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A Brief History of the Shih Tzu
By Victor Joris
Dogs of various sizes, shapes, and colors have been bred in China for centuries.
Records substantiate the existence of short, square, "under the table" dogs from at
least 1000 B.C. By piecing together historical facts and documented records, it is
possible to some extent to follow the development in China of the breeding of dogs
likely to be the ancestors of the present-day Shih Tzu.
The ancestry of the Shih Tzu is rather obscure, but it is probable that the breed is
primarily of Tibetan origin. The history of the Tibetan “Lion Dogs” is interwoven with
the tenets of Buddhism, which originated in India. The lion was closely associated
with Buddhism, but the lion was not indigenous to China, so the Chinese and the
Tibetan lamas bred their toy dogs to resemble lions. The Shih Tzu (whose name
means “lion”) is reputed to have been the oldest and smallest variety of the Tibetan
“holy dogs” and bears some similarity to other Tibetan breeds. For much of the long
and illustrious history of China, the breeding of the small “Lion Dog” was a favorite
pastime of succeeding imperial rulers.
Prior to A.D. 624, documents show that small dogs were exported from Malta,
Turkey, Greece, and Persia as gifts to the ruling Chinese emperors. It is likely that
the first small Tibetan Lion Dogs from which the Shih Tzu is probably descended
came to China during the Qing (Ch’ing) Dynasty (1644-62) as tributes from the
Grand Lamas to the Chinese Imperial Court, and that the Chinese interbred these
Tibetan dogs with the early western imports and with the Pug and the Pekingese.
The existence of the Shih Tzu as we know it today is owed to the Dowager Empress
Cixi (T’zu Hsi), whose kennel of Pugs, Pekingese, and Shih Tzu was world
renowned. Although she carefully supervised the kennel during her lifetime and
attempted to keep the three imperial breeds separate, the actual breeding was
carried out by palace eunuchs who secretly crossed the breeds to reduce size and
produce unusual and desirable markings. After her death in 1908, the kennels were
dispersed and palace breeding became haphazard. Some breeding was still
practiced by private individuals and specimens were exhibited, but the dogs were
almost impossible to acquire. So far as is known, the breed became extinct in
China after the Communist revolution.
Seven dogs and seven bitches comprise the gene pool of all existing Shih Tzu.
These fourteen include the Pekingese dog used in an admitted cross in England in
1952--a cross which caused considerable trouble, as it was done by a newcomer
to the breed and reported after the fact. The other foundation dogs included three
Shih Tzu imported from China that became the foundation of the Taishan kennel of
Lady Brownrigg in England and eight additional imports to England between 1933
and 1959. Three other Shih Tzu were imported into Norway from China in 1932 by
Mrs. Henrick Kauffman, including a bitch that was the only Shih Tzu bred in the
Imperial Palace to reach the Western world.
Returning military personnel brought some of the first Shih Tzu into the United
States during the late 1940s and 1950s and began breeding programs. The unique
beauty and outstanding temperament of this “new” breed quickly found favor with
the fancy. From the first day of formal AKC recognition (Sept. 1, 1969), the Shih Tzu
catapulted from a relatively unknown breed to one of the most glamorous and
popular of all canine companions.
This month’s column was contributed by Shih Tzu breeder-judge Victor Joris,
author of The Complete Shih Tzu (Howell Book House). We hope you have enjoyed
it.
Originally published in the Shih Tzu breed column in the American Kennel Club
Gazette . Written by Shih Tzu breeder-judge Victor Joris, author of 'The Complete
Shih Tzu' (Howell Book House).
The Early Days Of The ASTC
By Mrs. Andy Warner
The American Kennel Club accepted the Shih Tzu into the Miscellaneous Class in
1955. At that time, there were very few Shih Tzu in this country.
Maureen Murdock and Philip Price, her nephew, were the first to import and breed
Shih Tzu in this country. In 1954 Mr. Price brought back to the United States Golden
S. Wen of Chasmu and imported Ho Lai Sheum of Yram in 1955; both were from
England.
As with all unrecognized breeds, complete records of imports and births must be
kept by individuals or groups until such time as a club is formed and a registrar is
selected. This is extremely important if a breed hopes to be recognized by the
American Kennel Club. If the interest in a breed does not increase and spread
across the country, the Miscellaneous status may be withdrawn by AKC. The same
thing may happen if incorrect, up-to-date records are not kept on all imports and
births.
In 1957 the Shih Tzu Club of America was formed in the eastern part of the United
States. By 1960 there were three Shih Tzu clubs: the Texas Shih Tzu Society, the
American Shih Tzu Association in Florida, and the Shih Tzu Club of America.
Many of the early Shih Tzu supporters and enthusiasts were military people who
bought their Shih Tzu in England and Scandinavia and returned to the United States
with them when they were stationed stateside again. Because they were so spread
out across the country, the three clubs were formed independently of each other. By
1961 there were over 100 Shih Tzu registered in the United States, both imports
and offspring born here.
The first champion bitch to be imported into the United States was French Ch.
Jungfaltets Jung-Wu, a 9-pound gold and white, in 1960. Ingrid Colwell bought her
in Sweden and showed her to her championship in France while her Air Force
husband was stationed there. Ingrid arrived in the United States with five Shih Tzu,
including two with the Pukedal prefix (her mother’s kennel name in Sweden). From
1960 to 1968, when Ingrid sadly died in a fire, she imported several Shih Tzu from
both Scandinavia and England.
Yvette Duval, a close friend of Ingrid’s, imported the first male champion, French Ch.
Pukedals Ding Dang. Yvette bought this black and white male from Ingrid’s mother
and finished his championship in France before she and her Air Force husband,
Lucian, were reassigned to the United States. They also brought two Shih Tzu
bitches into the country with them at the same time.
In 1963 the Shih Tzu Club of America and the Texas Shih Tzu Society merged to
form the American Shih Tzu Club. Since the AKC had accepted the Shih Tzu into the
Miscellaneous class in 1955 it was important to have only one club, with one
registry. Lucian Duval was selected as registrar, and he combined the work of the
two clubs into one. Our hope was that if we did a good job of keeping our records
and spread the word of how great the Shih Tzu was by showing and exposure, we
might hope to someday be recognized by the AKC and be able to earn American
championships.
With much pleasure, and always a great deal of fun, many early Shih Tzu lovers
showed their best all over the country. We were stopped by all kinds of curious
people and answered questions at shows all day long. Many of us sold dogs to
new people to the breed, thus spreading the joy of owning a Shih Tzu and helping to
educate about this relatively new breed to the United States. In 1962, when there
was still a Muscellaneous class held at Westminster, there were 12 Shih Tzu
entered. By the end of 1962 there were more than 300 Shih Tzu registered with the
American Shih Tzu Club.
We had three registrars during the history of the American Shih Tzu Club. Gene
Dudgeon (publisher of the Shih Tzu News) followed Lucian Duval. Mary Wood then
served as registrar until AKC recognition.
By July 1965 there were 656 Shih Tzu registered by the ASTC, and registrations had
spread rather nicely across the United States. Some groups were starting to form
local Shih Tzu clubs. a fun match had been held in June of 1964 at Ingrid Colwell’s
home in Middletown, PA, and others were being planned.
In 1967 it felt as though we were finally getting closer to our goal of recognition. In
the spring of that year the AKC asked several representatives of the ASTC to meet
with them in New York to discuss revising the breed standard. We had originally
adopted the English Kennel Club standard when we formed the ASTC, and we
were asked to clarify points that seemed unclear. A committee was formed to do
this, and we returned to the AKC with revisions. Nothing major was changed, but we
felt that if AKC was interested it was a very encouraging sign. Shortly before
recognition another committee came up with a few changes approved by the AKC.
The ASTC was incorporated in 1968--another step forward in our efforts for
recognition. The following year the AKC accepted the Shih Tzu as its 116th
recognized breed. It was an exciting day for all of us. The carefully kept records of
the ASTC registry were turned over to the AKC, and in September 1969 Shih Tzu
were shown for the first time in the United States for championship points. At
recognition, the registry had increased to almost 3,000.
Originally published in the Shih Tzu breed column in the American Kennel Club
Gazette.
Resource: www.shihtzu.org
Original articles can be read by visiting www.shihtzu.org.
By Victor Joris
Dogs of various sizes, shapes, and colors have been bred in China for centuries.
Records substantiate the existence of short, square, "under the table" dogs from at
least 1000 B.C. By piecing together historical facts and documented records, it is
possible to some extent to follow the development in China of the breeding of dogs
likely to be the ancestors of the present-day Shih Tzu.
The ancestry of the Shih Tzu is rather obscure, but it is probable that the breed is
primarily of Tibetan origin. The history of the Tibetan “Lion Dogs” is interwoven with
the tenets of Buddhism, which originated in India. The lion was closely associated
with Buddhism, but the lion was not indigenous to China, so the Chinese and the
Tibetan lamas bred their toy dogs to resemble lions. The Shih Tzu (whose name
means “lion”) is reputed to have been the oldest and smallest variety of the Tibetan
“holy dogs” and bears some similarity to other Tibetan breeds. For much of the long
and illustrious history of China, the breeding of the small “Lion Dog” was a favorite
pastime of succeeding imperial rulers.
Prior to A.D. 624, documents show that small dogs were exported from Malta,
Turkey, Greece, and Persia as gifts to the ruling Chinese emperors. It is likely that
the first small Tibetan Lion Dogs from which the Shih Tzu is probably descended
came to China during the Qing (Ch’ing) Dynasty (1644-62) as tributes from the
Grand Lamas to the Chinese Imperial Court, and that the Chinese interbred these
Tibetan dogs with the early western imports and with the Pug and the Pekingese.
The existence of the Shih Tzu as we know it today is owed to the Dowager Empress
Cixi (T’zu Hsi), whose kennel of Pugs, Pekingese, and Shih Tzu was world
renowned. Although she carefully supervised the kennel during her lifetime and
attempted to keep the three imperial breeds separate, the actual breeding was
carried out by palace eunuchs who secretly crossed the breeds to reduce size and
produce unusual and desirable markings. After her death in 1908, the kennels were
dispersed and palace breeding became haphazard. Some breeding was still
practiced by private individuals and specimens were exhibited, but the dogs were
almost impossible to acquire. So far as is known, the breed became extinct in
China after the Communist revolution.
Seven dogs and seven bitches comprise the gene pool of all existing Shih Tzu.
These fourteen include the Pekingese dog used in an admitted cross in England in
1952--a cross which caused considerable trouble, as it was done by a newcomer
to the breed and reported after the fact. The other foundation dogs included three
Shih Tzu imported from China that became the foundation of the Taishan kennel of
Lady Brownrigg in England and eight additional imports to England between 1933
and 1959. Three other Shih Tzu were imported into Norway from China in 1932 by
Mrs. Henrick Kauffman, including a bitch that was the only Shih Tzu bred in the
Imperial Palace to reach the Western world.
Returning military personnel brought some of the first Shih Tzu into the United
States during the late 1940s and 1950s and began breeding programs. The unique
beauty and outstanding temperament of this “new” breed quickly found favor with
the fancy. From the first day of formal AKC recognition (Sept. 1, 1969), the Shih Tzu
catapulted from a relatively unknown breed to one of the most glamorous and
popular of all canine companions.
This month’s column was contributed by Shih Tzu breeder-judge Victor Joris,
author of The Complete Shih Tzu (Howell Book House). We hope you have enjoyed
it.
Originally published in the Shih Tzu breed column in the American Kennel Club
Gazette . Written by Shih Tzu breeder-judge Victor Joris, author of 'The Complete
Shih Tzu' (Howell Book House).
The Early Days Of The ASTC
By Mrs. Andy Warner
The American Kennel Club accepted the Shih Tzu into the Miscellaneous Class in
1955. At that time, there were very few Shih Tzu in this country.
Maureen Murdock and Philip Price, her nephew, were the first to import and breed
Shih Tzu in this country. In 1954 Mr. Price brought back to the United States Golden
S. Wen of Chasmu and imported Ho Lai Sheum of Yram in 1955; both were from
England.
As with all unrecognized breeds, complete records of imports and births must be
kept by individuals or groups until such time as a club is formed and a registrar is
selected. This is extremely important if a breed hopes to be recognized by the
American Kennel Club. If the interest in a breed does not increase and spread
across the country, the Miscellaneous status may be withdrawn by AKC. The same
thing may happen if incorrect, up-to-date records are not kept on all imports and
births.
In 1957 the Shih Tzu Club of America was formed in the eastern part of the United
States. By 1960 there were three Shih Tzu clubs: the Texas Shih Tzu Society, the
American Shih Tzu Association in Florida, and the Shih Tzu Club of America.
Many of the early Shih Tzu supporters and enthusiasts were military people who
bought their Shih Tzu in England and Scandinavia and returned to the United States
with them when they were stationed stateside again. Because they were so spread
out across the country, the three clubs were formed independently of each other. By
1961 there were over 100 Shih Tzu registered in the United States, both imports
and offspring born here.
The first champion bitch to be imported into the United States was French Ch.
Jungfaltets Jung-Wu, a 9-pound gold and white, in 1960. Ingrid Colwell bought her
in Sweden and showed her to her championship in France while her Air Force
husband was stationed there. Ingrid arrived in the United States with five Shih Tzu,
including two with the Pukedal prefix (her mother’s kennel name in Sweden). From
1960 to 1968, when Ingrid sadly died in a fire, she imported several Shih Tzu from
both Scandinavia and England.
Yvette Duval, a close friend of Ingrid’s, imported the first male champion, French Ch.
Pukedals Ding Dang. Yvette bought this black and white male from Ingrid’s mother
and finished his championship in France before she and her Air Force husband,
Lucian, were reassigned to the United States. They also brought two Shih Tzu
bitches into the country with them at the same time.
In 1963 the Shih Tzu Club of America and the Texas Shih Tzu Society merged to
form the American Shih Tzu Club. Since the AKC had accepted the Shih Tzu into the
Miscellaneous class in 1955 it was important to have only one club, with one
registry. Lucian Duval was selected as registrar, and he combined the work of the
two clubs into one. Our hope was that if we did a good job of keeping our records
and spread the word of how great the Shih Tzu was by showing and exposure, we
might hope to someday be recognized by the AKC and be able to earn American
championships.
With much pleasure, and always a great deal of fun, many early Shih Tzu lovers
showed their best all over the country. We were stopped by all kinds of curious
people and answered questions at shows all day long. Many of us sold dogs to
new people to the breed, thus spreading the joy of owning a Shih Tzu and helping to
educate about this relatively new breed to the United States. In 1962, when there
was still a Muscellaneous class held at Westminster, there were 12 Shih Tzu
entered. By the end of 1962 there were more than 300 Shih Tzu registered with the
American Shih Tzu Club.
We had three registrars during the history of the American Shih Tzu Club. Gene
Dudgeon (publisher of the Shih Tzu News) followed Lucian Duval. Mary Wood then
served as registrar until AKC recognition.
By July 1965 there were 656 Shih Tzu registered by the ASTC, and registrations had
spread rather nicely across the United States. Some groups were starting to form
local Shih Tzu clubs. a fun match had been held in June of 1964 at Ingrid Colwell’s
home in Middletown, PA, and others were being planned.
In 1967 it felt as though we were finally getting closer to our goal of recognition. In
the spring of that year the AKC asked several representatives of the ASTC to meet
with them in New York to discuss revising the breed standard. We had originally
adopted the English Kennel Club standard when we formed the ASTC, and we
were asked to clarify points that seemed unclear. A committee was formed to do
this, and we returned to the AKC with revisions. Nothing major was changed, but we
felt that if AKC was interested it was a very encouraging sign. Shortly before
recognition another committee came up with a few changes approved by the AKC.
The ASTC was incorporated in 1968--another step forward in our efforts for
recognition. The following year the AKC accepted the Shih Tzu as its 116th
recognized breed. It was an exciting day for all of us. The carefully kept records of
the ASTC registry were turned over to the AKC, and in September 1969 Shih Tzu
were shown for the first time in the United States for championship points. At
recognition, the registry had increased to almost 3,000.
Originally published in the Shih Tzu breed column in the American Kennel Club
Gazette.
Resource: www.shihtzu.org
Original articles can be read by visiting www.shihtzu.org.