50 Fun Facts About Shih Tzu

The Shih Tzu is believed to have been bred from which two breeds?

The breed originated in Tibet, though whether it should be called 'Tibetan' or 'Chinese' is still hotly argued by dog historians.

The name Shih Tzu is a romanisation of the Mandarin word for which animal?

The dogs were bred to resemble the lion of traditional oriental art; the Pekingese is also called 'lion dog' in Chinese.

Which romanisation system produced the spelling 'Shih Tzu'?

In Pinyin the same word is shīzi; the system came from Thomas Wade's mid-19th-century work and Herbert Giles's 1892 dictionary.

In contemporary Mandarin the breed is generally called the 'Xi Shi dog', after whom?

Xi Shi was a silk-washing village girl said to have lived at the end of the Spring and Autumn period.

What flower-based nickname did the Shih Tzu get in 1930s England?

The hair growing in every direction from the face was thought to look like the flower.

The Chinese described the Shih Tzu's mouth as resembling which animal's?

Other traditional descriptions include 'owl head', 'lion head' and 'earthworm lips'.

Which jaw feature is required by the Shih Tzu breed standard?

The short snout and large dark eyes complete the look.

What is the maximum height for a Shih Tzu at the withers?

That is ten and a half inches; ideal weight is 4 to 7.5 kg.

How often should a Shih Tzu's long double coat be brushed to stop it matting?

The heavily coated tail is carried curled over the back and the floppy ears are covered in long hair.

During which Chinese dynasty were the dogs such royal favourites that none were sold, traded or given away?

Court eunuchs also bred them to win favour with the Emperor.

Which Qing ruler ran a programme dedicated to breeding Shih Tzus?

She was the power behind the throne for decades in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Which Englishwoman living in China brought the first two Shih Tzus to England in 1928?

The Kennel Club at first classified her dogs as 'Apsos'.

At Crufts in 1933 it was realised that the Shih Tzu was distinct from the Apso and which other breed?

The first European standard followed in 1935 from the Shih Tzu Club, and the dogs were re-categorised as Shih Tzu.

Besides England, which European country got the first imported Shih Tzus in the 1920s-30s?

The breed reached the United States only after World War II, with returning military personnel in the mid-1950s.

On what date did the Kennel Club (UK) officially recognise the Shih Tzu?

The Shih Tzu Club of England had been founded in 1934, and no Challenge Certificates were awarded until 1949.

In which year did the American Kennel Club recognise the Shih Tzu, placing it in the Toy Group?

By 2012 it had climbed to 11th in AKC popularity, slipping to 20th by 2024.

In 1952 breeder Freda Evans controversially crossed a Shih Tzu with a dog of which breed?

Both the UK and US kennel clubs now accept the descendants of that cross as purebred Shih Tzus.

In which country was the Shih Tzu ranked the most popular breed in 2019?

In the United States it ranked 20th in 2024.

The FCI places the Shih Tzu in Companion and Toy Dog Group, Section 5, which covers what?

The Lhasa Apso, Tibetan Spaniel and Tibetan Terrier share the section.

The stone 'Fu dogs' guarding Chinese temples and palaces are said to be the lionised form of which breed?

'Fu' roughly translates as 'happiness' in Manchurian, and legend calls them happy Shih Tzus forever guarding Buddha's temple.

In a pair of Fu dog statues, what does the male typically hold under his left paw?

The female holds her puppy; the male stands for power over nature and the female for protection and play.

Legend says the Shih Tzu accompanied which Buddha of wisdom and could become a lion to carry him?

In one tale the little dog became a lion so huge that robbers surrounding the Buddha fled in terror.

The white 'Star of Buddha' patch on some Shih Tzus' heads is also known by what affectionate name?

The markings on the back are said to be the saddle Buddha used when riding the dog in its lion form.

Which of these Shih Tzu colours exists in the breed but is NOT part of the Royal Kennel Club standard?

Blue, cream, white and particolour are also recognised as existing but non-standard.

Which heart condition, commonest in small dogs, is a particular concern in the Shih Tzu?

It can progress to congestive heart failure.

Which of these is one of the main airway problems caused by the Shih Tzu's short muzzle?

An elongated soft palate and a narrow windpipe (tracheal hypoplasia) complete the brachycephalic trio, and can end in laryngeal collapse.

Dogs with brachycephalic airway obstruction syndrome are prone to heat stroke because of what?

They also struggle with exercise and have trouble sleeping.

The most common Shih Tzu eye problem is epiphora, caused by what?

The excessive tearing produces the tear stains familiar to every owner.

In a Japanese study, Shih Tzus were 8.2% of dogs studied but what share of glaucoma cases?

Older Shih Tzus are also known to develop cataracts, which surgery can correct.

Why are ear infections so common in Shih Tzus?

Ears need regular plucking and cleaning or infections keep coming back.

A UK study found the Shih Tzu at how many times the average risk of impaired hepatic perfusion?

The condition means reduced blood flow to the liver.

A 2024 UK study gave the Shih Tzu what average life expectancy?

That just tops the 12.7-year purebred average; a Japanese study found 15 years.

A Japanese study gave the Shih Tzu what life expectancy, above the 14-year average for all dogs there?

A 2022 UK study, by contrast, found only 11 years, a few months under average.

Under the AKC standard, how should a Shih Tzu's head be?

The face should look forward or up, and the large eyes face the front.

Which parts of the AKC Shih Tzu are described as the most important and not to be exaggerated?

The front legs are straight and the hindquarters muscular, neither too short nor too long.

The Lhasa Apso, one of the Shih Tzu's ancestors, traditionally served in what role in Tibet?

It stood sentinel in palaces and monasteries isolated high in the Himalayas.

The first American pair of Lhasa Apsos were a gift from which Tibetan leader?

Thubten Gyatso gave them to C. Suydam Cutting, who had travelled to Tibet; they arrived in the US in 1933.

Chinese guardian lions, the stone statues linked to the Shih Tzu, are colloquially called what?

In Chinese they are shishi, and the concept spread with Chinese Buddhism.

The Shih Tzu's other imperial ancestor breed is named after which city?

The first Pekingese to survive the voyage to England was looted from the Old Summer Palace in 1860 and given to Queen Victoria, who named her 'Looty'.

Xi Shi, namesake of the breed's Chinese name, was known for doing what by the Huan Sha River?

The Yue minister Fan Li discovered her there and she was later presented to the King of Wu.

What is the ideal weight range for a Shih Tzu?

That is roughly 9 to 17 pounds on a dog no taller than 10.5 inches.

How is the Shih Tzu's tail carried?

It is heavily covered in hair, like the floppy ears.

In a pair of Fu dog statues, what does the female typically hold?

She is said to symbolise protection, play and discipline, while the male with his ball stands for power over nature and wisdom.

Who first brought Shih Tzus to the United States in the mid-1950s?

They carried dogs home from Europe and Asia after World War II; the AKC did not recognise the breed until 1969.

Besides Empress Cixi, which palace servants bred Shih Tzus hoping to win the Emperor's favour?

During the Ming dynasty the dogs were so prized that the Chinese refused to sell, trade or give any away.

According to legend, what do the markings on a Shih Tzu's back represent?

The story goes that the little dog turned into a lion to carry the Buddha, and the white 'Star of Buddha' marks where it was blessed.

The 'Fu' in Fu dog is said to roughly translate to which word in Manchurian?

Legend holds that Fu dogs are happy Shih Tzus forever guarding the temple of Buddha.

How did the Kennel Club first classify the two dogs Lady Brownrigg brought to England in 1928?

The Shih Tzu Club wrote the first European standard in 1935 after Crufts 1933 showed the breeds were distinct.

Chinese descriptions likened the Shih Tzu's lips to which creature?

The same tradition spoke of 'owl head' and 'lion head' shapes and a 'frog mouth'.

After UK recognition in 1940, when were the first Challenge Certificates awarded to the breed?

The Shih Tzu Club of England had been founded in 1934, six years before the Kennel Club recognised the breed.