Last Modified: 1/16/08

Shih Tzu, or pronounced “Shee Tzoo”, are believed to have begun in Tibet, but they could just as easily come directly from China as they are believed to be the result of the mix between Pekingese (China) and Lhasa Apso (Tibet). We know they were bred for the palaces of China to sit and bark when strangers were seen to alert the inhabitants of visitors and trespassers. We also know the lion was a cherished animal of the Buddhist monks, but was not native to China so they specifically bred dogs to resemble the lion. The smallest of the breeds, they were bred as a wonderful past time and known by the Dalai Lamas as "Holy Dogs." In 1850, they moved to Peking where the Chinese called them Lion Dogs (in Chinese, Shih Tzu Kou) and pairs of Shih Tzu were occasionally given to distinguished visitors as a token of goodwill and good luck. We, unfortunately, have no clear and definitive history of the Shih Tzu since they seem to have held no more purpose then to improve the atmosphere of the palace and for companionship.

Empress T’zu Hsi, of China, gave us the most reliable breeding records of the Shih Tzu as she was breeding them along with Pugs and Pekinese. The Empress insisted that complete pedigrees and descriptions of physical markings be kept for all dogs used for breeding within the household, as well as for all puppies whelped. She was very adamant about keeping the breeds separate from one another but it is known that not she, but palace eunuchs were doing the actual breeding and were crossing the three breeds to produce unusual markings, which were in demand. For instance, a dog bearing a white mark down the forehead was a mark of superiority. Partis with perfect facial marking and perfect saddle were held in high esteem even though solid colors were prized equally by the Empress.

When she died in 1908, her breeding patterns fell apart, what were actually being followed anyway, and the kennels were dispersed. Some still bred by her ideals but dogs were almost impossible to come by. It is believed that after the Communist Revolution the breed became extinct in China, as the Shih Tzu was bred and treated as royalty and not capable of carrying a work load and therefore deemed worthless. The fact that they were before seen as symbols of wealth and privilege only helped to seal their fate.

Seven studs and seven bitches are attributed to the survival of the breed. One of these was a bitch that survived the falling of the Imperial Palace Kennels. The Shih Tzu came to France and England some time in the 1950s and the English Kennel Club officially called the breed Shih Tzu, which is now the official name and spelling for the breed.

Thanks to the military, some of the first Shih Tzu found their way into the United States in 1938, and were bred. In 1955, the American Kennel Club allowed the Shih Tzu to be shown in a miscellaneous class, but there were few in the country at the time. The breed quickly gained favor moving from the miscellaneous class to official recognition on September 1, 1969. Today, the Shih Tzu are shown in the Toy class and known as one of the most glamorous and highly popular of all breeds.

Modern Science has now found new evidence that places the Shih Tzu into the class of most ancient breeds. DNA tests have confirmed that the Shih Tzu shows the fewest genetic differences from the wolf than many other popular breeds. Though this distinction does not change their ability to capture an audience it does make those of us, lucky enough to own one or more, feel like we are preserving a bit of world history. My information has been gathered from too many sources too note and only tiny bits have been extracted from each source, but the information of the new DNA testing can be found at Wikipedia. This link will, in turn, lead you to all publications of the tests.