tzu Puppies For Sale By Reputable Breeders

If you are ready to add an adorable Shih-Tzu puppy to your family, be sure to check out Dogs and Puppies Central's directory of Shih-Tzu Puppies For Sale, where you will find photos and information posted by reputable Shih-Tzu breeders. We actively screen Shih-Tzu breeders who wish to advertise on our service by asking that they meet and follow our Guidelines For Responsible Dog Breeders. We also ask for - and check - three references from each breeder.

By performing an initial dog breeder screening, it is our hope that we can help put you in touch with a caring, responsible Shih-Tzu breeder near you. We cannot physically inspect the premises and dogs owned by breeders advertising with us, so you need to be responsible for doing the final inspection and interview.

Let's stop the cruelty of puppy mills. Please help us keep money out of the hands of puppy mills, back yard breeders and pet stores. Buy your Shih-Tzu puppy only from a responsible, caring hobby breeder that raises their dogs and puppies in a loving home environment.

When you locate that perfect Shih-Tzu puppy - please be sure to send us some photos to be included in our growing gallery of Shih-Tzu dog and puppy pictures!

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Additional Shih-Tzu Resources:

• Shih-Tzu Wikipedia Profile
• AKC Shih-Tzu Breed Profile
• Shih-Tzu Pictures
• Shih-Tzu Videos

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