A little about Shih-Tzu’s Size and History

The Chinese Imperial Dog!

An Imperial Shih Tzu is a terminology we use to distinguishh size not a pharse used to sale a baby. It is a smaller size Shih Tzu, however by being smaller it does in no way whatsoever compromise their health! Imperials range from 3 TO 6 pounds realistically, most of mine will range from 4 to 6 lbs. Then you have the Smalls range from Over 6 and up to 9 pounds.  They are petite and carry all the attributes the standard size Shih Tzu does only they do not meet the AKC standard required to show your shih tzu. We know there is a lot of conflict on the internet regarding "Imperial" Shih Tzu's. No they are not a breed of their own; they are still a Shih Tzu. The word Imperial or Small is just a term. See Term for Standards listed in AKC, Size, Proportion, substance.

Now the Golden Statement! Here are just a few I here all the time:

"There is no such thing as an Imperial Shih Tzu"

"Imperials are just the Runts in the Litter"

"Imperial is only a Term Used to Sale a Puppy"

WELL, Let me ask you , "the public".  Could you pitcure an Emperor Standing with a 10 to 16 lb. Shih Tzu inside of his Sleeves?  This is where they used to hold their dog, LOL. Also did you know there is a Club for the Imperial Shih Tzu? It is the CID Club, no I am not a member at this time.  Shih Tzu where thought to have been Much smaller before they began exporting the Shih Tzu to other countries and then to the Us, and they have been bred up to what AKC Recognizes as a Standard Akc Shih Tzu in order to show.  These are my points and the points of alot of other breeders and information gathered through documents I have read. These points are not posted in the intent to Insult anyone, Only to make My readers aware of my insight in reguards to the TERM "Imperials" . Now,  Imperials do not meet the AKC Standard in size but, non the less , that does not mean there is no such Size or Term as an Imperial!  This is not ment to ofend anyone,  just a means to explain the Term.  Thank you .

 

STANDARD / SMALLS

SMALLS:  NORMALLY WILL BE OVER 6 LBS UP TO 9 LBS.

Standards /AKC REGULATION :SHOULD BE 9 to 16 LBS.

  

About the Shih Tzu

The Shih Tzu is a small dog whose lavish coat can be almost any color. It is considered prized to have the white blaze on the forehead and white tip to the tail. Its coat is long on top and dense underneath. When the dog is full-grown the undercoat helps give an overall graceful appearance to the coat. Their head and tail are carried high, which brings a feeling a confidence in this breed. The body is compact and slightly longer than it is tall. It has a very sturdy body structure hidden beneath its mantle of luxurious hair. The hair on the bridge of the nose grows upwards giving the distinctive "chrysanthemum" look. The head is rounded with a beard and mustache look covering a short, squared shaped, hairy muzzle. It has large, wide-rounded eyes that express the impression of trust and friendliness. The ears are covered in long straight hair extending to the front legs. The teeth usually form an undershot bite. The tail is long but carried high and curled over the back. It is common to have the hair on top done up with bows or clips to be able to have the face show. They shed little to no hair and make is a great choice for allergy suffers.

Coat Description

The Shih Tuz's coat has a long, straight flowing, elegant look. The top is usually done up in a topknot with a bow, keeping hair out of its face. They shed little to no hair and their skin dander makes their coat due well with allergy sufferers.

History
The origin of the Shih-Tzu is obscure. The Shih-Tzu originated in Tibet where it was kept in temples as a sacred dog. It is known that they were occasionally given to the Emperors of China during the Manchu dynasty (17th century) as a tribute of great honor and that is how they came to be established in China. In that country, the dogs became little temple dogs and were kept in the palace and carefully guarded and cared for by the court eunuchs. When the Peking Kennel Club was formed in 1934 there was much confusion as to the difference between certain small breeds. In 1938 an individual standard was set for the Shih-Tzu and it was recognized as a separate breed from certain other Tibetan breeds. With the war and the takeover of Peking in 1949 there were no more exported from China. In 1952 there was a strong fear that the breed was developing poor structure and it was decided to cross a Pekingese into the line in England. The purpose was to obtain a less leggy dog with a better coat and shorter muzzle. This was accomplished, however the bowed front legs of the Pekingese are something that still can be seen on some Shih-Tzu today. There was also a faction in England called the Manchu Club that believed a smaller dog better represented the ture heritage of the temple dogs. The Kennel Club recognized this in their 1938 standard by stating the ideal weight was between 9 to 16 pounds which is what the current standard recognizes. In the United States, fanciers obtained the first Shih-Tzu’s in the late 1930s. The breed gained in popularity in 1960, with many imports coming from England
and Europe. The breed was shown in the Miscellaneous class at AKC dog shows. It was not until 1969 that the Shih-Tzu were permitted to be shown as a separate breed in the Toy Group. In 1969, 2,811 Shih-Tzu were registered which increased to 14,894 in 1978. Within that nine year period over 85,000 Shih-Tzu were registered with the American Kennel Club, placing the Shih-Tzu in the top 25 most popular breeds according to the AKC. It is no surprise that the temple dog had come into the homes of many owners -- this is due not only their Imperial background but also to their personality.

 

Personality and Temperament
One of the strongest characteristics of the Shih-Tzu is its personality. The Shih-Tzu is a friendly,
nonaggressive dog that is a good companion for children and other breeds of dogs. Shih-Tzu’s are
known for their fun-loving play, romping around the apartment or in the country side.

I am Proud to be a Contributor to a Brand new Website for all you Shih Tzu lovers. This members website offers important updates, photo's , information and E-book's on the Shih-Tzu breed. It's contributors now range from: Breeders, Groomers, Trainers and soon we hope, a Qualified Vet for help with all your questions relating to this breed.  Feel free to visit @ http://www.JustShihTzus.com !!

Quick Clip of the Standard Shih Tzu and their History : http://www.dog.com/dog-breeds/shih-tzu/

MORE GREAT INFO FOR YOU " SCROLL DOWN" TO SEE.

TO VIEW COLOR PHOTOS OF THE SHIH TZU CLICK BELOW: Q/A on some colors.

http://fancydancin.webs.com/- New Folder/SHIHTZU COLORS.doc

Rule of Registering as a  Liver's or Blue's:  AKC Regulations and rules and Identifications.

Liver/Blue gets it's name not because of Coat Color but insted it is because the Leathers:( Eye Rims, Lips, Paws ect.) are Chocolate/Brown  Or Blue  in Color insted of Black. They may have many coat colors. This photo shows an excellent example of these colors!! (Photo is compliments of:  Eda Bobo, Shawnee Valley Shih Tzu)

 

The solid Colors are Solid Livers/Solid Blues (excepted as solids are those that have small patches of white on feet only, chest on top of head) and any other combination with White (down the legs and quarters, around the neck or belly) in the coat are Liver & White Or The Rare Blue & Whites. 

Below is some more Great Information From Heath, Gooming, Toxic's Trainning ect., I hope this Info is Helpful to all!

Advise that I give to all my New puppy's families:

Important advise for you and all puppy owners: Your baby will require a safe secure area to play and sleep, I use a Pen called a Play Yard. The play yard will also give you a great housing area to pad/paper train your puppy, she/he already knows to go here as they have been trained to this play pen here with me, If you let him/her out to play, make sure you leave the door open and play closely to the pen so after 1/2 hour of excitement she/he will go in to pee pee. Remember, your puppy can not hold it, he/she will try to get there but if it is too far he/she will just let it go and you are saying, OH NO!! If you are playing with your puppy and she is not close to her play pen area, take him/her pee pad with you to the room where she will play, place it near her, sat her on it when she first arrives in there every time, If she makes a bo bo, dab it up with this pad and place it where she did the bobo. After the puppy is in bed again, clean the area with (Vinegar, table salt and water mix) let dry, this will neutralize the odor!!  Remember this, take to puppy to pee as soon as they wake up, 15 minutes after eating and right before bedtime.  Watch the puppy to start sniffing and running away while playing, they are looking to potty, take them to where you want them to potty so they learn.  They are like children, if not shown where and when to go then they just go where ever and when ever they want, it's up to you to train them and praise them for the good, NEVER raise your voice, insted,  take them to the pad, set them down and walk away.  Just so they know they have just done a no no.

Here is the Play yard I recommend as I use these. Plus you can order extra Panels (comes in two panels ) and makes it really big, But this size here is all she will need for a long time. This is what she/he is in right now and already trained to it. I put thier Potty pad at one end, thier bed at the other end and food on side panel in the center, they have the whole area to play safely,  both indoors and out doors and on the go when traveling!!! This play yard shapes into a long oblong or Octagon like shown and folds up flat to travel!!! You will be thankful every day you purchased this Item!!!!!!

http://www.kmart.com/shc/s/p_10151_10104_9990000046077811P?vName=Baby&cName=Baby+Care+%26+Safety&sName=Gates 64.99 avail at most Kmart or Kmart online!!!

Don't forget to read my page about Flea Control:

This page will save you Bundles, It is simple and natural, you make your own, I Promise there is nothing hard to do here!!!! I use this method myself and have had great results this year!!!!

HOUSE BREAKING AND TRAINNING: http://www.fancydancingshihtzu.com/- New Folder/Crate or Not to Crate.doc

GOOD ONE with info on Puppy Exercise Pen:http://www.fancydancingshihtzu.com/- New Folder/House Training Your shih tzu.doc

Taking a new puppy home, you say It won't eat now, here is why and what to do!> http://www.fancydancingshihtzu.com/- New Folder/puppy not eating after getting home.doc

Dog Vaccinations:
What Shots Do Dogs Need?

First: So you don't get the wrong Idea, I do Vaccinate all my puppies with 5 way (never 7 way with Lepto), But I do intend to follow the guide lines of this report on all my adult dog's from this point on.  All Adults recieve a 7 way at one year and Rabies every 2 years as required by law.

While researching some medical updates online , I ran across this article, After reading it I have decided to do more research on  what they have to say about this subject!  I will post anything else on it if,  I find something that states this is wrong.  Please read this entire page, I am sure you will find it as interesting as I did and it does seem logical and I may even order this booklet on the subject.  I also do not give the Vaccine with Lepto (not needed here and is believed that this Vaccine has caused the death of many shih-tzu in recent years ! )  Click this link to read about Vaccinations:

http://www.yourpurebredpuppy.com/health/common/vaccinations.html

UPDTAE: 1/17th, 2009 :   I have read many articals on the Subject of Yearly Vaccinations and find that you in fact can over vaccinate a dog. Once they have received their series of Puppy Shots and their First years Boosters, the only vaccinations that are required are their monthly heartworm preventative, monthly wormer, Yearly Rabies and Kennel couph. Any further Vaccinations  just reduce your dogs natural Imune System and then,  this incresses the risk of them getting the very Virus you vaccinated him/her for. So I beleive the Yearly Re-Vaccanation Program is un-healthy for my pets and not necessary. Each dog owner should make their own best decision when it comes to their dog and it's health and well being, by no means use my guidelines as Medical advise, it is only intended as reference for you on current articals that have been Published.

GROOMING TIPS AND INSTRUCTION LINKS:

Grooming: http://www.fancydancingshihtzu.com/- New Folder/Grooming and Health Care.doc

 

Grooming Videos (U Tube) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eiiSio90tx4&NR=1

Baths made simple >written:http://www.fancydancingshihtzu.com/- New Folder/Simple bathing.doc

Natural Flea Treatments for the Home: Sprinkle simple table salt over carpet, floors, furniture and baseboards, let stand for 2 hours and Vaccum well.

Natural Flea Treatments for the Pet: http://www.fancydancingshihtzu.com/fleacontrol.htm

Vaccum often is extremly effective in controling the flea problem and the hatching of new fleas.  Take the vaccum bag out and let set in the sun and this will kill the flea inside and you may re-use the bag, this is helpful in a Newly placed Vaccum bag! 

Health Reference's (No Genetic Defects have been found in My adults or their Lines)

Q/A about the  Shih Tzu &  Stenotic Nares (Snorting) Click Below:

ADVISE, AS A BREEDER :As a breeder that see's their puppies grow from birth till much older I can tell you that,  A puppy with a minor case Of Stenotic Nare, this means the puppy is not in respitory distress, will most likely grow out of this by age 6 to 12 mos old. Always ask the breeder to explain more about this with you if your puppy has this condition before you buy him/her, you should know before hand if this is a serious or minor case prior to taking the puppy home. Very few are serious, but it is a common thing found in short nose breeds.  To date, I have only had one puppy as of Aug. 2009 with a Minor case of the Snorts, LOL.  He was fine by age 6 mos. But, the Vet that examined him wanted to preform surgery right away,  thank goodness they listened to me, their breeder and where glad they did.  Surgery should not be rushed into nor taken lightly with tiny puppies. Let the puppy grow a while, you will see that their nose opens up much faster once their teeth have came in, like a baby, their nose will run, stop up, they have swelling, ect. and this effects all of them during teething just as it does with children!.  If a puppy was nursing without complications, without  stopping every few seconds to breath then they are breathing thru that little nose and it will open slowly in time!!!  If you see that your puppy seems to be in distress, unable to breath with his/her mouth closed for at least 30 seconds and is not active, not eating,  then,  their may be a problem and you should seek medical advise, make sure he checks for swelling from their teeth, this could be causing the problem. Give your puppy a hard Dog Biscuit to teeth on the help them cut their teeth thru.  http://www.fancydancingshihtzu.com/- New Folder/Q and A Stenotic nares orSnorting.doc

Q/ A Hernias:http://www.fancydancingshihtzu.com/- New Folder/HERNIAS IN SHIH TZU PUPPIES.doc

Q/A Hypoglycemia:http://www.fancydancingshihtzu.com/- New Folder/SHIH TZU PUPPIES AND HYPOGLYCEMIA.doc

TOXIC:  Everyone needs to be alerted!

Poison control said as few as 7 raisins or grapes could

be toxic. Many people I know give their dogs grapes

or raisins as treats including our ex-handler's. Any

exposure should give rise to immediate concern.

Onions, chocolate, cocoa and macadamia nuts can

be fatal, too.

Please read about this, pass it on to others including your VET, this new even to some Vets!

 (click the link I have provided below)

 

Confirmation from Snopes about the above

Sad story of grapes causing acute Renal failure!

http://www.snopes.com/critters/crusader/raisins.asp

Rasins/ Grapes Are Toxic to Dogs: http://www.fancydancingshihtzu.com/- New Folder/WARNING Dog Owners read Rasin Toxicity.doc

What age to Spay/Nueter Your Puppy (Risks under age 14 wks) Please read http://www.oes.org/page2/6492~When_to_spay_puppy.html

Breeders Ref/ Eye care for new puppies:http://www.fancydancingshihtzu.com/- New Folder/Eye care 4 new litters.doc

 

HERES ARE A FEW  GREAT WEBSITES I RECOMMEND  FOR YOUR PETS NEEDS:

http://www.revivalanimal.com/           Prefer >>        http://www.dog.com

Please protect your dog with Heartworm Preventitive's/ I recommend you ask your vet for a Prescription on your 1st visit to his/her office for, Heartgard Plus for Dogs or Iverhart Max , it's as simple as feeding them a treat. With your prescription in hand  go to this site below for Big savings. I have listed a few other Items you may want to pick up!!!!!

Beef Liver Treats for Small Dogs and Puppies 2oz   Gimborn Beef Treats These treats maintain the full flavor and nutritional value of raw meat. They are the perfect pocket treat and ideal size, require no refrigeration and are high in protein. Popular tool with dog handlers in the show ring.  Size: 2-oz (for small dogs) Item # 130678  On Sale: $2.93  www.dog.com

Great Treats for Puppies

 

Nylabone Puppy Teething Keys X-small Price: $3.99

These brightly colored Teething Keys are perfect for puppies that just can't stop chewing! Helps clean teeth and has a delicious long-lasting bacon flavor. This interactive toy is from the trusted experts at Nylabone

http://www.dog.com/item/nylabone-puppy-teething-keys/

THE ALL NEW SNUGGLE PUPPIES: THEY HAVE A HEARTBEAT AND WARM UP LIKE MOM.  CLICK HERE FOR THE BEST PRICE I HAVE FOUND ON THEM AND SEE HOW THEY WORK:

Snuggle Puppies     http://www.glamourdog.com/snugglepal.html  20.00 snuggle puppy

 

Puppy Excercise Pens may be purchased at the Walmart Store Online:  Click this link to view the best Item you will ever purchase for your puppy:  You can add-on to this play/exercise pen (4 foot toal per section)  Best pet safe item I have!

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=1762412

$54.86  includes tax.  Walmart has the best price I have found and it is the same brand as the one I purchased at a  pet store for $80.00 .

 

PLEASE SHARE OUR SITE WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY!

CLICK HERE

There is good news for those of us who like our male companions. 

Medical technology has caught up with the veterinary world.  They have made great advances and are able to start neutering males now at, as early as 8-10 weeks.  Although some of the vets are still holding out for 5-6 months. 

It is being done at earlier ages in the big cities.  It is also less expensive to neuter a male.  Less of a surgery and they recover quicker.  And usually a male that is neutered young never really knows he is a male.  Meaning he will squat to pee. 

 

So let's see:  Reasons to purchase a male over a female:

                    Males are generally cheaper to purchase.

                    Males are cheaper to neuter.

                    Males recover quicker from the surgery generally as a rule.

 

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