History The origin of the Shih-Tzu is obscure. The Shih-Tzu originated in Tibet where it was kept in temples as a sacred dog. It is known that they were occasionally given to the Emperors of China during the Manchu dynasty (17th century) as a tribute of great honor and that is how they came to be established in China. In that country, the dogs became little temple dogs and were kept in the palace and carefully guarded and cared for by the court eunuchs. When the Peking Kennel Club was formed in 1934 there was much confusion as to the difference between certain small breeds. In 1938 an individual standard was set for the Shih-Tzu and it was recognized as a separate breed from certain other Tibetan breed.
With the war and the takeover of Peking in 1949 there were no more exported from China. In 1952 there was a strong fear that the breed was developing poor structure and it was decided to cross a Pekingese into the line in England. The purpose was to obtain a less leggy dog with a better coat and shorter muzzle. This was accomplished, however the bowed front legs of the Pekingese are something that still can be seen on some Shih-Tzu today.
There was also a faction in England called the Manchu Club that believed a smaller dog better represented the ture heritage of the temple dogs. The Kennel Club recognized this in their 1938 standard by stating the ideal weight was between 9 to 16 pounds which is what the current standard recognizes.
In the United States, fanciers obtained the first Shih-Tzus in the late 1930s. The breed gained in popularity in 1960, with many imports coming from England and Europe. The breed was shown in the Miscellaneous class at AKC dog shows. It was not until 1969 that the Shih-Tzu were permitted to be shown as a separate breed in the Toy Group. In 1969, 2,811 Shih-Tzu were registered which increased to 14,894 in 1978. Within that nine year period over 85,000 Shih-Tzu were registered with the American Kennel Club, placing the Shih-Tzu in the top 25 most popular breeds according to the AKC. It is no surprise that the temple dog had come into the homes of many owners -- this is due not only their Imperial background but also to their personality.
Personality and TemperamentOne of the strongest characteristics of the Shih-Tzu is its personality. The Shih-Tzu is a friendly, nonaggressive dog that is a good companion for children and other breeds of dogs. Shih-Tzus are known for their fun-loving play, romping around the apartment or in the country side. The Shih-Tzu is a people oriented dog, they cherish no more than the love of people. They will sit patiently, remaining still with their eyes gazing intently on your face waiting for you to call them over to be patted. The Shih-Tzu is not a one person dog. Shih-Tzus are happy to entertain any stranger, once accepted by the family. This is one reason that they are becoming popular. They make friends where ever they go.
The Shih-Tzu has a lap dog personality. It is not high strung nor demanding. The pet Shih-Tzu is content during the day to lie in a corner with his legs stretched out behind him, snoring softly. If he has a choice he would prefer to be curled up in your lap.
DescriptionThe size of the Shih-Tzu is between 9 to 16 pounds. The appropriate weight is a matter of personal preference, with the breed standard allowing a wide range. They are sturdy dogs. In the city these little dogs become easily accustomed to noises and apartment living. The coat is one of the characteristics that exemplifies the truly regal nature of the Shih-Tzu. As with the size, the coat comes in a wide range of colors: from total black, to black & white, gray & white, red & white or pure gold. A white blaze on the forehead and a white tip on the tail are highly prized. The coat is not straight as in a Yorkshire Terrier, a slight wave is normal with a curl not appropriate. The coat has an under layer and when the dog is full grown this undercoat helps give an overall graceful appearance to the coat as it falls naturally to the ground. The coat however does require care and attention. Daily grooming is necessary, otherwise the coat can become matted and tangled which will require cutting the coat. As a puppy little work is needed except to get the dog used to lying still on a table or your lap for a couple of minutes to get brushed. If one cuts the coat down, this takes away the elegant aspects of the breed.
Grooming Tips Like every other dog, Shih Tzu requires to be groomed regularly. Grooming a Shih Tzu includes nail clipping, bathing, hair cutting, etc. The only thing that requires special attention in grooming, is its long silky fur which needs combing on a regular basis. Given below are a few Shih Tzu grooming tips.
Shih Tzu Grooming Tips for Bathing
The first thing that should be kept in mind while bathing a Shih Tzu, is to use a pet shampoo and not the one used for humans. The dog's coat requires a mild shampoo and hence use a dog grooming shampoo recommended by a vet. Shih Tzu is one of the non-shedding breeds and hence grooming for Shih Tzu is quite easy. See that you do not bathe a Shih Tzu until it gets dirty. If you bathe it frequently, the oils present on the dog's coat get removed and can harden the dog fur. Brush them before and after the bathing to avoid tangle formation. Insert some cotton balls in its ears to avoid water from going into its ears.
Shih Tzu Grooming Tips for Brushing
Brush your Shih Tzu at least twice a week. Use a brush that is recommended by a vet. You can use a wire brush or any brush used for dogs, from a pet store. Frequent brushing will help to avoid tangles and remove dirt. While brushing your Shih Tzu, see that you start from the bottom and end at the top. Start brushing from feet, legs and belly, in a downward direction and then move towards the back. Use a different brush for the face area. See that while grooming the coat, you brush completely till the skin, to remove all the tangles. Shih Tzu should be brushed regularly, if possible on daily basis, to maintain its silky soft hair.
Shih Tzu Grooming Tips for Teething
Shih Tzu is a dog that is susceptible to many dental problems because of its small jaw. So brush your Shih Tzu's teeth at least twice a week. Use a recommended dog toothpaste and brush for brushing its teeth. Once in a year, take your Shih Tzu for professional teeth cleaning. Initially it will take time for Shih Tzu to adjust with teeth brushing. Start with teeth wiping and then slowly move towards brushing the teeth. While brushing its teeth, see that you pay special attention to the teeth in the back portion. If you notice any infection or cavity, contact a vet immediately.
Shih Tzu Grooming Tips for Nail Clipping
The best time to clip your Shih Tzu's nails is after bathing it. After a bath, the nails become soft and nail clipping becomes easy. Ensure that you not cut the quick of the dog. The quick region contains nerves and it can bleed if cut by mistake. So please make sure you do not hurt your Shih Tzu while nail cutting. Use a nail trimmer and proper Shih Tzu supplies and trim its nails once in a month.
Shih Tzu Grooming Tips for Tear Staining
The beard and face portion of Shih Tzu gets stained due to many reasons and you will always want your Shih Tzu to look clean all the time. Food, water and tear saturation can be reasons for a Shih Tzu's dirty face. These dogs secrete tears because of their typical eye structure and these tears can stain the dog's face. To avoid this staining, keep the face hair short. Short hair will surely reduce the staining of face due to tears. Wipe the face gently on a regular basis and keep your Shih Tzu white all the time.
Shih Tzu Grooming Tips for Hairstyle
You can give different looks to your Shih Tzu by making cute hairstyles. There are plenty of Shih Tzu grooming styles, but many pet owners like to keep the Shih Tzu hair short, since they are easy to maintain. Try and experiment with the length of the hair all over the body. You can keep the length of the hair on face short, while those on the back and legs can be kept long. Check on the Internet for some sweet Shih Tzu haircuts and clip off the hair using clippers. Haircuts for Shih Tzu makes the dog look more adorable. Tie some cute ribbons on its long hair to improve its looks.
Shih Tzu is a very cute toy dog and makes one of the best family pet dogs. You can save hundreds of dollars by using the above mentioned grooming tips for Shih Tzu. You can go for professional dog grooming once in a while but regular grooming can be easily done at home and you need not spend too much on it. Grooming your pet at home is fun and makes for a good connection between you and your pet dog Color and Weight Recognized Colors of the Shih Tzu
Understanding the Key of Pigmentation
When a dog is registered as liver or blue, this refers to the dog's pigmentation and not the color of the dog's coat.
What Qualifies a Shih Tzu to be Blue or Liver
A dog may be registered as blue or liver (chocolate) because of the pigmentation of the dog's skin...not the coat color. Blue and liver Shih Tzu dogs lack black pigmentation.
The pigmentation will be where the color is most obvious: the eye rims, nose, paw pads, etc.
Blue is a very rare color. Quite often this hue is misunderstood and for good reason. A Shih Tzu of just about any color may have a shade of blue on the skin of their body. This often leads one to assume that this is proof that the dog is indeed blue. However, according to official guidelines, only if blue is present on the nose, will the dog actually be blue.
There are 8 solid colors:
Black - A black Shih Tzu will not have any other color fur. Even a touch of a different shade will move this dog over to a mixed color. Because liver colored dogs lack all black pigmentation, you will not see a true black dog with a liver colored nose.
Solid having no other color mixed into it.
May have royal marking in white, can lose some markings as matures.
White - As with the black, no other color will exist in this dog.
Liver - when the dog has brown pigmentation on the nose, paws and eye rims.
Liver nose- dog is liver colored. Nose determines it's color.
Shades of liver * Dark looking like Chocolate. To very light almost a Cream.
Blue - Only if the Shih Tzu"s nose is blue, will this be the official color of the fur. At birth they look black. Can take up to 8 months to see it change to blue. Nose will have a purple or blueshine. ( like an eggplant color). In the sunlight you see a haze of blue. It's beautiful color and rare. Shades of Blue= Eggplant to Blue.
Brindle - This is a combination actually, of a base coat of fur with streaking.
Mixture of at least two colors usually black and liver. Puppy can turn liver, or stay dark keeping some of it's black hairs. Most keep a black face.
Shades of Brindle: * Dark To Light
Gold - A tan - yellow, found commonly among Labradors
Red - A very deep and dark orange.
Must have a Black Nose, Red is a solid color even thou there is a black face.
Most Reds will have a dark mask.Dark to Light Black Tips are common on most Reds and other colors. Black face is not on A.K.C papers; so black mask is used. Individuals like their black face because it hides the eye stains.*Recently more breeders are breeding for more darker faces.
Silver - White but with a deep shine.
Born blue silver coloring. True Blue means the nose is bluish. Nose is a Light blue or gray. If had black face can have a black nose. Extremely rare at birth. There are many different shades of Silver.
Shades of Silver: * Dark to Light
Usually have a black face and hair will grow into a beautiful Silver gray. There may be some liver highlights creating the color.
There are also recognized mixtures of 2 colors:
White and Black
White and Blue
White and Brindle
White and Gold
White and Liver
White and Red
White and Silver
There are recognized mixtures of 3 colors:
Silver, Gold and White
Black, Silver and White
Black, Gold and White
Black, Silver and Gold
Until a future time when more colors may become officially recognized and an owner is able to register their Shih Tzu with the color that they believe their dog is, one must choose from the above list. Do keep in mind that with all colors, there will be shading and deepness levels; thus any dog can be placed into one of these categories. It is very common for puppies to be one color, registered as that color and then have a color change as the puppy matures into adult dog. This is completely normal.
With the war and the takeover of Peking in 1949 there were no more exported from China. In 1952 there was a strong fear that the breed was developing poor structure and it was decided to cross a Pekingese into the line in England. The purpose was to obtain a less leggy dog with a better coat and shorter muzzle. This was accomplished, however the bowed front legs of the Pekingese are something that still can be seen on some Shih-Tzu today.
There was also a faction in England called the Manchu Club that believed a smaller dog better represented the ture heritage of the temple dogs. The Kennel Club recognized this in their 1938 standard by stating the ideal weight was between 9 to 16 pounds which is what the current standard recognizes.
In the United States, fanciers obtained the first Shih-Tzus in the late 1930s. The breed gained in popularity in 1960, with many imports coming from England and Europe. The breed was shown in the Miscellaneous class at AKC dog shows. It was not until 1969 that the Shih-Tzu were permitted to be shown as a separate breed in the Toy Group. In 1969, 2,811 Shih-Tzu were registered which increased to 14,894 in 1978. Within that nine year period over 85,000 Shih-Tzu were registered with the American Kennel Club, placing the Shih-Tzu in the top 25 most popular breeds according to the AKC. It is no surprise that the temple dog had come into the homes of many owners -- this is due not only their Imperial background but also to their personality.
Personality and TemperamentOne of the strongest characteristics of the Shih-Tzu is its personality. The Shih-Tzu is a friendly, nonaggressive dog that is a good companion for children and other breeds of dogs. Shih-Tzus are known for their fun-loving play, romping around the apartment or in the country side. The Shih-Tzu is a people oriented dog, they cherish no more than the love of people. They will sit patiently, remaining still with their eyes gazing intently on your face waiting for you to call them over to be patted. The Shih-Tzu is not a one person dog. Shih-Tzus are happy to entertain any stranger, once accepted by the family. This is one reason that they are becoming popular. They make friends where ever they go.
The Shih-Tzu has a lap dog personality. It is not high strung nor demanding. The pet Shih-Tzu is content during the day to lie in a corner with his legs stretched out behind him, snoring softly. If he has a choice he would prefer to be curled up in your lap.
DescriptionThe size of the Shih-Tzu is between 9 to 16 pounds. The appropriate weight is a matter of personal preference, with the breed standard allowing a wide range. They are sturdy dogs. In the city these little dogs become easily accustomed to noises and apartment living. The coat is one of the characteristics that exemplifies the truly regal nature of the Shih-Tzu. As with the size, the coat comes in a wide range of colors: from total black, to black & white, gray & white, red & white or pure gold. A white blaze on the forehead and a white tip on the tail are highly prized. The coat is not straight as in a Yorkshire Terrier, a slight wave is normal with a curl not appropriate. The coat has an under layer and when the dog is full grown this undercoat helps give an overall graceful appearance to the coat as it falls naturally to the ground. The coat however does require care and attention. Daily grooming is necessary, otherwise the coat can become matted and tangled which will require cutting the coat. As a puppy little work is needed except to get the dog used to lying still on a table or your lap for a couple of minutes to get brushed. If one cuts the coat down, this takes away the elegant aspects of the breed.
Grooming Tips Like every other dog, Shih Tzu requires to be groomed regularly. Grooming a Shih Tzu includes nail clipping, bathing, hair cutting, etc. The only thing that requires special attention in grooming, is its long silky fur which needs combing on a regular basis. Given below are a few Shih Tzu grooming tips.
Shih Tzu Grooming Tips for Bathing
The first thing that should be kept in mind while bathing a Shih Tzu, is to use a pet shampoo and not the one used for humans. The dog's coat requires a mild shampoo and hence use a dog grooming shampoo recommended by a vet. Shih Tzu is one of the non-shedding breeds and hence grooming for Shih Tzu is quite easy. See that you do not bathe a Shih Tzu until it gets dirty. If you bathe it frequently, the oils present on the dog's coat get removed and can harden the dog fur. Brush them before and after the bathing to avoid tangle formation. Insert some cotton balls in its ears to avoid water from going into its ears.
Shih Tzu Grooming Tips for Brushing
Brush your Shih Tzu at least twice a week. Use a brush that is recommended by a vet. You can use a wire brush or any brush used for dogs, from a pet store. Frequent brushing will help to avoid tangles and remove dirt. While brushing your Shih Tzu, see that you start from the bottom and end at the top. Start brushing from feet, legs and belly, in a downward direction and then move towards the back. Use a different brush for the face area. See that while grooming the coat, you brush completely till the skin, to remove all the tangles. Shih Tzu should be brushed regularly, if possible on daily basis, to maintain its silky soft hair.
Shih Tzu Grooming Tips for Teething
Shih Tzu is a dog that is susceptible to many dental problems because of its small jaw. So brush your Shih Tzu's teeth at least twice a week. Use a recommended dog toothpaste and brush for brushing its teeth. Once in a year, take your Shih Tzu for professional teeth cleaning. Initially it will take time for Shih Tzu to adjust with teeth brushing. Start with teeth wiping and then slowly move towards brushing the teeth. While brushing its teeth, see that you pay special attention to the teeth in the back portion. If you notice any infection or cavity, contact a vet immediately.
Shih Tzu Grooming Tips for Nail Clipping
The best time to clip your Shih Tzu's nails is after bathing it. After a bath, the nails become soft and nail clipping becomes easy. Ensure that you not cut the quick of the dog. The quick region contains nerves and it can bleed if cut by mistake. So please make sure you do not hurt your Shih Tzu while nail cutting. Use a nail trimmer and proper Shih Tzu supplies and trim its nails once in a month.
Shih Tzu Grooming Tips for Tear Staining
The beard and face portion of Shih Tzu gets stained due to many reasons and you will always want your Shih Tzu to look clean all the time. Food, water and tear saturation can be reasons for a Shih Tzu's dirty face. These dogs secrete tears because of their typical eye structure and these tears can stain the dog's face. To avoid this staining, keep the face hair short. Short hair will surely reduce the staining of face due to tears. Wipe the face gently on a regular basis and keep your Shih Tzu white all the time.
Shih Tzu Grooming Tips for Hairstyle
You can give different looks to your Shih Tzu by making cute hairstyles. There are plenty of Shih Tzu grooming styles, but many pet owners like to keep the Shih Tzu hair short, since they are easy to maintain. Try and experiment with the length of the hair all over the body. You can keep the length of the hair on face short, while those on the back and legs can be kept long. Check on the Internet for some sweet Shih Tzu haircuts and clip off the hair using clippers. Haircuts for Shih Tzu makes the dog look more adorable. Tie some cute ribbons on its long hair to improve its looks.
Shih Tzu is a very cute toy dog and makes one of the best family pet dogs. You can save hundreds of dollars by using the above mentioned grooming tips for Shih Tzu. You can go for professional dog grooming once in a while but regular grooming can be easily done at home and you need not spend too much on it. Grooming your pet at home is fun and makes for a good connection between you and your pet dog Color and Weight Recognized Colors of the Shih Tzu
Understanding the Key of Pigmentation
When a dog is registered as liver or blue, this refers to the dog's pigmentation and not the color of the dog's coat.
What Qualifies a Shih Tzu to be Blue or Liver
A dog may be registered as blue or liver (chocolate) because of the pigmentation of the dog's skin...not the coat color. Blue and liver Shih Tzu dogs lack black pigmentation.
The pigmentation will be where the color is most obvious: the eye rims, nose, paw pads, etc.
- Blue dogs will have a charcoal color.
- Liver dogs will have brown that will vary from very pale to a deep dark chocolate.
Blue is a very rare color. Quite often this hue is misunderstood and for good reason. A Shih Tzu of just about any color may have a shade of blue on the skin of their body. This often leads one to assume that this is proof that the dog is indeed blue. However, according to official guidelines, only if blue is present on the nose, will the dog actually be blue.
There are 8 solid colors:
Black - A black Shih Tzu will not have any other color fur. Even a touch of a different shade will move this dog over to a mixed color. Because liver colored dogs lack all black pigmentation, you will not see a true black dog with a liver colored nose.
Solid having no other color mixed into it.
May have royal marking in white, can lose some markings as matures.
White - As with the black, no other color will exist in this dog.
Liver - when the dog has brown pigmentation on the nose, paws and eye rims.
Liver nose- dog is liver colored. Nose determines it's color.
Shades of liver * Dark looking like Chocolate. To very light almost a Cream.
Blue - Only if the Shih Tzu"s nose is blue, will this be the official color of the fur. At birth they look black. Can take up to 8 months to see it change to blue. Nose will have a purple or blueshine. ( like an eggplant color). In the sunlight you see a haze of blue. It's beautiful color and rare. Shades of Blue= Eggplant to Blue.
Brindle - This is a combination actually, of a base coat of fur with streaking.
Mixture of at least two colors usually black and liver. Puppy can turn liver, or stay dark keeping some of it's black hairs. Most keep a black face.
Shades of Brindle: * Dark To Light
Gold - A tan - yellow, found commonly among Labradors
Red - A very deep and dark orange.
Must have a Black Nose, Red is a solid color even thou there is a black face.
Most Reds will have a dark mask.Dark to Light Black Tips are common on most Reds and other colors. Black face is not on A.K.C papers; so black mask is used. Individuals like their black face because it hides the eye stains.*Recently more breeders are breeding for more darker faces.
Silver - White but with a deep shine.
Born blue silver coloring. True Blue means the nose is bluish. Nose is a Light blue or gray. If had black face can have a black nose. Extremely rare at birth. There are many different shades of Silver.
Shades of Silver: * Dark to Light
Usually have a black face and hair will grow into a beautiful Silver gray. There may be some liver highlights creating the color.
There are also recognized mixtures of 2 colors:
White and Black
White and Blue
White and Brindle
White and Gold
White and Liver
White and Red
White and Silver
There are recognized mixtures of 3 colors:
Silver, Gold and White
Black, Silver and White
Black, Gold and White
Black, Silver and Gold
Until a future time when more colors may become officially recognized and an owner is able to register their Shih Tzu with the color that they believe their dog is, one must choose from the above list. Do keep in mind that with all colors, there will be shading and deepness levels; thus any dog can be placed into one of these categories. It is very common for puppies to be one color, registered as that color and then have a color change as the puppy matures into adult dog. This is completely normal.
- Explaining a Chocolate Shih Tzu
There has been some confusion among breeders, buyers and other regarding the chocolate colored Shih Tzu. The most recognized and largest dog club, the American Kennel Club, does not list chocolate as a standard or alternate color of the Shih Tzu.
A dog may be referred to as this color for reason of having a brownish coat, however this dog will official be listed as liver colored both on registration papers and when shown at dog clubs.
Color can change many times throughout a Shih Tzu's Life
Shih Tzu can change color many times as years go by. Some fade as they get older, some get darker. That is why all colors are accepted by AKC. Brindle and Blue are pretty close when the puppies are young, but as the pup grows so will it's coloring. I recommend getting a puppy you will enjoy no mater what the color. It's the sweet temperament, independent, self confident, lap warmer and companionship that will stay with the puppy forever
Fading -Dog gets lighter as it matures
Darkening -Dogs gets darker as it matures
Shading -Dog gets light then dark or visa versa
Weight
Multiply a female shih tzu puppy's weight at eight weeks old by 3.6 - 4.2 to estimate her healthy adult weight.
Multiply a female shih tzu puppy's weight at eight weeks old by 4.2 - 4.8 to estimate his healthy adult weight.
Weight of mature Shih Tzu, 9 to 16 pounds
