The Shih Tzu’s traces their origin to Tibet where monks, possibly, had been breeding them. Around the 17th Century these dogs were brought into Peking (China) as gifts for the Emperor. They were an instant hit with the royalty and so they then become their exclusive property.
This is why the training of this dog when done with positive reinforcement method, works like magic. At the same time you would find that this dog can be unimaginably stubborn if pushed into doing anything. If you ever want to get anything done from a Shih Tzu, never use anything else other than love and positive rewards.
The Shih Tzu loves to be the center of attraction and hate to share the limelight with anyone. They feel much neglected when children are indulged in their presence. Though they are basically very lovable and calm, they tend to show a tendency of jealousy and latent aggressiveness when attention is shifted from them to anyone else.
The Shih Tzu needs very little from you other than love. To keep your Shih Tzu happy, allow it to sleep on your lap, pamper it as often as you can and talk to it all the time. Grooming this dog needs special attention because of its long coat. You need to have it brushed with a hard brush to prevent matting of hair and remove the dust that accumulates on it. You need two separate types of combs ? one long toothed for the overall coat on the body and another shorter and denser for the hair around the face and feet.
Watch out for separation anxiety signs in this dog if you leave it for too long alone. These dogs need your presence and love constantly. Other then this aspect, they are not pretentious about anything.
People who live with Shih Tzus find these dogs completely adorable. They have a lot of spunk for their size and they carry themselves with great dignity and aplomb. This is one reason why many people call them royal dogs.
They indeed look like royalty when they move around. Temperamentally, the Shih Tzu is very warm and happy type of dog. They hanker for attention and hate it when it is stolen from them. This is one reason why these dogs do not live too well with small children, as they tend to consider them competition for the owner’s love and can become aggressive.
People who have lived with a Shih Tzu are convinced that these dogs are human on the inside, as they reflect in their behavior a maturity and understanding of human behavior that cannot be explained otherwise. If you want a dog that loves you forever and cannot live without you ? the Shih Tzu is your choice.
