Origin of the Shih Tzu Dog

It is thought that the Shih Tzu originated in eastern Asia (Tibet and China), making this one of the oldest and smallest of the Tibetan holy dogs. The Shih Tzu, therefore, also has the nickname ‘Tibetan Temple Dog’. This breed is also known as the ‘Xi Shi quan’, based on the name of Xi Shi, who was regarded as the most beautiful woman of ancient China. ‘Chrysanthemum Dog’ is another alternative name for this breed, due to the way in which the hairs grow around the face.

Temple Foo Dog Statue in Tibet - Shih Tzu Origin

Tibet, featuring a beautiful Temple Foo Dog Statue

An ancient breed: While it was long believed that the Shih Tzu was an old breed, recent DNA analysis does point to this. Tibetan dogs- such as the Shih Tzu – are thought to be the ancestors of the Gobi Desert Kitchen Midden Dog, dating back to over 10,000 years ago. A vast majority of dogs at that time were untamed.

Eventually, a new breed evolved from the Gobi Desert Kitchen Midden Dog, which was called the Small Soft-Coated Drop-Eared Hunting Dog. The Small Soft-Coated Drop-Eared Hunting Dog then evolved into the Kitchen Midden Dog.

Temple Foo Dog Statue compared to Shih Tzu Dog

Though there are no written records, a popular assumption is that ultimately the Kitchen Midden Dog, through distinct breeding programs, was used to develop the Tibetan Spaniel, the Pekingese, the Japanese Chin, the Papillon, the Pug, the Lhasa Apso, and the Shih Tzu. As you can imagine, the process of developing each dog breed was spread out over a great number of generations.

During the time of later development, there is debate over which breeds were used to perfect the Shih Tzu; however, there’s almost no question that it included, at least, overlaps of the Pekingese and Lhasa Apso.

The Move into England: Record keeping in the 20th century allows us to know more details about this breed’s history. Two Shih Tzu dogs were brought into England from China by General Sir Douglas (a senior British army officer who later became Military Secretary) and his wife, Lady Brownrigg.

There is conflicting information regarding the date that this occurred. Some sources list it as 1920 and there are others that say 1928. We do believe, however, that it is the more commonly listed date of 1930.

When brought to England, they were referred to as Tibetan Lion Dogs, which distinguished them from the Chinese Lion Dogs (the name for the Pekingese breed at that time).

In 1933, a few Shih Tzu were shown alongside Apsos at the Cheltenham show by the Apso and Lion Dog Club. However, this did not last long as the show world quickly saw that they were a distinct and unique breed. The Shih Tzu were much smaller, with shorter legs and more compact faces and snouts.

The following year in 1934, the Kennel Club permitted the Apso and Lion Dog Club to change its name to Shih Tzu (Tibetan Lion Dog) Club, ruling that the dogs from China were not Apsos, but were indeed Shih Tzu. By 1935 the ‘Tibetan Lion Dog’ part was taken out of the club’s name and The Shih Tzu Club of England was formed under the Presidency of the Countess of Essex, with Lady Brownrigg acting as Secretary.

Pekingese vs Lhasa Apso vs Shih Tzu

The Move into America: Soldiers returning to the States from WWII, brought Shih Tzu with them and breeding programs were quickly established. The unique beauty and friendly temperament of this ‘newly discovered’ breed quickly led to a fast rise in popularity.

The AKC (American Kennel Club) formally recognized the breed on September 1, 1969. The Shih Tzu were classified as non-working dogs, in the toy dog group. In 1969, a total of 2,811 Shih Tzu were registered. By 1978, the number of registered Shih Tzu grew to over 5 times that number: 14,894.

World War II soldier with Shih Tzu dog

Over the next 9-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. The Shih Tzu has consistently been among the 20 most popular dog breeds in the United States for decades, ranking at #17 in 2014, at #19 in 2015, #20 in 2016 and holding steady at #20 as of 2022.

Today’s Shih Tzu: Not only is the Shih Tzu famous for its beautiful appearance, this breed is so popular because of its amazing personality. Shih Tzu are known for being brave, happy dogs that are generally not nervous, shy, or prone to barking excessively.

Though a toy sized breed, the Shih Tzu is relatively sturdy, which correlates with this breed’s high energy levels. And while this breed is very active, and therefore requires daily exercise, the Shih Tzu tends to do quite well in a wide variety of settings. This breed can be content in all sorts of households, from single-dog small apartments to multiple-dog larger homes.