The Shih Tzu

The first records found about Shih Tzu dogs were in China during the tenth century before Christ. The name Shih Tzu means the lion dog in mandarin. They were called lion dogs because the Chinese combed their hair and tried to make them look like fierce lions when they groomed their dogs. They also have a deep growl and bark; they are not like most small dogs that make high pitch noises. They are very appreciated in China as guard dogs that detect intruders and are very vocal in broadcasting the warning. Shih Tzu is a small dog with long flowing hair. The color varies from one to another, but they are usually light colored backgrounds with darker accents around the chest, ears and tail. This is another reason why their hair is combed in high pony tails or in double pony tails in the ears so the different color tones can be seen. Shih Tzu needs to be groomed every day to keep their hair clean and free of tangles. Their beauty and personal appearance depend on that, their tall pony tails on the head add a few inches to their otherwise an insignificant height. Shih Tzu is easy to train for small uncomplicated tasks. They are capable of learning a few tricks but have short attention spans so you must keep them simple and brief.

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They are show-dogs who like to be stared at, and they like feeling the audience’s eyes on them and revel in it. They are organized dogs who like things on time according to schedule. Shih Tzu like routine so bath, bedtime, and poop time must be done close to the same time every day. They are selfish dogs that like to have all of the attention on them. Their bark heard from outside a house sounds like it is coming from a larger dog and they are not afraid to attack an intruder no matter what size difference there might be.

Health Issues and Care of Poodle

The Shih Tzu is in most cases a healthy breed with fewer and rarer health problems than many other breeds. This can be attributed to the long existence of the bloodline with little mixing. They are picky eaters that prefer dry foods which might also explain the good health record. They eat a little but drink a lot of water. Shih Tzu are one of the breeds that lives longer than most all other dogs, this is mostly due to the few congenital health problems and stable diet. They are true to their masters and children, but do not like other people and they hate strangers and new things. They like to be groomed but once the process is finished, they stay much to themselves so that the mere mortals can enjoy the sight.


Caring for their hair is almost a full time job. It requires constant combing and detangling.
It must be washed at least once a week and then dried and combed. They like to go out every couple of days for a walk and show themselves to the world and burn a little energy. They are generally unfriendly with other dogs, even with their own breed. Shih Tzu were created by Chinese Emperors many thousands of years ago when they ruled the world; these dogs believe they rule it today.