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Rescue a Shih-Tzu
Shih-Tzu Puppies
for Sale
Shih-Tzu
(Lion Dog) (Chrysanthemum Dog)
"Shih Tzu, brother and sister... Tian Mi's Over The Top "John J" and AM CH Tian Mi's Isadorable "Izzy". John J and Izzy are typical Shih Tzu who do not meet a stranger. They enjoy dog shows or just being couch potatoes."
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Pronunciation |
Americans
commonly pronounce the Shih-Tzu as SHEET-sue,
however, the actual original Chinese
translation is - sure-ds
In the Chinese pronunciation the "ds" is
pronounced the same as the "ds" at the end of the word "Words". It is Chinese
Mandarin, and translates directly to "lion". That is where the term "lion dog"
comes from. The moniker "chrysanthemum dog" and "sheet-sue" are common in
America, but are both inaccurate American renditions of the original Chinese. |
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Description
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The Shih-Tzu is a small, sturdy dog, with a body that is slightly longer than it is tall. The head is round and broad, wide between the eyes. The square muzzle is short, an inch or less from the tip of the nose to the defined stop. The nose is broad, with well open nostrils. Nose, lips, and eye rims are liver on liver colored dogs and blue on blue dogs and black on all other colors. The teeth meet in a level or under bite. The large, round eyes are dark in color, but lighter on blue and liver dogs. The large, pendant, low-set ears hang down and are covered in abundant hair. The back is level. The muscular legs are straight and well-boned. The high-set tail is carried over the back covered in abundant hair. Dewclaws are sometimes removed. The double coat is dense and long, flowing down over the dog. The hair above the eyes is often tied in a topknot. There is a
profuse beard and mustache and the hair on the muzzle is short. Coat comes in all colors. |
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Temperament |
The Shih-Tzu is an alert, lively,
little dog. Happy and hardy, packed with character. The gentle loyal Shih-Tzu makes friends easily and responds well to consistent patient training. They make a very alert
watch dog. Courageous and clever. Playful and spunky, this affectionate little dog likes to be with people
and are generally good with other pets. Some can be difficult to housebreak. The Shih Tzu needs all of the humans in the house to be pack leader, with the rules of the house made consistently clear. Owners who allow their dogs to take over may find them to be snappish if they are surprised or
peeved. Because of this dogs small size and it's adorable face, they commonly develop Small Dog Syndrome, human induced behaviors where the dog believes he is the boss of humans. This causes a varying degree of behavioral issues, such as, but not limited to separation anxiety, guarding, growling, snapping, and even biting. They may become untrustworthy with children and sometimes adults, as they try and tell the humans what THEY want THEM to do. They will be obstinate as they take their stand and defend their top position in the pack. They may bark obsessively as they try and TELL you what they want. These behaviors are NOT Shih Tzu traits, but rather behaviors brought on by the way they are treated by people around them. Give this dog rules, and limits to what they are and are not allowed to do. Be their firm, stable, consistent pack leader. Take them for daily pack walks to burn mental and physical energy. Their temperament will improve for the better, and you will bring out the sweet, trustworthy dog in them. |
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Height, Weight |
Height: Up to 11 inches (28cm.)
Weight: 9-16 pounds (4-7kg.) |
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Health Problems |
Prone to slipped stifle and spinal disc disease
caused by a long back and short legs. Also ear infections, eye problems and early tooth loss. Tends to wheeze and snore and can have respiratory problems. These dogs gain weight
easily and should not be overfed. |
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Living Conditions |
The Shih Tzu is good for apartment
life. They are fairly active indoors and will do okay without a yard. This breed
is sensitive to the heat. |
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Exercise |
The Shih Tzu need a daily walk.
Play will take care of a lot of their exercise needs, however, as with all
breeds, play will not fulfill their primal instinct to walk. Dogs who do not get
to go on daily walks are more likely to display behavior problems. They will
also enjoy a good romp in a safe open area off lead, such as a large fenced in
yard. Do not
over feed this breed or it will quickly become fat. |
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Life Expectancy |
About 15 years or more. |
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Grooming |
These little dogs require a good daily
grooming using a bristle brush. When kept in along coat a topknot is usually tied to keep the hair out of the dog's eyes. Some owners prefer to have them trimmed to make the coat
easier and less time consuming to care for. Keep the ear passages and area
around the eyes clean. Shih-Tzu's have sensitive eyes that need to be kept clean.
There are special drops you can buy to put in them if needed. Ask your vet what
to use on your dog. This breed sheds little to no hair and are good for allergy
suffers if their coats are kept very well groomed, do to the fact that they shed
little skin dander. |
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Origin |
Sixteenth century documents and paintings show dogs resembling the Shih-Tzu. The Shih-Tzu is said to have descended from crossing the Lhasa Apso or Tibetan mountain dog and Pekingese, in the city of Peking in the 17th century. The dogs were favorites of the Chinese royals and were so prized that for years the Chinese refused to sell, trade, or give away any of the dogs. It was not until the 1930s that the first pair was imported
to England, when it was discovered by English soldiers during World War II. The Shih-Tzu was recognized in Britain in 1946. The AKC recognized the breed in 1969. |
| Group |
Herding, AKC Toy classed under the
Non-Sporting Dogs category. |
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Recognition |
CKC, FCI, AKC, UKC, KCGB, CKC, ANKC,
NKC, NZKC, CCR, APRI, ACR, DRA, NAPR |
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CKC = Continental
Kennel Club
FCI = Fédération
Cynologique Internationale
AKC = American
Kennel Club
UKC = United Kennel
Club
KCGB = Kennel
Club of Great Britain
CKC = Canadian
Kennel Club
ANKC = Australian
National Kennel Club
NKC = National
Kennel Club
NZKC = New Zealand
Kennel Club
CCR = Canadian
Canine Registry
APRI = American Pet Registry
Inc.
ACR = American Canine Registry
DRA = Dog Registry of America, Inc.
NAPR = North American Purebred Registry, Inc. |
"This is my little Shih Tzu. Her name is Foo, which means Lion Dog of Tibet. I chose her name because it is related to her breed. She is only 1 year old in this picture. She barely barks and most of the time loves to play. I'm going to prepare her for dog shows, since she has a long beautiful coat and a pure female face."
Foo the Shih-Tzu.
Foo the Shih-Tzu.
Foo the Shih-Tzu.
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"This is my Shih-Tzu, Bisou. I adopted her when she was 4 & 1/2 and now she is 9 & 1/2. We live in Manhattan Beach, CA. She had some issues when I first got her.... being agressive towards other dogs & even growling or snapping at me sometimes.... but with a lot of love and also some training (more for me than her), she is a much happier dog now & better behaved... and knows how much she is loved. I do watch 'The Dog Whisperer' (in fact I took a break from watching it to write to you) and I've gotten a lot of good tips from Cesar that have really worked."
"Bisou is very loyal, energetic, and has a very good heart. She's also quite amusing. She's like her mom (me!) in that she loves eating vegetables (I make salads a lot) and she also loves popcorn & doggie ice cream (Frosty Paws). She loves going for walks especially by the beach where we live. She has a beautiful thick tan & white coat which is a little wavy. She loves to lay on her back rubbing herself on the carpet like she's giving herself a massage. My niece calls it "the Bis Bis dance"!"
"My life has been made better because of her."
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"Mei Lee is truly one of a kind. Without much training on my part she has become one of the most obedient creatures I know. She is leash trained but I never hesitate to walk her with out a leash because she never leaves my side. Sometimes I forget that she is only a dog, but she means much more to me then that. She is like a child to me. She has such a great little personality although she isn't the most active little dog. She prefers to sit on the couch and watch TV on our relaxing evenings together. Her favorite shows are The Dog Whisperer and America's Funniest Home Videos. Her favorite foods include carrots, apples, bananas, and tangerines; she has no problem sitting on me until I give her a slice. Lastly, her favorite activity is walking and hiking. Although she is a Shih Tzu, she is a great mountain dog because she has no problem with getting a little dirty, and when we can't get to mountains she loves to take a cool relaxing dip in my parents pool during the hot days of summer."
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This is Íseldar Al-eks (Alex) from Iceland
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Gemma
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Miss Hunee
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"Buster, my Shih Tzu at 1 year old. I took this photo right before we went on a walk. He is an extremely loving dog. He loves to lick us. He can lick for 15 minutes straight. He loves it. His temperament is great. His only bad habit is that he likes to play with his poop, which I've read is a common issue with Shih Tzus. He loves going for walks daily. Whenever I take out his sweater, he gets all excited and ready to go."
Shih Tzu Pictures 1
Shih Tzu Pictures 2
Shih Tzu Pictures 3
Shih Tzu Pictures 4
Small Dogs vs. Medium and Large Dogs
Understanding Dog Behavior
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