Choosing the right breed for you and your family, taking into account the character of your children, the space you have in your home, or your monthly budget are important aspects when bringing a new member to the family.
For me, it has been impossible not to fall in love with this furry breed, his personality, his cheerful, playful character and at the same time jealousy and seriousness, amuses me a lot.
Next, we will tell you 10 reasons to fall madly in love with the Shih Tzu.
1. His physical characteristics are charming
If you have a small home, this is your ideal dog breed, because the Shih Tzu is a small dog, somewhat longer than tall, and also:
- Its height ranges between 26 and 27 cm
- Average weight is 5 kilograms
- Hairy head a bit small in relation to the rest of the body
- A small snout but lovely big eyes with little “dark circles.”
- The ears, large and hanging, have so much hair that they seem to form a whole with the hair on the neck.
- The tail, also very bushy, curls over the back.
- I love his style of walking, he is elegant, I would even say a little arrogant.
- Its prognathic bite, common in small breed dogs.
His warm, innocent, wide-eyed expression gives him an impression of friendliness and trustworthiness.
2. If you want cute hairstyles with no hair everywhere this is the dog breed you need
His hair is two-layered, abundant, dense, and lush, and grows long and straight, past his feet.
The Shih Tzu sheds very little, making it a good choice for people who have mild allergies to their fur, or people who simply prefer not to clean a lot of hair.
Regular grooming is a requirement with this breed due to this characteristic; the hair will quickly tangle and tangle as it lengthens. The ears and tail are full and long, with the fluffy tail hair in a feather that curves over the back.
3. Their life expectancy is 14 years to 15 years
Thinking about the departure of someone we love we don’t like, hurts. However, the life expectancy of a Shih Tzu can exceed 15 years depending on the care you take with it.
4. The most beautiful colors
The Shih Tzu has beautiful coat colors that range from various shades of gold, white and brown. Other colors are gold with:
- black mask
- black and white
- solid black
- Tabby
- white with gray
- White and cinnamon.
5. He is loyal, affectionate and very sociable. Ideal for families with children.
He is sociable, however, Shih Tzu prefers to be close to his owners and often offers affection to people unknown to him. Due to his friendly nature, the Shih Tzu does not tend to get along well with other dogs, but with children.
6. Your care is specific
Their long coat requires special care, they love to be brushed with a soft comb regularly, you will avoid annoying knots (nothing that cannot be solved), in addition:
- Their eyes require attention because, being so large, they tend to store dirt that could cause health problems in this area.
- The snout is short and flat, which sometimes causes breathing problems; Some of these flats snore, making their presence felt while they sleep.
7. Shih Tzus select their food
Care must also be taken with food: they are dogs with a very delicate stomach, normally they do not accept well anything other than dry food, on the other hand, they can be given very moderate solid food, some of them like lettuce and salmon for the shine of its fur.
8. Curiosities of the Shih Tzu
- This is a breed of dog originating from Tibet.
- Asians raised and arranged them to resemble living rugs, in keeping with Chinese culture.
- The name Shih Tzu comes from the Chinese word for “lion dog” as this type of dog was bred to resemble the lion, as Chinese guardian lions are depicted in traditional Eastern art.
- It is also known as the “Xi Shi” dog because she was considered one of the most beautiful women in ancient China.
- The Shih Tzu was nicknamed the Chrysanthemum dog in England during the 1930s.
- The dog could also be called the Tibetan lion.
9. A Shih Tzu is a home alarm system
Another reason to keep your Shih Tzu inside is that he tends to bark, sometimes for long periods. Even if kept indoors, this breed will bark frequently, at anyone or anything that passes by.
He gets bored when alone, and this explains his behavior, but keep in mind that the Shih Tzu was bred as a palace guard dog, and will continue to carry that instinct if he is of a pure line.
This quality makes it a particularly good choice for an alarm system, but it may not be a good choice for someone who lives in an apartment and is working all day, although there are solutions for these types of situations.
10. His story makes you feel privileged to have a high-ranking member of your family.
During the 17th century, the Dalai Lama presented the Emperor with some specimens of this breed. At the end of the 19th century, Ts’eu-hi, empress-grandmother of the last emperor, was a great admirer of the Shih Tzu, so she had more than a hundred of these animals along with specialized keepers for them. Unfortunately, when the empress died in 1908, the popularity of the Shih Tzu was drastically reduced.
It was not until the early 1930s that it began to make its way into the homes of Chinese notables, becoming a little more common. It was at that time that it received some names of the type: Lhassa lion dog, Tibetan poodle, etc. In 1934 the first specialized Club of the breed, the Peking Kennel Club, was founded. However, the Japanese invasion of China during that same year caused the breed to become extinct in its own country of origin.
Fortunately, the Europeans had become fond of this breed and after their appearance in the old continent, the Shih-Tzu replaced the Lhasa Apso as the favorite dogs of nobles and rich. Travelers who visited the eastern country during that time brought the fashion of these small dogs to Europe and, later, in 1955 that fashion began to spread to the United States, where they made a strong impression.
