Shih Tzus and Shih Poos
BREED HISTORY
The Shih Tzu (or more properly, Shih Tzu Kou) means Lion Dog,
designating the breed as one of the most esteemed animals in China
because of its association with Buddhism. Even though the Shih Tzu is
most often associated with China, it probably originated in Tibet as
early as the seventeenth century, where it enjoyed status as a holy
dog. The Shih Tzu as it is known today developed most distinctively in
China during the reign of the Dowager Empress Cixi. The Shih Tzu and
Pekingese share similar histories; however, the Shih Tzu can usually
be differentiated from the Pekingese in Chinese art by the presence of
bumps on the tops of the head, denoting a topknot, or pien-ji. The
Shih Tzu was a favored house pet during the Ming dynasty and was
highly prized by the royal family. When the British looted the Imperial
Palace, most of the dogs were lost, and the breed suffered a great
setback. The Shih Tzu was first exhibited in China as the Lhassa
Terrier of Tibetan Poodle. In 1935, it was exhibited as the Lhassa Lion
Dog; by that time it was becoming very popular. A similar state of
confusion existed in England, where the Lhasa Apso and Shih Tzu
were both lumped together as the Apso (meaning shaggy). In 1934,
soon after the Apso was first shown, it was divided into two separate
breeds, with the smaller, wider-skulled, shorter-nosed dogs from
Peking dubbed Shih Tzu, their colloquial Chinese name. In 1952 a
single Pekingese cross was authorized to improve certain points, but
such crosses have never again been permited. In the United States,
the breed began to become extremely popular in the 1960s, leading to
AKC registration in 1969. Its popularity has continued to grow, and it is
one of the most popular toys.
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