Shih-Tzu Dog

Facts about Shih-Tzu Dogs. "Scientific name for Shih-Tzu Dog is Canis lupus familiaris". A Shih-Tzu is a toy dog breed with long glossy hair originated in China.

Appearance of Shih-Tzu Dog

The Shih-Tzu Dog breed is a tiny, strong little dog with large dark eyes and a short muzzle. Through a flexible and long double fur, it stands not more than 26.7 cm at the shoulders. Drop ears are enclosed with elongated fur, and the greatly furred tail is carried coiled over the back. The Shih-Tzu Dog fur may be of any color, although white and with blazes of white are often seen. The Shih-Tzu Dog breed is somewhat longer than bigger, and tall dogs ideally carry themselves with noticeably proud carriage. An obvious feature of the Shih-Tzu Dog is the under-bite, which is necessary in the breed standard. The traditional extended glossy fur of the Shih-Tzu Dog, which reaches the ground, needs daily brushing to keep away from tangles. Due to the Shih-Tzu Dog long fur and swift-growing hair, frequent grooming is essential, which may be expensive and should be considered while deciding the Shih-Tzu Dog breed. The fur of the Shih-Tzu breed is habitually clipped short to make the care simpler. For conformation presentation, the fur of the Shih-Tzu Dog is required to be left in its natural condition, although trimming for tidiness around the anus and feet is allowed.

Height and weight of a Shih-Tzu Dog

The Shih-Tzu Dog breed of dogs is also called as the Chrysanthemum Dog or Chinese Lion Dog. The height of both Shih-Tzu Dog male and female dogs assumes the same body weight that ranges from five kilograms to seven kilograms. The average height of the The Shih-Tzu Dog 8 to 11 inches (20.3 to 27.9 cm)tall at the shoulder and 10 to 16 pounds (4.5 to 7.2 kg).

Temperament of a Shih-Tzu Dog

Even though the temperament of a Shih-Tzu Dog breed varies between dogs, the breed has a character and nature that are faithful, loving, alert and outgoing. Training and appropriate socializing have to be established at a juvenile age for the Shih-Tzu Dog breed to follow basic commands. Though the The Shih-Tzu Dog belongs to the Toy Group and in 1969 it was recognized by the (AKC) American Kennel Club.
breed is an outstanding watching dog due to its active and alert nature, it is not specially bred for this reason by their owners. Not like the Lhasa Apso, which is bred to be a guard dog that takes pleasure in high perches and is cautious of strangers, the Shih-Tzu Dog breed wishes to be close to its friends and will habitually offer its love to strangers. Owing to its gracious nature, this Shih-Tzu Dog breed is inclined to interrelate well with other dogs, including with adults and children. The Shih-Tzu Dog breed has been observed to get irritable if provoked, so the owner of this breed is supposed to be careful when the Shih-Tzu Dog is in the company of kids. Inappropriate training can as well, result in biting and nipping. The Shih-Tzu Dogs can as well, turn out to be deprived and cry if not disciplined appropriately at the right age. The Shih-Tzu Dog breed makes outstanding house pets, particularly if one resides in an apartment or does not have a big yard as they need minimum exercise. Overall, the Shih-Tzu Dogs are gracious and outgoing escorts.

Colors and fur of a Shih-Tzu Dog

The Shih-Tzu Dog breed comes in a variety of colors, such as white, gold, black and brown. Other colors comprise black and white, black mask gold, solid black, liver and white, solid liver, brindle, white and red and white and grey. Hence, when two Shih-Tzu dogs mate, there is likelihood that the fur of the offspring will be similar to their mom's color, dad's color, tricolor, or a blend of the color of both parents in one classification. A fascinating point is that while the Shih-Tzu Dogs color of the fur of those with black colored skin is decided by the color of the fur itself. The color of fur on dogs with either liver or blue color is classified by the color of the pigment. Thus, a partial colored Shih-Tzu Dog breed with blue pigment is a white and blue, despite the shade of the hair which may resemble white and gold or other colors. The same standard belongs to solid blue, liver and white and liver. Sometimes the Shih-Tzu Dogs may have dark brown pigments between the armpits and near the shoulders.

Health of a Shih-Tzu Dog

Some health problems in the Shih-Tzu breed are hip dysplasia and portosystemic force of the liver in normal sizes. There have been situations of the Shih-Tzu Dog breed being epileptic, which in turn may abridge the lifetime if left untreated. Several Shih-Tzu dogs are prone to ear diseases, too. The average lifespan of a Shih-Tzu breed is 13 years and 6 months, with the majority, existing between 10 years to 18 years.

If purchasing a Shih-Tzu Dog from a breeder, make sure to find a good breeder with references check at least two to three of the puppies that were purchased from this breeder.
The Shih-Tzu Dog belongs to the Toy Group and in 1969 it was recognized by the (AKC) American Kennel Club.