Shih Tzu
A Shih Tzu is a toy dog breed weighing 5–7.25 kilograms (11–16.0 lb) with long silky hair. The breed originated inChina. Shih Tzu were officially recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1969. The name is both singular and plural.
Appearance
The Shih Tzu is a small dog with a short muzzle and large dark eyes. With a soft and long double coat, it stands no more than 26.7 cm (101⁄2 in.) 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, though a blaze of white on the forehead and tip of the tail is frequently seen. The Shih Tzu is slightly longer than tall, and dogs ideally should carry themselves "with distinctly arrogant carriage". A very noticeable feature is the under-bite, which is required in the breed standard.[1] The traditional long silky coat, which reaches the floor, requires daily brushing to avoid tangles. Because of their long coat and fast-growing hair, regular grooming is necessary, which may be costly and should be considered when looking at this breed. Often the coat is clipped short to simplify care. For conformation showing the coat must be left in its natural state, though trimming for neatness around the feet and anus is allowed.[2]
Temperament
Although a Shih Tzu's temperament varies from dog to dog, the breed has a personality and temperament that is loyal, affectionate, outgoing, and alert. Training and proper socializing must start at a young age for the Shih Tzu to obey basic commands. While the Shih Tzu is an excellent watch dog because of its alert and active nature, it was not specifically bred for this purpose. Unlike the Lhasa Apso, which was bred to be a sentinel dog that enjoys high perches and is wary of strangers, the Shih Tzu prefers to be close to its companions and will often offer strangers its affection. Due to its friendly nature, the Shih Tzu tends to interact well with other dogs and with children and adults. Shih Tzu dogs have been observed to get peevish if provoked, so an owner should be mindful when the dog is in the presence of children. Overall, they are friendly and outgoing companions. [3]
Coat colours and quality
Main article: Hypoallergenic dog breed
The Shih Tzu comes in a range of colours that include various shades of gold, white, brown, red, and blue. Other colours include black mask gold, black and white, solid black, solid liver, liver and white, brindle and white and grey and white.[4] Though not as common there are also solid blue Shih Tzu. An interesting point (and often a point of confusion) is that while the coat color of those with black pigmented skin (nose, lips, pads, also referred to as "leather") is determined by the color of the coat itself; the coat color on dogs with either liver or blue pigment is categorized by the color of the pigment. Thus a parti colored (white and another shade) Shih Tzu with blue pigment is a "blue and white" regardless of the tint of the hair which might very well appear similar to a gold and white or other colors. The same principle applies to solid blue, liver and liver and white.[5] Sometimes you might see dark brown pigments near the shoulders and between the armpits.
The typical fine, straight, and silky Shih Tzu coat has also been listed by many popular dog information websites as being hypoallergenic. In comparison with many other breeds, Shih Tzus do not shed to the same degree, only losing small amounts when bathed or brushed. It is the dog's dander and saliva that trigger most allergic reactions. Allergists do recognize that, at times, a particular allergy patient will be able to tolerate a particular dog, but they agree that "the luck of the few with their pets cannot be stretched to fit all allergic people and entire breeds of dogs." The Shih Tzu coat is said to fall out only when brushed or broken, or just
History
DNA analysis placed the ancestors of today's Shih Tzu breed in the group of "ancient" breeds indicating "close genetic relationship to wolves".[12] Ludvic von Schulmuth studied the skeletal remains of dogs found in human settlements as long as ten thousand years ago.[citation needed] Another branch coming down from the "Kitchen Midden Dog" gave rise to the Papillon and Long-haired Chihuahua and yet another "Kitchen Midden Dog" branch to the Pug and Shih Tzu. It is also said that the breed originated in China, hence the name "Lion Dog", in 800BC. There are various theories of the origins of today's breed. Theories relate that it stemmed from a cross between Pekingese and a Tibetan dog called the Lhasa Apso.[13] Dogs during ancient times were selectively bred and seen in Chinese paintings. The first dogs of the breed were imported into Europe (England and Norway) in 1930, and were classified by the Kennel Club as "Apsos".[13] The first European standard for the breed was written in England in 1935 by the Shih Tzu Club,[14] and the dogs were recategorised as Shih Tzu. The breed spread throughout Europe, and was brought to the United States after World War II, when returning members of the US military brought back dogs from Europe. The Shih Tzu was recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1969 in the Toy Group.[13] The breed is now recognized by all of the major kennel clubs in the English-speaking world.
It is also recognised by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale for international competition in Companion and Toy Dog Group, Section 5, Tibetan breeds.[1]
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| A one and a half year old female Shih Tzu | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other names | Chinese Lion Dog Chrysanthemum Dog | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Country of origin | China | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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