The Story Of The Shih Tzu

Far away in Tibet, a country with a recorded historysteeped in myth and legends, which makes it difficult to
going back almost 1,500 years is where our Shih Tzusort the true facts of our Shih Tzu.One tale in
began. The country was noted for its devotion toparticular, which I find interesting, is that of the small
Buddhism.Some of the tallest mountains in the worldLion Dogs were trained to turn the prayer wheels as
edge the country of Tibet. Winters in Tibet are severepart of the daily ritual in the monasteries. There was a
with temperatures to 14 degrees F in December. Thebelief that those monks whose life had been less than
winds in Tibet are strong and biting with hard frosts.exemplary, would in accordance with the Buddhist
Snowfall is light. In the summer, daylight temperaturestheory of reincarnation, be reborn as one of the temple
reach a maximum of 75 degrees F with a sharp dropdogs.Buddhism in Tibet recognized a large number of
in temperature at night. Throughout most of the yeardivine beings. Each being symbolized an aspect of life.
there is sunshine and the air is dry and pure.The peopleOne was Buddha Manjusri, the God of Learning. The
of this remote and rather mysterious land of TibetGod of Learning was said to travel with a small Lion
were like so many other cultures in our world. TheyDog (ancestor to our Shih Tzu) that could turn into a
kept dogs in a domestic environment. There werefull-sized lion and carry him vast distances on his
large dogs used for guarding and small, shaggy dogsback.Oddly enough, there were no actual lions in Tibet,
used as companions and as watch-dogs to alert theonly artistic works of the animal, which were often
larger dogs. These small dogs were the ancestors ofsomewhat fantastical.
our Shih Tzu. The history of the Shih Tzu, however, is