ABOUT THE CHINESE IMPERIAL SHIH TZU

SHIH TUZ.... Is one of the Chinese Imperial elegant dogs from China, for numerours centuries,these little Chinese Imperial dogs were house pets and personal property of several royal families in Imperial China, hidden in the palace and beloved at court were the exquisitely dainty and well-proportioned little ones, bred with imperial ideal,only Beautiful face smaller size type quality Shih Tzu were highly prized in the imperial court, where these Shih Tuz also have the nickname "Chrysanthemum Face",the hair on their faces grows out in a circulalar direction, marking the faee like a flower.

This little Chinese Imperial best temple non shed dog has won hearts and quickly becoming one of the most popular toy breeds in American. Although small in stature, Shih Tuz are strong and sturdy for their size, and should not give an impression of fragility. They are free spirits, loving their owners, but not slavishly obedient, Shih Tzu prefer to think things out for themselves.

Shih Tzu come in many different colors, sizes, body shape and pedigrees, the appropriate color, size is a matter of your personal preference. There is no way to order a specific size, color, sex all in one. Whatever color, size, sex or however marked, each one of them is special.

Shih Tzus coat colors change after birth, they get lighter and lighter each month till about one year old (except black color).

Shih Tzu personality which is a unique blend of charm, love, fun, self-importance, proves an irresistible combination. They are active, alert, sweet, playful and somewhat stubborn, the qualities that make them good therapy dogs and good watchdogs, they might bark to let you know someone is at the door or they hear a strange noise, but will love them once they know they are your friends. Shih Tzu is one of the toy breeds that I do recommend for families with kids (with lots of supervision between the young children and the puppy).
Besides their playfulness and love of affection, Shih Tzu adapt well to any family situation and get along nicely with anyone or other animals. Shih Tzu are un-dog like, and more like a spoiled child.

Taking a Shih Tzu puppy into your home is very much like adopting a child. They are intelligent.
Every breed of dogs comes with it's own health hazards,The Shih Tzu is basically a healthy breed. Shih Tzu requires a minimum amount of exercise, they will be happy as long as it is free indoors,the little amount of running around that they do is all that they need, they are good apartment dogs. Many people who are allergic to dog and cat are not allergic to Shih Tzu. They do not shed seasonally, instead, they shed in small amounts all the time, just as your hair does.

Shih-Tzu thrive on human company and NEVER should be kept as kennel dogs, they should always live indoors with their owners warm and comfortable.

The exact date of origin of the Shih Tzu is not known, but evidence of its existence has come to us from documents, paintings and objets d'art dating from A. D. 624. During the Tang Dynasty (618 to 907 A.D.), the King of Viqur gave the Chinese court a pair of dogs said to have come from the Fu Lin (assumed to be the Byzantine Empire). Another theory of their introduction to China was recorded in the mid-17th century when dogs were brought from Tibet to the Chinese court. These dogs were bred in the Forbidden City of Peking. The smallest of these dogs resembled a lion, as represented in Oriental art. "Shih Tzu" means "lion". The Shih Tzu is reported to be the oldest and smallest of the Tibetan holy dogs, the lion being associated with the Buddhist deity. These dogs were bred by the Chinese court and from them the dog we know today as the Shih Tzu developed. They are also called "the chrysanthemum-faced dog" because the hair grows about the face in all directions.

It is known that the Shih Tzu was a house pet during most of the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644 A.D.) and that they were highly favored by the royal family. Dowager Empress Cixi (T'zu Hsi) kept an important kennel of Pugs, Pekingese, and Shih Tzu. After her death in 1908 the dogs were dispersed and breeding mostly ceased. When the Communist Revolution occurred in China the breed became almost extinct. Every Shih Tzu today can be traced to fourteen dogs - seven bitches and seven dogs - some of which were imported to England where breeding of the Shih Tzu began in 1930. There the breed was first classified as "Apsos" but after a ruling by the Kennel Club (England) that Lhasa Apsos and Shih Tzus were separate breeds, the Shih Tzu Club of England was formed in 1935.

From England members of the breed were exported to other countries in Europe and Australia. American soldiers stationed in these countries brought the breed back to the United States thus introducing them to this country. The Shih Tzu was admitted to registration in the American Kennel Club Stud Book in March, 1969 and to regular show classification in the Toy Group at AKC shows beginning September 1, 1969.