shihtzu2009

Far away in
Tibet, a country with a recorded history going back almost 1,500 years is where our Shih Tzu began.  The country was noted for its devotion to Buddhism. Some of the tallest mountains in the world edge the country of
Tibet.  Winters in
Tibet are severe with temperatures to 14 degrees F in December.  The winds in
Tibet are strong and biting with hard frosts.  Snowfall is light.  In the summer, daylight temperatures reach a maximum of 75 degrees F with a sharp drop in temperature at night.  Throughout most of the year there is sunshine and the air is dry and pure. 

The people of this remote and rather mysteriousland of
Tibet were like so many other cultures in our world.  They kept dogs in a domestic environment.  There were large dogs used for guarding and small, shaggy dogs used as companions and as watch-dogs to alert the larger dogs.  These small dogs were the ancestors of our Shih Tzu.  The history of the Shih Tzu, however, is steeped in myth and legends, which makes it difficult to sort the true facts of our Shih Tzu. 

One tale in particular, which I find interesting, is that of the small Lion Dogs were trained to turn the prayer wheels as part of the daily ritual in the monasteries.  There was a belief that those monks whose life had been less than exemplary, would in accordance with the Buddhist theory of reincarnation, be reborn as one of the temple dogs. Buddhism in
Tibet recognized a large number of divine beings.  Each being symbolized an aspect of life.  One was Buddha Manjusri, the God of Learning.  The God of Learning was said to travel with a small Lion Dog (ancestor to our Shih Tzu) that could turn into a full-sized lion and carry him vast distances on his back.   

Oddly enough, there were no actual lions in
Tibet, only artistic works of the animal, which were often somewhat fantastical.  We cannot be sure whether the Lion Dogs were bred to resemble the drawings and statues of the symbolic lions or if the artists created their ‘lions’ in the likeness of the little dogs (ancestors to our Shih Tzu). The snow lion was called Gang Seng and was considered to be so powerful that he could cause seven dragons to fall out of the sky with one roar.  The symbolic lion was believed to have the ability to walk in the clouds.  He could also speak with the voice of truth and fearlessness. 

Tibet was a difficult place to get to.  China was a neighbor to
Tibet.  Gifts from Tibet to
China were sent as tribute to the Chinese emperors, among which were Tibetan Lion Dogs (ancestor to our Shih Tzu). These little dogs traveled with the caravans on long journeys from one country to the other.  A small army of eunuchs took care of the little dogs.  The little Tibetan Lion Dogs (ancestors to our Shih Tzu) adapted well as they have continued to do wherever they have gone to live through the centuries.   

In China, everything must have been very different from
Tibet.  The summers in
Peking were warm and humid with a lot of rain.  The winters were very cold, somewhat like
Tibet, with temperatures as low as 0 degrees F in January.  It is recorded that the little Tibetan Lion Dogs settled in and became great favorites of the Manchu emperors. Most likely they were interbred with the short-faced Chinese breeds – the Chinese Pug and the Pekinese, which is probably what gives the Shih Tzu the characteristics that differentiate them from the Tibetan Lion Dogs that later became the Lhasa Apsos.

I understand that Apso means dog, but could also mean “goat-like” or “shaggy”  in the Tibetan language.  To the Tibetan people it was used to mean “

Temple
Dog.”  In that connection it became known as “Lion Dog.”  All these meanings were a long time ago.  It seems I read repeatedly that many people understand and agree it was about 1650 that three temple dogs, holy dogs (they called them), were sent to
China and that from these three came the Shih Tzu.  It seems there are many (from what I read) who are in agreement that about 100 years later, the temple dogs had been the sole property of the Dalai Lama.  Some of these dogs were given away to distinguished Russian visitors, and were stolen before they reached the border along with several many more that disappeared from Dalai Lama’s monastery during a civil upheaval and then reappeared in various parts of the country.  According to the historians this was the end of the
Temple or Lion Dog, the Apso.  From then on, all sorts of small dogs that looked vaguely like the Apso of old became known as Apso.  This is told as being the beginning of the Monastery dog and also the caravan dog.

Whether or not the present day Apso or the Shih Tzu can be regarded as “pure” representatives of the historic Tibetan Holy Dogs, they are clearly historically related, the Apso that developed along Tibetan lines and the Shih Tzu because of climate, environment and human planning became essentially Chinese.  I think I can understand this much of some of the mystery surroundings the development of Shih Tzu.  And I do believe this much is absolutely true.  Although the Apso and the Shih Tzu are closely related in their distant past, for centuries the two breeds have developed along totally different lines.  The Apso remained in the remote vastness of
Tibet where it could adapt to the climate without difficulty.  And the Shih Tzu was taken eastward to share in the life of luxury at the

.

The Shih Tzu was brought directly from Peking to
Scandinavia and was classified as a Toy, which was probably a correct interpretation of the Chinese ideal.  The introduction of the Pekingese strain was also probably designed to help make the larger mountain watchdog (the Apso) more suitable for the

Imperial
Palace.  All of this part of the Shih Tzu’s unique heritage of which none of us should be ashamed.

Of note here, I would like to emphasize, this is an article regarding the history of our Shih Tzu.  This article is by no means an advocate for anyone to interbreed the Shih Tzu with any other breed for any reason.  The American Shih Tzu Club’s Code of Ethics clearly states that the crossbreeding of the Shih Tzu to any other breed is strictly prohibited and not at all acceptable.

In 1952 Elfreda Evans deliberately bred a Shih Tzu to a Pekingese.  This was the “unthinkable,” and was not taken well by many.  However, Ms. Evans felt there were just too few Shih Tzus available to breed and those that were available were much too large and too inbred.  She believed because the Shih Tzu were so closely related they were developing too many faults.

One of the greatest moments in Shih Tzu history was in 1963.  A Shih Tzu named Champion Ellingham Kala Nag won Best of Breed at Crufts, the most renowned and respected dog show in the
United Kingdom.  The Shih Tzu began winning hearts all around the world.

In spite of its appeal the Shih Tzu was not accepted as a distinct breed by the American Kennel Club until 1955.  It was then listed in the Miscellaneous Class.  By 1964 there were approximately 400 Shih Tzus registered in the
United States.

Although much progress had been made, the Pekingese cross did seem to causes a setback for Shih Tzu recognition in the
United States.   The American Kennel Club would not recognize any of the descendants of the Shih Tzu/Pekingese outcross as purebred Shih Tzu until they were at least four generations removed from the original Shih Tzu/Pekingese mating.  We do know, however, that by 1966 there were 15 registered Shih Tzu champions in the
United Kingdom that were descendants of Mrs. Evans’ Shih Tzu/Pekingese cross.

By 1980 the Shih Tzu population was into the thousands and Shih Tzus were being exported to many countries around the world.   In 1989 the American Shih Tzu Club developed a more descriptive standard to guide Shih Tzu breeders.  Today, in the
United States, the Shih Tzu ranks among the ten most popular breeds.

It seems as though the Shih Tzu’s fight for survival is finally over……

Shih Tzu was seen to have a number of characteristics that were believed to be comparable to characteristics of Buddha.  The white mark on the forehead of the Shih Tzu was perceived as the energy center, often called the third eye or sixth chakra, and is symbolic of the trinity, oneness of mind, universalism, salvation for all, and the three mystical areas (body, mouth, and mind).  Positive qualities were believed to exude from the Shih Tzu which was intuition, perception, optimism, and vision.

The top knot of the Shih Tzu is the crowning glory of the Shih Tzu.  The top knot symbolically represented creativity, mysticism, charm, magical powers, wisdom, and love.  All these qualities are present in the Stain Glass Shih Tzu I am acquainted with today.  Shih Tzu is charming, full of love and has been quite mysterious to live with.  I have found a greater sense of security since owning the Shih Tzu.

The luxurious featherings on the Shih Tzu head and face were perceived as symbolic of the rays of the sun and of the sacred Adumbral flower which blooms once in three thousand years.

The white neck and front of the Shih Tzu were believed to be symbolic of Buddha’s swelling cape of dignity.  The cape permitted its wearer, as administrator of the sun, moon, and stars, the privilege of attending to purity, justice, and virtue.  Upon the Shih tzu’s cape are the Rosary of the Goddess of Mercy and the three rings of the Buddha.

The draping coat or skirt of the Shih Tzu was seen as symbolic of light, strength, and courage.  The Buddha’s flock must never reject their children, their parents, those who love them, or those whom they have loved, lest they never reach Nirvana or Heaven.  Buddha-like, the Shih Tzu was considered symbolically the guardian of wisdom to that all may reverse their imperfections.

A marking may be present n the middle of the back of the Shih Tzu or there may be one that extends from the upper back to the end of the back or nearly as far as the tip of the tail of the Shih Tzu.   This blanket or saddle effect on the Shih Tzu was believed symbolic of the saddle or blanket upon which Buddha is seated as minister of the sun, moon, and stars.  It also was believed symbolic of the three vehicles of learning leading to wisdom:  discipline, knowledge, and meditation.  Pegasus-like, the Shih Tzu is to carry his rider through the air to realize material gain of wealth and jewels.

The heavily plumed tail of the Shih Tzu which forms a graceful arch over the back of the Shih Tzu represents one of the five Royal Insignia attributable to anointed kings and holy men.  This umbrella-like feature of the Shih Tzu is depicted in symbolic representations of Buddha, covering his form, protecting him from worldly imperfections.

The white feet of the Shih Tzu were considered reminiscent of the Buddha’s shoes, embroidered with jewels, to convey the wearer one hundred miles without fatigue and give the wearer the ability to glide across water without wetting the feet.

Following the political upheaval in China and the burning of the
Imperial
Palace, several Shih Tzu were found alive by British embassy staff and taken to
England.  The first Shih Tzu introduced in England were brought from
Peking by General Sir Douglass and Lady Brownrigg in 1930.  A Shih Tzu dog named Hibou and a Shih Tzu bitch named Shu-ssa.  About this same time, Miss Madelaine Hutchins imported a Shih Tzu named Lung-Fu-Ssu into
Ireland.  These three Shih Tzu became the foundation stock for the well-known Taishan Shih Tzu.

Shih Tzu was introduced to
Scandinavia by Mme. Henrik Kauffman.  Another Shih Tzu, Tashi of Chouette, was brought to
England by the Earl of Essex in 1938 and was bred successfully.  Three Shih Tzu bitches were imported by General Telfer-Smollett.

The English Kennel Club recognized the Shih Tzu breed in 1934.  The Irish Kennel Club recognized the ShihTzu that same year.

Within a few years, Shih Tzu from English kennels was being shipped to America, Canada,
Australia, and European countries.

In
England there have been four kennels that produced outstanding Shih Tzu that are now found in pedigree in all countries where Shih Tzu are bred and exhibited.  The four kennels are Lhakang Elfann, Telota and Greenmoss.

Gay Widdrington’s love affair with the Shih Tzu began when she bought a black and white bitch from Lady Brownrigg.  The Shih Tzu breed was very rare at that time.  The Shih Tzu puppy Gay Widdrington acquired was only the second generation from the first three Shih Tzu imported into the British Isles from
China in 1930.  The Shih Tzu puppy was named Mee Na and was quite captivating.  She was described as looking like a “fluffy baby owl.”

At this time, Shih Tzu breeding stock was very low and already much “inbred.”  When new imported Shih Tzu lines became available, the Lhakang Kennel carried out careful selective Shih Tzu breeding over a period of many years to help introduce and stabilize these new Shih Tzu lines so that the breed could be established on a broader basis.  It is largely due to Gay’s efforts that the Shih Tzu breed is one of the few in the
British Isles free of serious hereditary problems.

In the late forties Gay and her mother decided to establish a Shih Tzu true-breeding rich gold strain through the line of the Shih Tzu Ishuh Tzu, who had been imported from
Shanghai.  That Shih Tzu line produced the color and flourished for four decades.

Elfann Kennel owned by Elfreda Evans came into the Shih Tzu breed in 1951.  She decided she would do something drastic to improve the Shih Tzu breed.   She mated a black Shih Tzu bitch to a black and white Pekingese dog, which had unusually straight front legs for a Pekingese. 

Freda had an excellent eye for beauty as well as quality.  She felt the Shih Tzu she had seen were too big, leggy, rangy, plain in the face and often wild in temperament.  These Shih Tzu certainly would not have pleased the Dowager Empress was the thoughts of Freda.   Since she had heard in
China the shaggy Lion Dogs (Shih Tzu) had been crossed with Pekingese every few generations.  She decided to do likewise to keep the Shih Tzu breed on the right lines.  It was not very well taken by many. 

I have two little Shih Tzu, Danny and Jane Jane that resemble Pekingese.  These Shih Tzu are both one year of age and weigh in at 4 pounds.  It is my opinion, their Shih Tzu size is a result of some of this crossbreeding, and most likely would have made the Empress Dowager “smile.”  My Danny and Jane Jane are exquisite little treasures of mine at Stain Glass Shih Tzu.  I must say they have the “sweetest” disposition of all the Shih Tzu I have ever owned.  These tiny treasures are very rare in the world of Shih Tzu today.

There is evidence that Maltese type dogs were present in
China as early as 8000 B.C.  Maltese are white.  It is very likely these white Maltese type dogs were interbred in
Tibet with Tibetan Terriers to produce the Lhasa Apso type temple dogs.  Those presented by wandering Lamas were likely bred with the existing Pekingese type dogs.  A few paintings and art objects dating back to the seventh century depict dogs resembling the Shih Tzu.  Some of our white Shih Tzu today probably is a result of these early breeding with the Maltese.  I have one solid white female who does look a lot Maltese, however, he pedigree shows only Shih Tzu ancestors.

During the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) the Shih Tzu type dog was a cherished pet – highly favored by the royal family.  A cult-like worship for the Shih Tzu developed at this period.  Eunuchs were charged with duties of breeding and rearing the beautiful Shih Tzu royal pets.  Competition among the eunuchs to gain royal favor became fierce, as each  tried to breed the best Shih Tzu, most lion like, and most ferocious looking specimens of Shih Tzu.

Surgery was used to shorten noses of the Shih Tzu.  Women who bore female offspring were used to nurse Shih Tzu puppies after their babies were murdered mercilessly so as not to disrupt an abundantly even flow of milk from human nurses to nursing Shih Tzu puppies.

The Ming Dynasty was marked by the development of the arts, especially in porcelain, textiles, and painting.  Sculptures, wall-hangings and paintings from this time period depict dogs resembling the Shih Tzu.

The Manchu Dynasty extended from 1644 to 1912.  Throughout this period, tribute gifts of pairs of Shih Tzu and Lhasa Apso were sent to Chinese rules from the

Potala
Palace.

Through the first two centuries of the Manchu Dynasty, the Shih Tzu and the Lhasa Apso were more similar than they are today.  But it probably has been only in the last hundred or hundred fifty years that specialized breeding programs in the Forbidden City and in the West established uniformity in conformation to really distinguish between the two breeds of the Lhasa Apso and the Shih Tzu.

The Shih Tzu went through several stages while its breeding was confined to the palaces of the Chinese Emperors.  For centuries the royal family included a very large number of sub-royalty and servants.  They traveled from their summer courts to their winter quarters in procession – complete with household and personal possessions, which of course included their Shih Tzu and other pets.  The description of this massive semiannual exodus along with their Shih Tzu was one reminiscent of a very large circus parade.

The Shih Tzu came into its heyday as the pampered darling of the Chinese Imperial Palaces during the reign of the last Empress, who came into power in 1861 and continued as Empress until her death in 1908.

In her youth she was known to her family as Orchid, of the Yehonala family.  She was Manchu, not Chinese, background and was of humble origin.  At 17 years of age she became the beautiful concubine of the Emperor in the
Forbidden City.  She rose to power as a brilliant strategist and was the mother of the Emperor’s first-born son.  In later years she was known as the earthly embodiment of the Goddess of Mercy.   This great personality was the patroness of the Palace Dog – the Shih Tzu.

Eunuchs and their personal hierarchies ran the Imperial households.  Li Lien-Yang whom Tzu Hsi (The Empress Dowager) named Chief Eunuch was made responsible for overseeing the breeding and Shih Tzu selections to be presented to her for possibilities of becoming part of her “Shih Tzu entourage.” 

The Empress kept complete pedigrees and descriptions of physical markings for all Shih Tzu used as breeding stock.  Imperial selections of the best specimens of Shih Tzu were based on health, temperament, conformation, and markings.  Because of religious reasons, Shih Tzu of parti-colors with perfect facial marking and perfect saddle were held in high esteem by the Empress.  Solid color Shih Tzu were prized by her as well.

Although many of today’s breeders assume Empress Dowager favored gold and the gold and white Shih Tzu, and even think the Empress surrounded herself only with gold and the gold-white Shih Tzu, the  assumption is most likely not true.  The favorite Shih Tzu of all time of the Empress Dowager was a solid black Shih Tzu, named Sea Otter.

The Empress Dowager was wise about the laws of Shih Tzu color inheritance.  She knew of the importance of the darker shades of brindle and silver and of black in maintaining pigmentation of Shih Tzu eye color and coat color.

The Chinese produced pure lines of dogs, such as the Shih Tzu,  for centuries before the practice became prevalent in the West.

For political reasons, the Empress entertained wives of various ambassadors and diplomats from time to time, and gave them valuable gifts.  In the beginning Shih Tzu were not among the gifts, despite the interest the foreign ladies showed toward the Shih Tzu.  Eventually, a few of the Shih Tzu were given as gifts to foreigners, but there is some evidence that the eunuchs fed powdered glass to the Shih Tzu to cause death rather than permit them to leave China.  The Shih Tzu were kept as secret for many, many years.

Westerners living in
China at the time considered association with the Dowager Empress to be the highest form of status.  This attention from visitors may have been instrumental in the Dowager Empress’ decision to present some of her treasured Shih Tzu to her admirers.

By the early 1900s, several Shih Tzu were introduced into
Europe by returning diplomats and ladies.  Also, the eunuchs assigned to breeding, whelping, and general maintenance of the Imperial Shih Tzu would do anything for financial gain.  There were indications that falsified breeding took place and Shih Tzu puppies were bartered and sold outside the
Forbidden City of affluent Chinese and even to the Foreign Devils.

It has been speculated that the Dowager Empress had the Emperor Kuang-hsu secretly murdered just hours before her own suicidal death so that she would be the last Imperial Ruler of China.  With her death, along with all else that occurred; the fate of the Shih Tzu became tenuous.

Fire destroyed animals and large portions of the inner chambers.  The eunuchs who fled prior to the fires within the Palace took much of the Shih Tzu breeding stock and finest specimens to sell to foreigners and Chinese noblemen who would pay handsome prices for the Shih Tzu dogs and treasures of the Palace.

In Peking the Comtesse d”
Anjou was the recipient of some of the Palace Shih Tzu stock.  Mrs. Lorenz had two black ShihTzu, Mei-mei and Moer in the 1930s.  Mrs. Lorenz owned a Shih Tzu kennel of almost all black Shih Tzu, and one of her studs, Chu Po, a solid black Shih Tzu with a strong gold gene behind him, was a great grandson of Hai Ling (Sea Otter), a favorite of the Dowager Empress.

Today, Shih Tzu exemplifies the great love Dowager Empress had for Shih Tzu.  Under her half century of direction and influence, the Imperial Shih Tzu flourished and developed in uniformity.  These intelligent little beings brought great happiness to her at times of excessive loneliness and sorrow.  The Empress Dowager was a multi-faceted person of great depth. The Empress lives on as a spiritual guide and patroness of our present day Shih Tzu.

The earliest “Lion Dog” in
Tibet had long hair, were small in size and similar to the Maltese in type.  As Tibet and
China exchanged traditions and beliefs of culture and religion, the exchange of dogs became a two-way affair as well.  The Chinese definitely interbred their small dogs, which were of many varieties, with the Tibetans with long hair, and the people of
Tibet no doubt interbred their small dog with those from the Chinese people.

The outcome of this interbreeding eventually became the Shih Tzu.  The Chinese called the Shih Tzu “Tibetan Lion Dog.”  The Apso was also involved with the interbreeding practices.  The Tibetans called the Apso, “ApsoSeng Kyi” or “Apso Lion Dog.”

The Chinese tried to retain the characteristics they admired, which was the unnaturally short face and broad head, the wide barrel-like chest and the low-to-the-ground look.

The Tibetans, however, could not hold these same characteristics because of the climate and environment of their land.  
Tibet is an area of high altitudes.  The very short face with restricted nasal development (which incidentally gives many Shih Tzu lovers a great pain to deal with at times) and the heavy body and short legs of the Chinese Shih Tzu would be at a disadvantage in these conditions.  They could not breathe and survive in the high altitudes of
Tibet.  The Lhasa Apso could survive in
Tibet.  The Tibetans produced a dog slightly modified from the Chinese dog of a similar ancestry which was the Lhasa Apso.

The Tibetan Terrier (also involved in the exchanges between Tibet and
China) is probably closes to the basic canine with a long head, compact and natural in conformation.  Then comes the Apso, which begins to show the influence of some of the Chinese type.  This influence resulted in a smaller dog, shorter on leg than the terrier relative, shorter nose than the terrier, and the teeth and jaw formation revealed a shortening of the face.  The eyes are more frontally placed. 

The eyes of the Shih Tzu have always been one of its most valued signature characteristics.  I have never met a Shih Tzu that did not have a warm expression that radiated through its eyes.  Some Shih Tzu has this characteristic greater than others.  They are almost human-like.

When comparing the Shih Tzu to the Apso, one can see the most distinct Chinese characteristics.  I have had Shih Tzu that look as if you are absolutely looking right at a Chinese in person.  I am amazed at how the Chinese accomplished this.  It truly was a work of art, as they did not breed according to pedigree as we do.  They bred according to a picture of their minds of what they wanted the Shih Tzu to look like.  Most of the time, their goal was to create the Shih Tzu to resemble what they thought a Lion should look like, and they apparently also, created Shih Tzu to resemble themselves in the face.

Smallness must have been fashionable and something of a status symbol in both the Apso and the Shih Tzu as well as the Pekingese.  The Pekingese were also involved in the interbreeding to reduce size. 

Some westerner breeders challenge the assumption that the Shih Tzu from
Tibet were on occasion interbred with the native Pekingese to reduce the Shih Tzu to a smaller size.  However, there are those in
China at the time that probably has a better position to know exactly what did happen.  There are several  statements made by different people who was actually in China at the time the Shih Tzu were crossed with the Pekingese.  Colonel Valentine Burkhardt for one points out that the Shih Tzu was most definitely crossed with the Pekingese.  The Chinese did not breed by pedigree.   They bred according to the image they had of the Lion Dog.   Cross-breeding with the Pekingese was apparently done to reduce the size of the Shih Tzu.  It is also felt the cross-breedings occurred to flatten the forehead, making it more lion-like in Chinese eyes.

There was a definite “Peke cross” in
England in 1952 with the specific purpose of eliminating certain faults in the breed.  The cross was done with the full knowledge of the British Kennel Club.  This cross was made under the supervision of Miss E.M. Evans, a distinguished breeder of the Pekingese, who grew to love the Shih Tzu and felt a conviction that this step was necessary for the betterment of the breed in
England.  In defense of her action, she explained that the Shih Tzu in her homeland of
England were “too large, too high on leg, too long of muzzle with very bad pigmentation and too closely inbred.”  Miss Evans bred a Shih Tzu bitch, Elfann Fenling of Yram, to a beautifully coated black and white Pekingese, Philadephus Suti T’Sun of Elfann, who had perfect pigment and large dark eyes.  His only fault was straight legs.  The offspring of this outcross were bred back to purebred Shih Tzu, one from each generation, and the successive breedings were fully recorded with the British Kennel Club in the crossbred register.  This outcross proved to be quite successful in correcting the pigmentation and creating the shorter leg Shih Tzu.

During this time period the Shih Tzu were mostly terribly big, near 18 pounds in weight.  The smallest one found by Mrs. Jungefeldt was black and white named Fu-Ling of Clystvale.  He was low on legs, strong chest and weighed about 9 ½ pounds, and probably the smallest Shih Tzu in
England at the time.

An explanation of why the first English Shih Tzu imports were “very large” is during the days of imperial rule eunuchs were in charge.   Eunuchs tried to profit from all breeding.  The oversized specimens produced were passed into the hands of the general public. 

Eunuchs fed  glass to the small Imperial Shih Tzu just shortly before committing suicide themselves.  This practice kept others from breeding their bloodlines of the smaller type Imperial Shih Tzu.   I suppose feeding the Shih Tzu glass was the only way they could think of to “protect their bloodlines.  This practice is comparable to the Shih Tzu breeders of today, some of whom, routinely spay and neuter their Shih Tzu at the very young age of 8 weeks.  There are, however, many health advantages to spaying and neutering a Shih Tzu puppy early.   Most vets agree spaying and neutering should be done not sooner than 6 months of age.

The Countess d’Anjou was a leading western authority on the Shih Tzu breed.  She felt the first English Shih Tzu imports were too large.  She agreed to a Peking Kennel Club standard of 10 to 15 pounds.  This was an agreement she later regretted.   In a very famous letter the Countess wrote to Mrs. Widdrington, she states the Shih Tzu really should be under 12 pounds.  At one time in
Peking they had two classes, up to 12 pounds and over 12 pounds judged separately.  She went on to say in her letter to Mrs. Widdrington, “they never had the big ones in theImperial
Palace…”  The Countess acquired her information from the Princess Der Ling who was a lady-in-waiting at court. Princess Der Ling had a unique position to know exactly what the palace dogs were truly like.  The Countess’ letter gave no explanation as to what happened to the larger Shih Tzu.  Her letter did make it quite clear that only the small Shih Tzu were kept in the

Empress Dowager and the eunuchs did not want outsiders to have possession of the smaller size Shih Tzu.    However, these little guys do still live on with some of us.  The tactics used to keep the smaller size Shih Tzu a secret of theImperial
Palace was not completely successful.

I want to emphasize the fact that the American Kennel Club’s standard weight for a Shih Tzu is 9 to 16 pounds.  Any Shih Tzu entered into AKC competitions under this weight is considered a fault and is disqualified. 

There are not two separate types of Shih Tzu according to the current American Kennel Club standard in the year of 2005.  The nicknames of Imperial and Teacup Shih Tzu for Shih Tzu less than 9 pounds in weight are just that – Nicknames.  These are not official names given to the Shih Tzu. 

Take a closer look at the history and development of the Shih Tzu since the fall of theImperial
Palace.  The smaller type Shih Tzu genes are interspersed throughout our bloodlines.  Imperial and Teacup Shih Tzu, commonly nicknamed, are a direct result of the Original Imperial Palace Shih Tzu.  The Pekingese cross after the fall of the

This article does not promote or advocate the crossbreeding of Shih Tzu with any other breed to reduce size or for any other reason.  The American Shih Tzu Club code of ethics clearly states this is not acceptable.  The code of ethics should be followed.