| |
|
|
Shih Tzu Breed History |
|
|
|
The Shih Tzu is a breed
descended from Temple dogs in Tibet |
|
that had been bred for at
least 2,000 years. During this time |
|
they were given to the
Chinese Emperors as a tribute gift. The |
|
breed then was further
developed and thought to have been |
|
cross bred with the
Pekinese which has produced the dog we |
|
now call the Shih Tzu,
(pronounced shidzoo). |
|
In Chinese this means lion
dog. |
|
|
|
The dogs were highly
guarded and none were allowed to leave |
|
the country until the
1920's. An English couple brought home the |
|
first pair and many more
imports followed. Its popularity spread |
|
throughout the world as a
great companion for the elderly and |
|
children. The Shih
Tzu is found in most styles of family living, from
|
|
apartments to homes. |
|
|
|
Grooming of a Shih Tzu, as
a long coated breed, requires |
|
extensive grooming to
maintain that elegance and style particular |
|
to the breed. Most
pet owners keep the dog in a Short Cut, |
|
reducing the grooming
requirements. |
|
|
|
All colours are acceptable
with gold and white being the most |
|
prominate colour seen in
the show ring. Brushing everyday from |
|
the time you get your
young puppy and a bath just about every |
|
week. The hair on
the head should be tied up into a topknot and
|
|
the moustache hair trained
to fall on either side of the muzzle. A |
|
pet Shih Tzu can be
clipped in a variety of styles, such as a cocker
|
|
clip, or a fluffy puppy
clip, or a basic and total shave down. If the
|
|
dog is kept clean and free
of mats just about anything is possible so |
|
talk to your local groomer
about a new hairstyle for your Shih Tzu. |
|
|
