--- title: "Shih Tzus – What Do You Know about the Revered “Lion Dog”?" id: "239878" type: "post" slug: "shih-tzus-what-do-you-know-about-the-revered-lion-dog" published_at: "2018-03-01T21:26:11+00:00" modified_at: "2018-03-01T21:26:11+00:00" url: "https://www.petlandbatavia.com/shih-tzus-what-do-you-know-about-the-revered-lion-dog/" markdown_url: "https://www.petlandbatavia.com/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: - "Blog" --- [Home](https://www.petlandbatavia.com/) / [Blog](https://www.petlandbatavia.com/blog/) / [Blog](https://www.petlandbatavia.com/category/blog/) / **Shih Tzus – What Do You Know about the Revered “Lion Dog”?** [Blog](https://www.petlandbatavia.com/category/blog/) # Shih Tzus – What Do You Know about the Revered “Lion Dog”? March 1, 2018 · 3 min read · [cosmick](https://www.petlandbatavia.com/author/cosmick/) [Stay connected via Google News Follow us for the latest pet updates and guides.](https://www.google.com/preferences/source?q=petlandbatavia.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! We’ve done several breeds already, but this one really tugs at our heart strings! 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. Enjoying this read? You'll love our puppies. Adorable, vet-checked pups looking for their forever homes — available now. [Meet our puppies](https://www.petlandbatavia.com/puppies-for-sale/) #### **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=petlandbatavia.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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Being Your DogSummer is officially here. The… June 1, 2026 ``` AVERAGE Based on 358 reviews Posted on Google Kevin Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Amazing staff. All very nice and answered all my questions. I loved all the dogs but I had to see the dog named Kevin! I went in with a completely negative view on petlands but the staff really changed my mind by going over all the breeder info, If I am ever in need of a puppy I will go there and you should too. Posted on Google Cecilia Caballero Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. We came at a time they were very busy and never once did we feel rushed, or given attitude while asking questions. The two on staff were amazing and sweet! Posted on Google Noelle Chaney Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I went in to get my dogs nails trimmed and was met with a smile and warm greeting from an employee, Dean. The trimming was quick and they really showed my scared dog good care. It was the most pleasant experience I’ve had when it comes to some of these pet places! Posted on Google Shayna V Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. We just went for a walk”puppy therapy.” Look at how cute they are. I was a little surprised that considering how few customers were in at the time & yet we only got a “let us know if we can help you with anything” and that was it. There were plenty of employees in store, as it was probably the beginning of the Friday night shift, before families started coming in. I had made an appointment, just in case we decided to see any of the dogs. I guess I’m accustomed to the employees being more personal and wanting to tell me things based on the conversation my group is having without me having to reach out to them. ```