The Shih Tzu is known to be of imperial descent. Like everything else royal, the Shih Tzu breed too requires a lot of attention and care and pampering. They bond well with the entire family and no amount of attention you ever give them will be enough. The Shih Tzu are also well liked for the affection they give back to the family. This also means that you can’t leave your Shih Tzu alone in the house for a very long time.
A dog that thrives on love and affection directed solely at it, the Shih Tzu will happily cuddle with you on the couch for a nap or sit on your lap while you watch some TV. If you’re looking for a dog that requires the most minimal exercise your answer lies here. An indoorsy breed if there ever was one, the Shih Tzu are more than happy to be cuddled and petted instead of going for a walk or playing a game of fetch. That being said, a walk a day is a must, as they do tend to get a little lethargic and lazy if they don’t exercise. The imperial Shih Tzu are particularly sensitive to hot weather. So in case you’re planning to take them along with you on a trip to a hot place, you might want to think again.
Given how much attention they like, Shih Tzu don’t fare very well with other pets or younger children. If they sense that your attention is split between them and someone else, jealousy instantly flares and that could lead to some nasty behavior on their part. Although they are easily trained, in spite of their stubbornness, you cannot teach them to not be jealous. That’s an inherent trait that only you can control. This jealous trait does go in their favour when looking for a great watchdog. They immediately sense a stranger amidst them and until they see you behave socially with the stranger, they’ll be on guard.
One thing you’ll have to closely monitor are their eyes. Because of their flat face, every time they sneeze or snort, the eyes are in great danger of being damaged and if not monitored closely, the problem won’t be detected until much later.
Care & Health:
- Major concerns: none
- Minor concerns: renal cortical hypoplasia, entropion, trichiasis, PRA, KCS, CHD, otitis externa, portacaval shunt, inguinal hernias
- Occasionally seen: vWD
- Suggested tests: eye
- Life span: 11 – 14 years
- Grooming: Get them used to a daily grooming since puppyhood and brush their fur for 10-15 min to avoid tangles. Trim their coat every six weeks.
History:
If the Lowchen is the “little lion”, the Shih Tzu is the “lion dog” in the erstwhile orient. The Shih Tzu have been in painting and images dating to as early as the 7th century. The Shih Tzu breed has been said to have descended from the oldest and smallest of the Tibetan dogs, popular during the Ming Dynasty.
Although they were widely bred and favoured, there was a brief time, during the Communist Revolution in China, when they could have become extinct. Fortunately, the Shih Tzu were one of the 14 dogs that were introduced to England in the 1900’s. The breed was re-built and the Shih Tzu is now one of the most popular breeds of the world.
Shih Tzu reached the States after World War II and received recognition by the AKC 1969. As of 2007, the Shih Tzu rank 9th out of 157 breeds.
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