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Shih Tzu
The Shih Tzu is a breed of small companion dog of very ancient type, with long silky fur. The breed originated in China, possibly by way of Tibet.
A small dog with a short muzzle and large deep dark eyes, with a soft long, double coat, the Shih Tzu stands no more than 26.7 cm (10 1/2 ins) at the withers and with an ideal weight of 4.5 to 7.3 kg (10 to 16 lbs). Drop ears are covered with long fur, and the heavily furred tail is carried curled over the back. The coat may be of any colour, although a blaze of white on the forehead and tail-tip is frequently seen. The Shih Tzu is slightly longer than tall, and dogs ideally should carry themselves "with distinctly arrogant carriage".
The traditional long silky glossy coat that reaches the floor requires daily brushing to avoid tangles. Although the long coat is beautiful, often the coat is clipped short to simplify care, in a "puppy clip".
Because Shih Tzu noses are small and flat, owners often wipe the dog's face with a damp paper towel to remove food remnants after the dog has eaten a meal. Shih Tzu may be trained to drink out of a water bottle. The water bottle keeps the face clean and dry preventing red yeast from growing on the Shih Tzu beard and moustache. Owners often tie strands of hair from the shih tzu's head into a pony tail that sticks up.
The Shih Tzu is a friendly lap dog that at one time was bred to be a companion dog for Chinese royalty. Some say living in the imperial palace gave the Shih Tzu an arrogant quality, although they also display qualities of devotion and adaptability. They are not afraid to stand up for themselves. They tend to be sweet, playful, and trusting as well. Shih Tzu are considered one of the lowest degree of working/obedience intelligence (trainability). They don't need as much exercise as larger dog breeds, but do suffer from the same difficulties as most small breed dogs due to having a smaller bladder.
The Shih Tzu coat has also been listed by many popular dog information websites as being hypoallergenic, but this has never been proven. All dogs shed, and it is the dog's dander and saliva that trigger most allergic reactions.
There is no such thing as a "teacup" Shih Tzu nor a "toy sized" Shih Tzu. These are terms used by unscrupulous breeders to make the naive public believe runt-sized dogs are desirable. Imperial Shih Tzu is another term used by unscrupulous breeders to sell Shih Tzu that are below healthy standard size. These tiny dogs, often less than 50% of the recommended minimum size, are often prone to very serious health problems and may not live a full life span (10-20 years).
Some of the content on this page was originally published on Wikipedia
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