Description

Shih Tzu

The ancestry of the Shih Tzu is rather obscure, but it is probable that the breed is primarily of Tibetan origin. The history of the Tibetan "Lion Dogs" is interwoven with the tenets of Buddhism, which originated in India. The lion was closely associated with Buddhism, but the lion was not indigenous to China, so the Chinese and the Tibetan lamas bred their toy dogs to resemble lions. The Shih Tzu (whose name means "lion" and is properly pronounced "sheed sue") is reputed to have been the oldest and smallest variety of the Tibetan "holy dogs" and bears some similarity to other Tibetan breeds. For much of the long and illustrious history of China, the breeding of the small "Lion Dog" was a favorite pastime of succeeding imperial rulers.

Returning military personnel brought some of the first Shih Tzu into the United States during the late 1940s and 1950s and began breeding programs. The unique beauty and outstanding temperament of this "new" breed quickly found favor with the fancy. From the first day of formal AKC recognition, the Shih Tzu catapulted from a relatively unknown breed to one of the most glamorous and popular of all canine companions.

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