Characteristics and personality of the Shih Tzu dog breed
Cheerful and happy, the Shih Tzu tends to need a lot of
personal attention. Because he is comfortable with human company, it is easy to
spoil him.
Shih Tzu is classified in most countries in the group of toy
dogs. Its height ranges from 20 to 30 cm and its weight from 5 to 10 kg.
As in most companion breeds, Shih Tzu mature rapidly,
reaching the size of adulthood at about ten months.
It is usually slightly longer than it is tall and has a
robust body and a good sized head. The muzzle is fairly short, with a lower under
bite. The head is round and the eyes are quite bulging. His tail is gleefully
coiled on his back. His steps are long and fast for such a small dog.
The Shih Tzu is covered in lush long straight hair. This
double layer requires a lot of maintenance, especially if it is left long. All
colors are accepted for hair, although a dark pigment around the eyes and on
the nose are preferred. They are usually quite robust puppies that can live up
to 14 or 15 years.
Personality
Shih Tzu are famous for their happy and happy temperament,
they are playful and friendly, they tend to get along with people of all ages
and with other dogs, as well as pets of other species. You will rarely find an
unfriendly Shih Tzu, as most are very sweet.
With their short snouts, Shih Tzu is not good biters,
although they do enjoy digging and some allow themselves to bark annoyingly.
They are moved by an enormous desire to be with humans, whether sitting on your
lap or taking a walk in the park.
Coexistence
Shih Tzu can quickly become obese if they receive too many
rewards so taking short walks is important to keep them fit. The Shih Tzu participates
in agility and behavior competitions with some success. Be careful with
exercise in hot and humid weather conditions, since with its short snout it is
a breed prone to heat stroke.
Hair is a headache in the case of Shih Tzu. Most owners
resort to a short body cut for the whole year, which suits them very well and
is very easy to care for. If you want to keep your hair down long, be prepared
to spend a lot of time with it. These dogs need weekly oil baths to help keep
tangles at bay and daily grooming so foreign objects do not stick to their
hair. When the hair has a correct texture it does not tangle as much.
The Shih Tzu tends to need a lot of personal attention every
day. They like to share their time with people and it is easy to end up
spoiling them. They enjoy training and learning tricks that make them the
center of attention. They like to interact with young children, although they
like people of all ages. Don't count on your Shih Tzu to watch over the house; it
will probably welcome thieves with open legs.
History
The Shih Tzu grew up in Tibet, probably around the 7th
century, where they were perhaps simply the smallest Lhasa also in the area.
Presented as a gift to Chinese emperors, the breed developed into the dog we
know today. Fans speculate on crossbreeds with Pekingese to shorten their faces
and to select smaller Lhasa-type dogs. The name Shih Tzu means Leon lion dog
’in Chinese, which further clouds its ancestry, since“lion dog”usually refers
to Pekingese.
Chinese royalty kept and bred this breed, and with the
arrival of the British they introduced it to England and then went to the
United States. Unfortunately, the communist coup d'état in China wiped out most
of the original animals with the stroke of a pen.
No one doubts that these charming puppies were used as
companion dogs.
Shih Tzu small
breed dog
Tips for a
healthy life
The Shih Tzu dog,
small in size (does not exceed 7.5 kg in weight), with dense, soft and long
hair, arises from the crossbreed with the Pekingese dog breed. It is originally
from Tibet and, for years, it was considered as a dog of "sacred"
breed, which was given as such to emperors in China.
Miniature
Schnauzer - Small Breed Dog
It is
characterized for being an intelligent and very affectionate dog, although it
enjoys an independent and stubborn character that gives it a certain haughty
attitude that is reflected in its behavior. For this reason, despite being a
fast-learning and easy-to-socialize breed, the Shih Tzu needs dedication and
some early obedience guidelines to avoid "going up in smoke."
The Shih Tzu dog
is best handled indoors. She loves pampering, care and living with children and
other pets. In fact, it is one of the dog breeds that best socializes with
cats.
Shih Tzu Dog Care
Despite being a
breed that does not usually have an excessive predisposition to suffer serious
diseases until reaching old age, the Shih Tzu breed requires essential care to
stay healthy.
Among them, it is
worth highlighting the main necessary care:
- The Shih Tzu is
not a great lover of outdoor exercise. It prefers interaction with its owners
in small spaces and a daily frequency of short walks, especially in the seasons
when the temperatures are highest.
- As in most
small breed dogs, their metabolism is very fast and their stomach is small,
making it unable to store food and consequently burning energy at a very high
rate. This causes you to eat a small amount of food, but more often. The best
option to guarantee that the Shih Tzu dog maintains its sugar levels stable, is
to distribute its daily intake in several feedings (2 or 3 in the adult stage),
in addition to providing it with a type of food that contains the key nutrients
it needs, through a type of kibble that suits the dimensions of your mouth. In
addition, in the specific case of this breed, a certain digestive sensitivity
is added. In other words, taking good care of your diet is an essential factor
to maintain your well-being.
- The
characteristics of its coat, together with the condition of its bulging eyes,
requires daily brushing and eye cleaning to avoid infections. The Shih Tzu's
hair tangles very easily, and his bangs often fall out of his eyes, causing him
discomfort. Some homeowners choose to let the bangs grow, comb it daily, and
pull it back. Others prefer to go to a dog grooming periodically, in order to
control the growth of the bangs. In both cases, daily eye cleaning by the owner
continues to be a fundamental task to avoid possible eye pathologies.
- Bathing and
nail cutting are two other cares that should be started in the puppy phase of
the Shih Tzu. The recommended frequency of bathing is 1 time per month, taking
advantage of the occasion to carry out a higher level of brushing and complete
subsequent drying. Regarding the nails, since they are indoor dogs that do not
usually wear them out through play in spaces set up for dogs, it is advisable
to cut them regularly to avoid that they can hurt their owners through contact.
- Finally, it is
essential to spend time cleaning your teeth. Small breed dogs are the most
exposed to the presence of bacteria in the gums due to plaque accumulation, because
they have the same definitive dental structure as other dogs (42 teeth), but
their jaw is very small. Consequently, teeth spend much of the time embedded in
a herringbone pattern that makes bacteria more likely to accumulate and lead to
dental disease.
To prevent it, it
is advisable that, starting from the 7th month of life, a daily tooth cleaning
is carried out with the help of a brush and toothpaste for dogs. From the year
on, this routine can be combined with the supply of a daily dental snack that
promotes chewing, and encourages the physical “brushing” of the surface of your
teeth, including the teeth at the back of your mouth, which is a hard-to-reach
area, where teeth are most vulnerable to plaque and tartar buildup. It is also
wise to have your dog's Shih Tzu dental health checked during regular check-up
visits.
Shih Tzu -
Characteristics, temperament and care
The Shih Tzu is
native to China, where it has been and continues to be respected as one of the
most important dogs in its history. Its name means "lion-dog", it is
said to descend from the Ihassa apso and the Pekingese. It has always enjoyed
the company of nobles and emperors, it is a highly valued breed of dog.
Its history
begins in the 17th century, under the T'sing Manchu dynasty. Legend has it that
the Dalai Lama himself, eager to please the Chinese emperor, gave him several
copies of Shih Tzu to guard the temples. This little "Lion-Dog" is
supposed to be sacred and as such should live in palaces. Impressive, right?
Let's see more details about this beautiful breed of small, elegant and stately
dog.
Characteristics
of the Shih Tzu dog breed
The Shih Tzu is a
small dog with large fur. Even his mustaches and beards are extremely long,
giving him a very "shaggy" look, something that is highly appreciated
by people bent on styling their pets. Its size is not more than twenty-seven
centimeters and its weight is around six kilos, sometimes some more or less
depending on your sex and care.
His gaze is very
peculiar, tender and somewhat melancholic, his bright dark eyes make a certain
resemblance to a chrysanthemum. Despite the impression it may give us, it is a
very determined dog, an authentic lion if necessary.
Currently, it is
a very common dog among high society characters, many famous actors and public
figures of interest have some specimen of this breed of dog, so characteristic.
The Shih Tzu is a charming dog, perhaps it has a bit of character but its heart
is huge, as is its personality.
Qualities and
character of the Shih Tzu
Among his
qualities stands out his intelligence, his kindness and tenderness, his
independence and security, as well as his great cunning. As against, it is
something disobedient and little docile.
Although he is
very affectionate and grateful, it is possible that we detect in the certain
airs of independence, as if he had a somewhat distant relationship with his
owners, but it is only appearance ... in fact he is very sociable and friendly.
With the smallest
of the house (children) it is a charm, although it should not be neglected,
since its large fur is too succulent an attraction for children and could make
them angry.
It is an
excellent dog to have both on a flat and in a large garden, it likes to go for
a walk and play with other dogs, sport is not its strong suit but it will never
hurt to run a little with its owner, although always when temperatures allow
it, let's not forget that his coat is very abundant and therefore it provides
excessive heat in the hottest months.
Tips for taking
good care of a Shih Tzu breed dog
In addition to
the recommended care for any dog, how to keep their vaccinations up to date, provide
them with a healthy and balanced diet and get some exercise ...
We want to
highlight the following personalized care for this breed:
It requires
special and intense care, its large amount of hair requires great care and
daily brushing.
A bath every
fortnight will be very useful, to remove the knots and clean your hair.
Playing with
other dogs on a daily basis will do him good to exercise, he is also very
sociable.
Avoid walking
when the sun is strong, or you could suffer a heat stroke.
As its size is
small, the cost to maintain it is also small, so do not hesitate to feed it
with high quality feed, or better yet, natural food.
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