LYCOS RETRIEVER 
Shih Tzu
built 634 days ago
Many of the early Shih Tzu supporters and enthusiasts were military people who bought their Shih Tzu in England and Scandinavia and returned to the United States with them when they were stationed stateside again. Because they were so spread out across the country, the three clubs were formed independently of each other. By 1961 there were over 100 Shih Tzu registered in the United States, both imports and offspring born here.
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The Shih Tzu is a dog that has plenty of character and energy, and is a lively, playful, and entertaining dog with plenty of love and loyalty to give. This breed is bold and courageous given its size, and can ... be very strong willed and stubborn. You will find that most of these dogs can be very gentle and affectionate, as well as alert, intelligent, and charming. However, the Shih Tzu can get snappy if nervous or provoked, and is therefore best around older children rather than younger, more boisterous ones. This dog tends to get on well with other pets too.
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The Shih Tzu has a long, dense, and abundant double-coat. The luxurious and profuse outer-coat often sweeps the ground, and may be slightly wavy. The under-coat is wooly and soft in texture. The long hair on top of the head is typically placed into a topknot to prevent eye irritation. The Shih Tzu coat varies widely in color. They are minimal shedders and are considered hypoallergenic.
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A Shih Tzu has plenty of spunk and is very alert. He makes friends easily and enjoys barking. He can prove to be quite stubborn at times, but overall is good natured and loves to please his owner. Shih Tzus make wonderful prized pets, and they have a history to prove it.
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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”) 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.
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The Shih Tzu originated in Tibet where it was kept in temples as a sacred dog. Occasionally they were given to the emperors of China as a tribute of great honor. In China, those dogs quickly became "little temple dogs". Today the Shih Tzu is small, intelligent, lively and alert. The sole purpose of the Shih Tzu is as a companion and house pet ... he is outgoing, happy, affectionate, friendly and trusting toward everyone. He needs a minimum amount of exercise but the coat does need regular brushing to ensure that it won't tangle.
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Shih Tzu