5 cuddly, lovable facts about Shih Tzus

1. Shih Tzus were originally bred in China as a companion dog for emperors.  Their name means "lion" in Chinese.  In fact their full name is actually Tibetan Shih Tzu Kou meaning Tibetan Lion Dog
2. The Shih Tzu didn't make it to the US until the 1940s when US Soldiers stationed in the UK fell in love with these pups and brought some back.  The breed, however, was not officially recognized in the US until 1969 
3. Need a flower accessory for you Shih Tzu?  Check out our Flower Dog Collars here as the Shih Tzu is often called the "Chrysanthemum" due to the resemblance of their faces to this flower.
4. The Shih Tzu is 1 of 14 ancient breeds, meaning it has close ties to wolves!
5. Shih Tzus are beloved by some of the most famous people in the world including Queen Elizabeth, Geri Halliwell, the Dalai Lama, Beyonce, Jane Seymour, and Bill Gates

Be sure to check out our  Shih Tzu section here for some awesome gear made just for your furbaby!

Have a Shih Tzu? Tell us what makes yours so smart, interesting, fun, or lovable! Use the comments below or tweet at us: @HotDogCollars

Love that adorable "Lion" in the pics in this article?  That is Sami, who says #ImAHotDog and whose pics were submitted from our hottes7-6-2015t dog photo contest