Shih Tzu

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Shih Tzu
A Shih Tzu in full show coat
Other namesChrysanthemum Dog
OriginChina
Traits
Height Males 20–28 centimetres (7.9–11.0 in)
Females 20–28 centimetres (7.9–11.0 in)
Weight 4–7.5 kilograms (8.8–16.5 lb)
Coat See Coats section below
Color
  • Often multiple color coats
  • Gold
  • Dark/light brown
  • Black
  • Grey
  • Liver/white
Litter size 2–9
Kennel club standards
China Kennel Union
 standard
The Royal Kennel Club
 standard
Fédération Cynologique Internationale standard
Dog (
domestic dog
)
Shih Tzu
Tibetan name
Tibetan
Transcriptions
Wyliehsi1-shih1 ch'üan3

The Shih Tzu (

pet dog breed originating from Tibet and believed to be bred from the Pekingese and the Lhasa Apso
.

They can adapt well to different situations. Due to their highly independent nature, they are not considered as a very obedient breed.[2]

Description

Tricolor
(black, white, brown) Shih Tzu in show coat.

The Shih Tzu is a sturdy little dog with a small

underbite, which is required in the breed standard.[4]

Etymology

The name comes from the

Wade-Giles romanization of the Chinese characters 獅子
("lion").

A female Shih Tzu at around 18 months of age.
A female Shih Tzu, with different colored eyes.

In contemporary Mandarin, the Shih Tzu is generally known as the "Xi Shi dog"; Xi Shi was regarded as one of the most beautiful women of ancient China. Shih Tzu was nicknamed the "chrysanthemum dog" in England in the 1930s.[6] The dog may also be called the Tibetan Lion Dog, but whether the breed should be referred to as "Tibetan" or "Chinese" is a source of both historical and political contention. A book on the breed states that "dog historians tend to have very strong opinions" on the subject.[7]


History

One theory is that the Shih Tzu descended from a cross between the

Toy Group.[8] There are fourteen total iterations of the Shih Tzu in the breed's gene pool today.[10] In 1934, the Shih Tzu Club of England was founded[11] and the breed was officially recognised by the Kennel Club (UK) on 7 May 1940. When it became eligible for Challenge Certificates, none were awarded until 1949. The breed is now recognized by all of the major kennel clubs in the English-speaking world.[4] It is also recognized by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale for international competition in Companion and Toy Dog Group, Section 5, Tibetan breeds.[4] In the United States, the Shih Tzus were ranked the 15th most popular breed in 2013, falling slightly in popularity since 2012 when it was placed in 11th position.[12]In Israel the Shih Tzus were ranked as the most popular breed in 2019.[13]

A Chinese guardian lion (or "Fu"/"Foo" dog) statue in the Groninger city of Veendam, Veenkoloniën. These statues are meant to guard this building, with the one on the left holding a ball and the one on the right with her puppy.

Shih Tzus and Buddhist mythology

Shih Tzus are largely associated with Buddhism and Buddhist mythology. The name "Shih Tzu" in Mandarin directly translates to "little lion," an animal considered sacred in Buddhist religion. Lions symbolize royalty, strength, and bravery – "fear nothing, and act without delay."[14] Pairs of stone lions or lion dogs located outside guard palace doors, tombs, temples, and public buildings are thought to protect these buildings from harmful individuals and spiritual influences.[14] These stone statues are often called Fu (or Foo) dogs, and it is suggested that these are the lionized form of the Shih Tzu.[15] "Fu" roughly translates to "happiness" in Manchurian, with legend stating Fu dogs are happy Shih Tzus forever guarding the temple of Buddha.[15] Fu dog statues typically represent a male and female Shih Tzu, carved out of stone, jade, teak, ivory, cinnabar, bronze, or ceramics.[16] The male dog is often seen holding a ball with his left paw and the female dog holds her puppy. Sources state this holds a symbolic meaning, with the male dog representing powers over nature, energy, wisdom, and precious stones and the female dog symbolizing protection, play, and a disciplinary attitude.[16]

A 10-year-old male Shih Tzu shown with the star of Buddha on his head, marked by the white patch of hair.

Buddhists consider Shih Tzus blessed by and sacred beasts of Buddha. Legend states Buddha rode to earth on a lion and carried with him a small lion dog which accompanied him everywhere he went.[15] Legends vary across different sources, however many cite the Shih Tzu accompanied the Buddha of wisdom, Manjushri.[16] This lion dog had the ability to turn himself into a lion to carry Manjushri on his back. The physical features of Shih Tzus serve as proof of the eternal connection between Buddha and this breed. According to legend, several robbers surrounded Buddha with the intention of robbing and murdering him when the Shih Tzu transformed into a ferocious lion so large that the robbers were scared and fled the scene.[15] As the Shih Tzu returned to its dog form, Buddha blessed him for his courage.[15] Many Shih Tzus reflect this blessing in the form of the "Star of Buddha", which may also be called "Buddha's kiss", represented as a white patch of hair on the top of dog's head. Markings on the dogs back is said to be the saddle Buddha used to ride the dog in its lion form.[17] Legends vary across sources, largely because legends are historically passed down by word-of-mouth. Some cite this mark on the head as the place where Buddha kissed the dog, giving it his blessing.[17] Other sources state Buddha laid his finger on the dog's forehead in blessing, giving it a flash of white hair on its forehead.[15]

Coat colors

The Shih Tzu comes in many colours. The following colours are recognised by

The Royal Kennel Club
:

  • black & white
  • brindle
  • brindle & white
  • gold & white
  • gold brindle
  • gold brindle & white
  • gold with black mask
  • grey & white
  • solid black
  • solid gold
  • liver
  • liver & white

Additionally the following colours are recognised as existing within the breed but not being part of the standard these are: blue, cream, lilac, lilac & white, white, particolour.[18]

Black and White colored variation of Shih Tzu
Black and White coat colour on Shih Tzu
A cream coloured Shih Tzu

Health

A number of health issues, some of them hereditary, have been found in individual Shih Tzu, and are listed below. The popularity of the breed has allowed for extremely poor breeding in general, leading to generalized and lifelong diseases, often from a fairly early age.[citation needed]

Heart disease

congestive heart failure (CHF). The condition is more common in smaller dogs including the Shih Tzu.[19]

Brachycephaly

A Shih Tzu at a dog show.

The

Brachycephalic airway obstruction syndrome (BAOS) is a condition caused by brachycephaly. The main issues arising from the shortened muzzle are stenotic nares, where the nostrils are close together causing difficulties with breathing through the nose; an elongated soft palate; and tracheal hypoplasia, a narrow windpipe. This causes difficulty breathing which leads to increased respiratory effort which further narrows the trachea which can lead to laryngeal collapse. Dogs suffering from BAOS struggle with exercise, are prone to heat stroke due to ineffective evaporative ability, and have trouble sleeping.[20]

Eye issues

It is very common for Shih Tzus to develop eye problems at any age, and even more so once they are older. Most veterinarians will recommend eye drops to assist with any eye irritations. Some dogs have allergies which cause excess discharge around the eye. Older Shih Tzu are known to develop cataracts which can be corrected with surgery. If not treated, the dog may become blind in the eye that has the

ophthalmologic examination found the Shih Tzu to make up 16% of all glaucoma cases whilst only making up 8.2% of the total population used in the study.[23]

Shih tzu with hair covering eyes. Untrimmed hair can be an issue. This is remedied with a top knot or a short puppy cut.

Ear issues

A very common issue for Shih Tzus is the development of ear infections, as they have a long coat and hair grows in their ears. If ears are not plucked and cleaned often, ear infections will reoccur and cause more serious health issues.[3]

Skin sensitivities

The Shih Tzu's skin is particularly sensitive and prone to allergies. They should ideally be bathed every two to six days to maintain hygiene and prevent skin irritations.[citation needed]



Life expectancy

A study in the United Kingdom found the life expectancy of the Shih Tzu to be 11 years, a few months below the average life expectancy of all dogs.[24] A Japanese study found the Shih Tzu to have a life expectancy of 15 years, above the 14 year average for all dogs.[25][a]

Variations

Kennel club differences

There is a difference between the Shih Tzu of the

Kennel Club (UK)
:

The AKC (American Kennel Club) Shih-Tzu

  • Their front legs (forequarters) are straight. Their hindquarters are muscular. Neither should be too short nor too long.
  • The standard head is big and round and is set high with face looking forward or up.
  • The neck and body are the most important and should not be exaggerated.
  • The eyes are large and face the front.
  • The shoulders of the American type of Shih-Tzu are frontal.[26]

Notes

  1. ^ The Japanese study reviewed cemetery data which is unlikely to have any records of still-births and altricial deaths whilst a veterinary clinic likely would have data on these.

See also

References

  1. ISBN 978-1-138-12566-7
    .
  2. ^ "Shih Tzu". www.petmd.com. Retrieved 30 October 2022.
  3. ^
    OCLC 232358683. Archived
    from the original on 1 May 2021. Retrieved 11 March 2021.
  4. ^ a b c "Federation Cynologique Internationale Breed Standard" (PDF). Fci.be. Archived (PDF) from the original on 31 October 2017. Retrieved 11 December 2017.
  5. ISBN 0-7641-1043-8
  6. ISBN 0-470-08945-8
    quote: "Lady Brownrigg, who brought the first Shih Tzu into England, coined the phrase Chrysanthemum Dog."
  7. ISBN 0-470-08945-8
    quote: "...dogs related to the modern-day Shih Tzu probably came from Tibet, but how long they were there and how much influence they had on the present day Shih Tzu may never be known." The author then says, "Dog historians tend to have very strong opinions." It is often mistakenly said that the Shih Tzu is Chinese royalty.
  8. ^
    ISBN 0-87605-624-9
    .
  9. ISBN 0-87605-309-6
  10. S2CID 241657460
  11. ^ "The Kennel Club". Archived from the original on 27 November 2016. Retrieved 26 November 2016.
  12. ^ American Kennel Club 2013 Dog Registration Statistics Historical Comparisons & Notable Trends Archived 17 January 2017 at the Wayback Machine, The American Kennel Club, Retrieved 30 April 2014
  13. ^ "dog ownership data in Israel, government data".
  14. ^ a b "History of the Shih Tzu Dog Breed". Everything Shih Tzu. Retrieved 24 February 2022.
  15. ^ a b c d e f "Shih Tzu Legends". nationalpurebreddogday.com. National Purebred Dog Day. 26 April 2019. Retrieved 24 February 2022.
  16. ^ a b c Jorgensen, Anthony. "Shih Tzu – History and Legends | HealthGuidance.org". HealthGuidance.org |. Retrieved 17 February 2022.
  17. ^ a b "14 Insane (but true!) Facts About Shih Tzus - Shih Tzu Daily". shihtzudaily.com. Retrieved 24 February 2022.
  18. ^ "Shih Tzu". The Royal Kennel Club. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
  19. ^ "Heart Diseases - Dogs". Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
  20. ^ "Genetic Welfare Problems of Companion Animals". Universities Federation for Animal Welfare. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
  21. PMID 17424020
    .
  22. ^ Johnstone, Gemma (24 October 2022). "Why Is My Dog's Fur Pink or Brown?". American Kennel Club. Retrieved 20 October 2023.
  23. PMID 16953087
    .
  24. PMID 35484374
    .
  25. PMID 29798968.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link
    )
  26. ^ "Shih Tzu Dog Breed Information". Akc.org. Archived from the original on 11 December 2017. Retrieved 11 December 2017.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Shih Tzu.
Look up Shih Tzu in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
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