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The Shih Tzu (pronounced /ˈʃiːtsuː/ SHEE-tsoo, from Mandarin [ʂɨ́dzɨ]) 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. The name is both singular and plural.

Shih Tzu (simplified Chinese: 狮子狗; traditional Chinese: 獅子狗; pinyin: Shīzi Gǒu; Wade-Giles: Shih-tzu Kou; literally “Lion Dog”), is the Chinese name rendered according to the Wade-Giles system of romanization in use when the breed was first introduced in Europe; the Chinese pronunciation is approximately SHIRR-dzə. The name translates as Lion Dog, so named because the dog was bred to resemble “the lion as depicted in traditional oriental art,”^[1] such as the Chinese guardian lions. The Shih Tzu is also often known as the “Xi Shi quan” (西施犬), based on the name of Xi Shi, regarded as the most beautiful woman of ancient China^[2], and, less often, the Chrysanthemum Dog, a nickname coined in England in the 1930s.^[3] The dog may also be called the Tibetan Lion Dog, but whether or not the breed should be referred to as a Tibetan or Chinese breed is a source of argument, the absolute answer to which “may never be known”.

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 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, 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”.^[5]
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”. For conformation showing, the coat must be left in its natural state, although trimming for neatness around the feet and anus is allowed.^[6] 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. It ranks 70th in Stanley Coren’s The Intelligence of Dogs, 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.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia