Am I the Breed for You?
Am I the Breed for You?
PURPOSE: Every dog has a reason for being. Our reason is strictly to give love. We don't hunt, pull, track or attack. We just love to be with you. We might bark to let you know someone is at the door, but we will love them once we know they are your friends
ENVIRONMENT: We are house dogs but we can be perfectly happy on the 34th floor of an apartment house or out on the farm chasing chickens. Some people fix a bathroom of a wire covered kitty litter box. Others prefer newspaper. Still others let us go outside. We are easily adaptable and can sue two methods if you so prefer. We adapt easily to other situations, too. If something happens to you and you can't keep us anymore, we will love our new master too.
MAINTENANCE: Oh, yes, we give a lot of love to you and it has to be returned. Don't put us in your yard and leave us to the children. Though we love them, we do require your care. A weekly bath is needed to keep our coats and skin clean. We like a blow-drying so we don't catch cold. Before the bath we need our mats and tangles gently brushed and combed out. We enjoy our faces washed every day, just as you wash yours. If you don't want to keep our long, luxurious coat, you can keep it cut short with a scissor, or you can take us to a groomer to be shaped in the latest style.
EXERCISE: We love it if you take us for walks, but if you can't we'll chase over and under the furniture and get our own. We also love to ride in the car with you, though not in hot weather!
I.Q.: Of course we're intelligent! We love to learn new things. If you want to spoil us and not teach us a thing, we won't mind. If you want to take us to obedience classes, we'll love that, too.
DISPOSITION: We are lively and alert but not in the least high strung. We're really very docile little dogs. If you want to play, terrific! If you want to be left alone, we will sleep. If you work all day and can't be with us, just leave us some toys and we'll amuse ourselves.
SO YOU WANT A PET: There is no excuse for buying a "cheap" puppy from a person who is exploiting the popularity of the breed--whose only concern is to make a fast dollar at your expense. When you buy from a dedicated breeder, who is breeding for future champions, you have a chance to acquire a well-bred, professionally raised puppy, offered at a fair price. often only one puppy in a litter is show quality; the rest will be fine puppies. Many breeders require that you spay or neuter their pets. This way, you will have the best pet possible.
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The Shih Tzu Breed
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