History
Shih Tzu (or more properly, Shih Tzu Kou) means ?lion dog,? designating the breed as one of the most esteemed animals in China because of its association with Buddhism. Even though the Shih Tzu is most often associated with China, it probably originated in Tibet as early as the 17th century, where it enjoyed status as a holy dog. The Shih Tzu, as it is known today, developed most distinctively in China during the reign of Empress Dowager Cixi (Tz?u-shi, 1861 ? 1908). The Shih Tzu and Pekingese share similar histories; however, the Shih Tzu can usually be differentiated from the Pekingese in Chinese art by the presence of bumps on the tops of the head, denoting a topknot, or pien-ji. The Shih Tzu was a favored house pet during the Ming Dynasty and was highly prized by the royal family. When the British looted the Imperial Palace, most of the dogs were lost, and the breed suffered a great setback. The Shih Tzu was first exhibited in China as the Lhassa terrier or Tibetan poodle. In 1935, it was exhibited as the Lhassa lion dog; by that time, it was becoming very popular. A similar state of confusion existed in England, where the Lhasa apso and Shih Tzu were both lumped together as the apso (meaning shaggy). In 1934, soon after the apso was first shown, it was divided into two separate breeds, with the smaller, wider-skulled, shorter-nosed dogs from Peking dubbed Shih Tzu, their colloquial Chinese name. In 1952 a single Pekingese cross was authorized to improve certain points, but such crosses have never again been permitted. In the United States, the breed began to become extremely popular in the 1960s, leading to AKC recognition in 1969. Its popularity has continued to grow, and it is one of the most popular toys. |
