One of the oldest toy breeds is the ShihTzu (pronounced Sheed-zoo). No one actually knows where the Shih Tzu originated. The Shih Tzu origin is steeped in mystery, legends and intrigue. At one time it was thought the breeding programs in the Far East were the propriety of the Tibetan Monks. The Lhasa Apso, Pug, Pekinese,and Shih Tzu were all believed to be Tibetan, and came to China as royal tributes from the Monks. However, it has been proven the Shih Tzu and Lhasa Apso are separate breeds, and taking into consideration the unusually high status the Shih Tzu held in China over the centuries, it is reasonable to assume the Chinese are reponsible for the creation of the Shih Tzu.
In the 13th century, Marco Polo reported Emperor Kubla Khan had small "lion" dogs housed with trained hunting lions. The dogs were companions to the lions to keep them calm when they were not hunting.
During the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) Shih Tzu type dog were favored by the royal families. Eunuchs were charged with duties of breeding and raising the beautiful royal pets. Documents mention the Little Lion Dogs to have "chrysanthemum" faces, were small, extremely intelligent, docile and resembled a lion.
The Chrysanthemum, was highly prized as an herb and a flower. It was believed to have the power of life. The Shih Tzu came to be known as the "Chrysanthemum faced dog" because the hair on its face grew in all directions like the petals of the flower.
A concubine, Dowager Empress T'zu Hsi seized the imperial throne as a young woman. The Empress governed China ruthlessly and cynically for half a century. She had a mind superior to her environment, skilled in the classics and dog breeding. In her youth she ruled by her beauty, and later with a shrewd sense of calculation and ruthlessness. She was noted to be cruel and had no regard for anyone but herself with the exception of the love she bestowed upon her beloved shaggy dogs......The Shih Tzu. It is to the Empress, most likely, that we owe our present day Shih Tzu.
Many books discussing the Lion Dogs point out the golds and the gold/white Shih Tzu were highly favored. The Dowager Empress incorporated the darker shades of brindle and silver, and of black, to maintain pigmentation. Sea Otter, a solid black, was one of her favorite pets, and is the only known photograph of the Empress with a Shih Tzu (a photograph with Sea Otter snoozing at her feet). Shih Tzu are one of the few breeds that all colors are permissible and there is no tan or liver disignation.
For centuries the Shih Tzu were a well kept secret in the palace, but when the Empress opened her Palace to English diplomats, westerners were introduced to her beloved Shih Tzu. Before her death in 1909, (a suicide) it is documented that the Empress gave several Shih Tzu to British diplomats and their wives, consequently, some of these dogs found their way to England, but it is unclear excactly what happened to them.
They were first imported to England in the 1930's. Then after World War II they made their way to the United States by military officers going home. It wasn't until 1969 that the AKC recognized the breed, placing them in the Toy Group. From the first day of formal AKC recognition in 1969, the Shih Tzu esculated from a relatively unknown breed to one of the most sought after and glamorous breeds of all the canine companion dogs. Shih Tzu have won the hearts of many who desire a pet companion that is playful, affectionate, compassionate, docile and entertaining. As a companion and lap dog, the Shih Tzu has some excellent credentials
