--- title: "Shih Tzus – What Do You Know about the Revered “Lion Dog”?" id: "202654" type: "post" slug: "shih-tzus-what-do-you-know-about-the-revered-lion-dog" published_at: "2018-03-07T21:34:13+00:00" modified_at: "2018-03-07T21:34:13+00:00" url: "https://houstonpetland.com/2018/03/07/shih-tzus-what-do-you-know-about-the-revered-lion-dog/" markdown_url: "https://houstonpetland.com/2018/03/07/shih-tzus-what-do-you-know-about-the-revered-lion-dog.md" excerpt: "Many people know about Shih Tzus, but what of their storied past? Read on for more! Hello lovelies and welcome to our newest blog! We hope you’re ready and raring to go about our latest subject, the mysterious, yet lovable,..." taxonomy_category: - "Tips & Tricks" --- [Home](https://houstonpetland.com/) / [Blog](https://houstonpetland.com/blog/) / **Shih Tzus – What Do You Know about the Revered “Lion Dog”?** [Tips & Tricks](https://houstonpetland.com/category/blog/) # Shih Tzus – What Do You Know about the Revered “Lion Dog”? March 7, 2018 · 3 min read · [cosmick](https://houstonpetland.com/author/cosmick/) [Stay connected via Google News Follow Us For The Latest Pet Updates and Guides.](https://www.google.com/preferences/source?q=houstonpetland.com) ## **Many people know about Shih Tzus, but what of their storied past? Read on for more!** Hello lovelies and welcome to our newest blog! We hope you’re ready and raring to go about our latest subject, the mysterious, yet lovable, **[Shih Tzu](http://petland-katy.lehighvalleywebdesigns.com/breed/shih-tzu/)**! We’ve done several breeds already, but this one really tugs at our heartstrings! This breed has been around for a *very* long time and once you take a look at this blog, you’ll know why! #### **The Shih Tzu is formally the Tibetan Shih Tzu Kou.** Contrary to popular belief, the Shih Tzu does not originate in China, but in Tibet. The Tibetan monks considered the Shih Tzu holy and kept them in their temples. The Shih Tzu worked alongside the monks, functioning as alarm or guard dogs and even turning prayer wheels in daily Buddhist rituals. They were then sent to Chinese emperors as gifts, thus giving them their Chinese name. In the Chinese language, Shih Tzu means “Lion Dog”, as much for its features as its strength of character. They also earned the moniker of “chrysanthemum-faced dog”, which refers to the way the hair grows outwards from the center of the dog’s face. #### **Shih Tzus have been around the block, a couple times.** As one of the oldest breeds in existence, the Shih Tzu’s origins are shrouded in mystery and it’s hard to pin down exactly when they came about. The earliest definitive traces of the breed are Chinese paintings circa 500 AD and also documents describing these dogs being gifted for the second time from China to the Byzantine Empire. Much later, they became the official breed of the illustrious Ming dynasty, who kept them as pets for the royal family for centuries. However, the Shih Tzu very nearly went extinct in China after the Communist Revolution. #### **Sooooo, how did they get here, in America?** Because the breed was declining in China, a few citizens of the U.K. wanted to preserve the breed by importing them into the country in the 1930s. This importation essentially saved the breed, as all modern day Shih Tzus can be traced to the original 14 dogs brought from China to England. It was actually American soldiers who brought the Shih Tzu back to America after World War II, where they quickly gained popularity amongst the people. The Shih Tzu breed was then recognized by the AKC in 1969 and currently holds 20th place for most popular breed in America. #### **Interesting in finding out more about the Shih Tzu puppies for sale in our store? Check out our available puppies page to see all of our precious Shih Tzu puppies for sale!** [Stay connected via Google News Follow Us For The Latest Pet Updates and Guides.](https://www.google.com/preferences/source?q=houstonpetland.com) Available Now## If you loved this, you'll *love our puppies* Meet the happy, healthy pups ready to join your family today — browse the whole litter below. 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My husband and I went to Petland on Saturday to simply look at the puppies and we ended up falling in love with one so much that we brought her home with us. Jennifer made the process of taking her home super easy and smooth, she answered every question we asked and was very knowledgeable about everything! Posted on Google ume rubab Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. it was really nice their all the animal were so cute !! The puppy’s and kittens were adorable !!❤️ Posted on Google Leslie Rivera Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Went to Petland to just browse around and ended up falling in love with our Maltipoo, her fur color and the eyes captivated me. Anthony our counselor, was very informative and friendly. I would greatly recommend this pet store. Can’t wait to start this new journey with our puppy. Posted on Google 12.xndrik Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. recently adopted a cavapool and Christopher helped us out a lot. He was helpfull, respectful , and walked us through the whole process. It was an amazing experience 10/10. Posted on Google Chris M Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Best place to work PUPPIES!!!! Posted on Google MIGUEL MOLINA Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Great time. I was looking around with my family and Chris helped us out found a new family member. Great place to greet and play with dogs. Posted on Google David Almanza Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. We visited Petland today and had an incredible experience choosing our new furry family member — a miniature Goldendoodle! From the moment we walked in, Christopher made us feel welcome, informed, and supported throughout the entire process. He was extremely knowledgeable about the breed, answered all our questions with patience, and never made us feel rushed. You could genuinely tell he cared about both the pets and the people. His friendly attitude and professionalism made the whole experience smooth and enjoyable. We left Petland not just with a puppy, but with total confidence that we were prepared for this new journey — all thanks to Christopher. If you're thinking about getting a pet and want a helpful, knowledgeable guide, ask for Christopher. He made our day. Highly recommend - 10/10! Posted on Google Diana Perez Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Kalese and Chris were phenomenal and so attentive. They made me feel so welcome and so happy to be finally going home with our baby ```