Why people fall in love with Shih Tzus...

For some reason Shih Tzus seem to be irresistable among all people, even those who generally prefer big dogs. Shih Tzus have something special within them, that from the first moment you look into those pure, loving eyes you can't resist but immediately fall in love with them. You look at their adorable faces and their black button-like noses and for some strange reason you feel something warm and fuzzy inside you. You feel the need to embrace them, kiss them, and offer them all the love you can. You form a bond so unique and beautiful that the saying, " A dog is a man's best-friend" becomes a reality. Shih Tzus more than just becoming a best-friend, they become a life-time companion; being there for you through the good and bad and never once judging or mistrusting you. Shih Tzus show you unconditional love and loyalty and you know that at the end of the day they are going to be there waiting for you. 

Health Problems

            Just like all types of dogs, Shih Tzus have a number of health issues, some of which are hereditary, and they are prone to have certain medical problems more than other breeds. Shih Tzus have big and somewhat protruding eyes and as result it is easier for them to sustain injures to their eyes and develop eye problems. Some common health problems relating to the Shih Tzu’s eyes are Keratoconjuctivist Sicca, or commonly referred to as dry eye. “Dry eye is a disorder of the tear glands in which there is inadequate tear production and a resulting dry cornea.” When the dog suffers from dry eye, the affected eye becomes irritated, and the conjuctival tissues become red resulting in a thick, stringy, mucoid discharge, covering the eye. Due to this, the eye will eventually become brown and dry and in the most drastic case blindness can result. Entropion is another eye condition, in which “the bottom eyelid rolls inward and causes the eye lashes to rub against the cornea, resulting in pain, tearing, and inflammation.” Dental problems are another common medical condition that Shih Tzus are prone to get. Shih Tzus tend to have dental and gum disease because since they have small mouths, this leads to overcrowding of the teeth and thus dental problems arise. An example of a very common dental problem is when food gets trapped between the teeth, resulting in plaque and tartar build-up which if left untreated overtime it can result in premature tooth loss, among other things. Therefore, it is very important to brush their teeth daily and go for regular dental check-ups, in order to prevent such painful, dental problems from occurring. Shih Tzus have long, floppy ears and thus they commonly suffer from ear infections. Typical signs that indicate your canine is suffering from ear infections are that they have a foul smell and also waxy or pus like discharge from the ear. Ear infections are really painful so dogs tend to scratch the affected ear constantly and rub it against the floor or furniture. If ear infections occur, the dog will also shake its head violently, tilt its head to the painful side, and cry out if the infected ear is touched. Joint problems are also common within this breed. Shih Tzus suffer from luxating patella; “a congenital disease in which the alignment of the bones and joints of the hind leg is abnormal, resulting in a displacement of the patella to the side of the joint,” and also hip dysplasia; “a genetic disease that is characterized by an abnormal development of the hip joint.” Brachycephalic breeds, or better known as short muzzled breeds, suffer from a condition known as “Brachycephalic Airway Syndrome.” This syndrome affects different areas of the respiratory tract causing an increase in airway resistance and it also includes stenotic nares, elongated soft palate, and tracheal collapse. Other health problems include: renal dysplasia which is an inherited problem to the kidney usually affecting newborn puppies, cleft palate is an “anatomical problem that is characterized by an opening in the lip or the roof of the mouth due to failure of normal fusion processes when the fetus is developing,” and also liver shunt which “is a condition that causes blood from the intestines to flow around the liver, not through it.” Regardless of all these health problems that might or might not occur to your canine, you have to keep in mind that these medical conditions don’t occur in all Shih Tzus so you shouldn’t be afraid of getting a Shih Tzu as a pet. Not all Shih Tzus are going to have these health problems and if anything your pet might be healthy all throughout its life.

The Shih Tzu's Physical and Behavioural Characteristics

Shih Tzu’s are sturdy, little dogs with round heads, abundant beards and mustaches, and small, black button-like noses. The hair above their noses grow uniquely upwards and they have large, round wide set eyes which convey a warm expression. Their eyes are usually dark in colour on most but can be light on Shih Tzu’s with lighter coats. Their muzzles are short, flat, squared and mostly never have wrinkles on them while their ears are pendant but since they are covered with hair they easily blend into the body. Shih Tzus have distinguished necks which allow them to carry their heads with pride and confidence. The Shih Tzu has a high-set, thickly plumed with hair tail which curls over their back. Their long, thick coats and heavy under bite are signature characteristics of this breed. Ideally, Shih Tzu’s weight should range from 9 to 16 pounds and the ideal height, for both genders, is from 9 to 10.5 inches at the shoulder but no less than 8 inches nor taller than 11. One thing that is most noticeable in this breed is that their bodies are slightly longer than they are tall; making them look majestic. Shih Tzu’s have “double coats which are made up of thick, woolly undercoats and long, abundant, silky topcoats.” Their coat can be “any colour of the canine rainbow” such as brown, black, white, reddish, blonde, and etc. Their luxuriant, long-haired coats make them look graceful and confident beyond words. For many people, it is a pleasure to see Shih Tzus at dogs shows where their owners parade them around. Due to their thick, double coat, grooming a Shih Tzu is very time consuming and in order to prevent tangles and mats from forming it is necessary to brush them on a daily basis as well as bath them weekly or else their hair will look like a mess. The positive side of grooming Shih Tzus is that they love being groomed and tend be really patient throughout the whole process, which generally takes fifteen to twenty minutes everyday.  Most importantly, the Shih Tzu is one of many hypoallergenic dog breeds.

The Shih Tzu dog breed is meant to be a companion before anything but they also have many wonderful behavioural aspects. Like many toy dogs, Shih Tzus are outgoing, affectionate, friendly, loyal, and trusting to everyone. Their temperament is also very playful, loving, and gentle. They tend to be stubborn and resist commands so when training them it can become a challenge but it is a necessity. Most Shih Tzus do not like being left alone because they love human company and as a result when they are left alone, they spend most of their time waiting for their owner to get back home. Shih Tzus need human companionship for their emotional well-being so one thing that needs to be taken into consideration is that if you travel a lot or take long vacations away from home, you must be willing to take your dog with you or find somebody to take care of it while you are on vacation. If the dog is left alone for long periods of time they might just get into a depression or become emotionally unstable so this should be taken into consideration when planning to travel for long periods of time. Shih Tzus generally carry themselves with a proud and almost arrogant bearing and at times they can be extremely self-centered. Many would say that these behavioural aspects, being self-centered, proud, and arrogant, “seem undog-like and are a lot more on the lines of being a spoiled child.” Due to this many people refer to the Shih Tzu’s personality as human-like. The Shih Tzu is not the kind of dog to be left outside, it is an indoor dog that needs to be held, petted, cuddled, and pampered. Shih Tzus are the happiest when they are napping on the couch or bed with its owner but they can also be lively, energetic, and at times a bit spunky. Shih Tzus love to play and roll on the carpet with its squeaky toys, they enjoy playing outside, and even though they need minimal exercise, they actually do enjoy going on daily walks. Shih Tzus generally do a lot better with older children rather than younger, rougher children who might cause them to get jealous or at times snappish. Shih Tzus also make great watchdogs because they bark very loud at strange noises and people. One very important trait Shih Tzus possess is their complete devotion to you and your needs. Shih Tzus are great listeners and somehow they always know when something is bothering you, and thus Shih Tzus mostly just think about you. All these irresistible, characteristics just show how great of a companion Shih Tzus are; they end up fulfilling a special role in the family and become just like another family member.

Physical Characteristics 

The Shih Tzu's Ancestry

Shih Tzu's are one of the oldest of the toy breeds, their ancestry tracing back to China as far as the 17th century, where they appear in Chinese artwork and texts. To be more exact, the Shih Tzu's ancestry goes back to the Temple dogs of Tibet, where Chinese and Tibet rulers presented them as Chinese royalty because back then they were seen as status symbol and thus as power and as having a lot of money. Shih Tzu's were produced when Lhasa-like dogs were crossed with Pekingese dogs in China. Lhasa-like dogs refers to the "Lhasa Apso,"which were dogs that were bred in Tibetan monasteries. "Lhasa Apso's" were originally named the "Abso Send Kye," meaning the “Bark Lion Sentinel Dog." Back then, Lhasa's were never sold but rather they were given as gifts to people who possessed exalted ranks or held positions of honours and/or dignity. Lhasa’s were used as indoor guardians because of their keen hearing and their instinct for identifying friends from strangers; this made them into ideal and desirable watch dogs. Lhasa Apso’s are loving and loyal dogs, to those they know, and they also have a unique temperament; it is said they have a big dog personality. On the other hand, Pekingese dogs date back to the 8^th century and it is believed that they are the miniature edition of the ancient “Foo Dogs” of China. It was believed that "Foo dogs" were used to ward off evil spirits. In the 8^th century, only members of the Chinese Imperial Court were allowed to own Pekingese dogs. The Peke, another name for the Pekingese, is a calm, good-tempered, non-aggressive and fearless dog but at times it can be really stubborn and very protective of its home and family. Shih Tzu’s were then imported into Great Britain in the late 1920s or early 1930s and then in the late 1950s they were brought into the United States. The name, Shih Tzu, means the “Lion Dog” in Chinese but it is a very deceiving name because this dog was not bred to hunt lions nor does it relate to its personality in any way. Instead, this name was given to this dog because they were said to resemble the lion as depicted in traditional Chinese art work. 

 

What are toy dogs?

Well, toy dogs or also commonly referred to as small dogs, are small breeds of dogs that include a variety of dog types such as Spaniels, Pinschers, and Terriers. Many toy dogs are also referred to as lapdogs because they are small enough to be held in your arms or lay comfortably in your lap. The origin of toy dogs can be traced back many centuries ago and in all countries, but back then they usually lived in the homes of the wealthy and were considered to be status symbols. Many centuries ago there were more types of toy dogs than there are now a day but due to certain circumstances many were extinct. One example of these incidents would be the "Pocket Beagle," this dog was known as far back as the 16th century but it was extinct in the late 1930s. Toy breeds are ideally suited to domestic living, they are very intelligent and trainable by nature, their exercise regiment is modest, and most importantly they live longer than larger dogs. Small dogs come in different sizes, colours, personalities but if you're looking for a life-time companion and a pet which will be with you through the good and bad the best option would be a Shih Tzu.