| The Story of the Shih Tzu
| |
| | fantastical. We cannot be sure whether
|
| Far away in Tibet, a country with a
| |
| | the Lion Dogs were bred to resemble the
|
| recorded history going back almost 1,500
| |
| | drawings and statues of the symbolic
|
| years is where our Shih Tzu began. The
| |
| | lions or if the artists created their
|
| country was noted for its devotion to
| |
| | 'lions' in the likeness of the little
|
| Buddhism.
| |
| | dogs (ancestors to our Shih Tzu).
|
| Some of the tallest mountains in the
| |
| | The snow lion was called Gang Seng and
|
| world edge the country of Tibet. Winters
| |
| | was considered to be so powerful that he
|
| in Tibet are severe with temperatures to
| |
| | could cause seven dragons to fall out of
|
| 14 degrees F in December. The winds in
| |
| | the sky with one roar. The symbolic lion
|
| Tibet are strong and biting with hard
| |
| | was believed to have the ability to walk
|
| frosts. Snowfall is light. In the
| |
| | in the clouds. He could also speak with
|
| summer, daylight temperatures reach a
| |
| | the voice of truth and fearlessness.
|
| maximum of 75 degrees F with a sharp drop
| |
| | Tibet was a difficult place to get to.
|
| in temperature at night. Throughout most
| |
| | China was a neighbor to Tibet. Gifts
|
| of the year there is sunshine and the air
| |
| | from Tibet to China were sent as tribute
|
| is dry and pure.
| |
| | to the Chinese emperors, among which were
|
| The people of this remote and rather
| |
| | Tibetan Lion Dogs (ancestor to our Shih
|
| mysterious land of Tibet were like so
| |
| | Tzu).
|
| many other cultures in our world. They
| |
| | These little dogs traveled with the
|
| kept dogs in a domestic environment.
| |
| | caravans on long journeys from one
|
| There were large dogs used for guarding
| |
| | country to the other. A small army of
|
| and small, shaggy dogs used as companions
| |
| | eunuchs took care of the little dogs.
|
| and as watch-dogs to alert the larger
| |
| | The little Tibetan Lion Dogs (ancestors
|
| dogs. These small dogs were the
| |
| | to our Shih Tzu) adapted well as they
|
| ancestors of our Shih Tzu. The history
| |
| | have continued to do wherever they have
|
| of the Shih Tzu, however, is steeped in
| |
| | gone to live through the centuries.
|
| myth and legends, which makes it
| |
| | In China, everything must have been very
|
| difficult to sort the true facts of our
| |
| | different from Tibet. The summers in
|
| Shih Tzu.
| |
| | Peking were warm and humid with a lot of
|
| One tale in particular, which I find
| |
| | rain. The winters were very cold,
|
| interesting, is that of the small Lion
| |
| | somewhat like Tibet, with temperatures as
|
| Dogs were trained to turn the prayer
| |
| | low as 0 degrees F in January. It is
|
| wheels as part of the daily ritual in the
| |
| | recorded that the little Tibetan Lion
|
| monasteries. There was a belief that
| |
| | Dogs settled in and became great
|
| those monks whose life had been less than
| |
| | favorites of the Manchu emperors.
|
| exemplary, would in accordance with the
| |
| | Most likely they were interbred with the
|
| Buddhist theory of reincarnation, be
| |
| | short-faced Chinese breeds - the Chinese
|
| reborn as one of the temple dogs.
| |
| | Pug and the Pekinese, which is probably
|
| Buddhism in Tibet recognized a large
| |
| | what gives the Shih Tzu the
|
| number of divine beings. Each being
| |
| | characteristics that differentiate them
|
| symbolized an aspect of life. One was
| |
| | from the Tibetan Lion Dogs that later
|
| Buddha Manjusri, the God of Learning.
| |
| | became the Lhasa Apsos.
|
| The God of Learning was said to travel
| |
| | Connie Limon is a Shih Tzu breeder. She
|
| with a small Lion Dog (ancestor to our
| |
| | publishes a FREE weekly newsletter with a
|
| Shih Tzu) that could turn into a
| |
| | focus upon health and wellness for you
|
| full-sized lion and carry him vast
| |
| | and your pets. Designer dog clothes are
|
| distances on his back.
| |
| | offered on the website. Discounts are
|
| Oddly enough, there were no actual lions
| |
| | offered to subscribers. Sign up at:
|
| in Tibet, only artistic works of the
| |
| | This article is FREE to publish with
|
| animal, which were often somewhat
| |
| | resource box.
|