Shih tzu dogs are part of a breed that was originally designed to complement the royal families in China. With China as the origin of shih tzus, it makes sense that this name of dog breed is Chinese for little lion. And if you take a look at a shih tzu, you might even agree that shih tzus look like smaller versions of the ferocious lions, too.
However, shih tzus are nothing like lions in terms of personalities and temperaments. They are royal dogs, after all. They love to hang out in close proximity to their favorite humans, and even though a reputation of being high maintenance precedes them, shih tzus are some of the sweetest, kindest, and most loving dogs in the world.
Background Information about the Shih Tzu Dog Breed
Shih tzu characteristics, such as height and weight, make for a smaller dog. There is not much difference between male shih tzus and female shih tzus in relation to how much they weigh. Male shih tzus, when fully grown, are often anywhere between just under nine pounds and sixteen pounds. Female shih tzus, on the other hand, average between eight-point-eight pounds and fifteen-point-seven pounds. When it comes to height differences, there actually aren’t any real differences between male and female shih tzu heights. Both genders grow to be an estimated seven-point-nine inches tall on the lower end of the spectrum, and the tallest the average shih tzu tends to be is about eleven inches tall.
Let’s talk a bit more about where the shih tzu dog breed started and how they came to be one of the most popular dogs today. On a list of the oldest dog breeds around the globe, shih tzus fall into the category of the top fifteen oldest breeds. Shih tzus are also known as Chinese lion dogs, as well as Chrysanthemum dogs.
The fur of Shih tzus varies from shih tzu to shih tzu, and as shih tzu puppies age into shih tzu dogs, their fur color can change ever so slightly, too.
Coat colors tend to be…
- Black
- White
- Grey
- Dark brown
- Light brown
- Tan
- Cream
- Golden brown
Something else to note about shih tzu fur color is that their fur is rarely just one color. Highlights are very common for shih tzu coats, and their long, straight, silky fur creates a coat that looks like human hair almost.
