Shih Tzu

Other names: Chrysanthemum dog

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Wamiz's Top Breed

Shih Tzu

The Shih Tzu is a small tibetan dog. Used exclusively as a pet, he isn’t the ideal companion for active people. Very pleasant to live with despite sometimes proving stubborn, he’s sociable and friendly with everyone. Lively, intelligent, playful and relatively docile if he’s been trained well, this little dog will bring joy to all members of his social group, both young and old.

Key facts about the Shih Tzu

Life expectancy :

6

21

11

16

Temperament :

Playful

Size :

Origins and history

His origins go way back: he originates from a cross between the dogs that lived in the imperial Chinese palace, about which we know very little, and the Lhasa Apso. He’s originally from Tibet, and his development took place exclusively in China. In Tibetan, his name means "Tibetan lion" and not "lion dog", as many people think. He was initially bred to resemble a little lion, a sacred animal in the Buddhist religion and emblematic of Tibet. The Shih Tzu wasn’t recognised in the UK until the 40s.

FCI breed nomenclature

FCI Group

Group 9 - Companion and Toy Dogs

Section

Section 5 : Tibetan breeds

Physical characteristics of the Shih Tzu

    Adult size

    Female : Between 8 and 10 in

    Male : Between 9 and 11 in

    Weight

    Female : Between 9 and 18 lb

    Male : Between 9 and 18 lb

    Coat colour

    Black
    White
    Brown
    Blue
    Red
    Sand

    Type of coat

    Long

    Eye colour

    Brown

    Description

    The Shih Tzu is a small dog with a very proud demeanour, and a long and compact body. His head is big, round, with a gap between his eyes, while his coat is dishevelled and falls onto his eyes, complete with a beard and moustache. The hair around the nose grows upwards, forming a curious shape of a chrysanthemum. His muzzle is square, short and smooth. His teeth protrude outwards. His eyes are big, dark, round and bulging, while his ears are big, floppy, and covered in fur so that they normally aren’t visible. His limbs are short, strong and muscular, while his build is robust. His tail, heavily fringed and curling up to his back, is worn high and proud.

    Good to know

    The Shih Tzu is considered a hypoallergenic dog. This makes him perfectly suited to people allergic to the hair and saliva of dogs.

    Temperament

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      Affectionate

      While often looking for attention, this little affectionate dog isn’t overly clingy. He will happily keep himself to himself and keep his distance. That said, he makes an excellent daily companion and is very pleasant to live with.

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      Playful

      This little dog is particularly active. He loves playing, and this trait plays a key role in his training. Both gentle and jovial, he will make the perfect playmate for children.

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      Calm

      If his needs are properly met, this little Tibetan dog can be very calm. This quality can make him an ideal pet for the elderly or a life in a flat.

      While he is more active than most other dogs in his category, he can still happily spend many hours sleeping in his basket.

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      Intelligent

      In spite of his appearance, the Shih Tzu is an intelligent little dog that can understand very well what is expected of him. He can observe and reproach his master for an incoherent or unfair attitude.

      However, despite his liveliness, he’s only used as a pet and isn’t very versatile, and can sometimes be quite stubborn.

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      Hunter

      The Shih Tzu doesn’t have a very defined predatory instinct, but he can be curious and playful around things he considers as prey.

      This instinct is often subconsciously reinforced by owners that play fetch with their dog. This game actually elicits a predatory instinct.

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      Fearful / wary of strangers

      Very sociable, the chrysanthemum dog loves receiving strokes and attention from anyone, regardless if he knows the person or not.

      As long as he’s not handled roughly, mistreated or pressurised, the Shih Tzu can be a friendly, happy dog that gets on with everyone.

      However, he is also known to flat out ignore strangers at times, being neither scared of or aggressive towards them.

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      Independent

      Independence is very relative for a dog living in a flat, however, the Shih Tzu will need a quiet corner that he can retreat to for peace and quiet should the need arise. He needs these tranquil moments to relax and re-energise.

      Behaviour of the Shih Tzu

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        Tolerates solitude

        While not overly independent, the Shih Tzu equally isn’t a loner. He prefers to be in the presence of his masters, which, once again, makes this dog perfectly compatible with retired people.

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        Easy to train / obedience

        Thanks to his intelligence and liveliness, training this little dog can be quite a pleasant experience. However, you should take into account his propensity to stubbornness. If he feels mishandled or pressurised, he can quickly shun his master and refuse to cooperate.

        A firm yet fair hand will be necessary to train the Shih Tzu. The basics of training should be established from a very early age, in order to avoid the learning of bad habits.

        Under no circumstances should you ever neglect the training of this dog just because he is small and calm. Fun and educational games will reinforce obedience and also the master-dog relationship.

        As his owner, you need to be patient, coherent and diligent in order to obtain the results you want from this dog.

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        Barking

        While sociable and welcoming for the most part, this dog nonetheless makes a good alarm dog who will indeed bark to warn his masters of a perceived danger.

        Training can help to subdue or reinforce this trait, depending on the needs and wishes of his master.

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