I owned (and loved) an Imperial ShihTzu. She was 8 lbs and very small. She was chocolate/liver and white. She was also registered with AKC. She was the 'dog love of my life' and went everywhere with me. I lost her to her heart giving out when she was 16 yrs old. I still miss her years later.
I had a solid black 6 pound imperial Shih Tzu. She was also registered and had DNA testing done. She was a purebred contrary to what they say in this video.
@@teriwildey9885Yes, Imperial basically just means small. If they’re under 9 pounds, it is not the breed standard, but that doesn’t make them any less a purebred Shih Tzu. I have an imperial now and have had the standard Shih Tzu my whole life. No better breed of dog out there. My life has been blessed with my Tzus. My soulmate was a Shih Tzu ❤❤
If your baby is AKC, she was born the smaller puppy from AKC registered parents, who might also have been smaller. AKC does not recognize “imperial” as a variation of the Shih-Tzu breed. As stated above its just being used to describe (and sell) smaller puppies.
@@tylerwillison4962 So sorry for the loss of your babies. My current Tzu is 12 and has been suffering with the oddest congestion..like a baby with a bad cold. I love him dearly and think I’ll also wait awhile before getting another, once he crosses the rainbow bridge.
I feel gratified. My Shih Tzu is apparently a purebred American by your description. I live in the city and see lots of other Shih Tzu on our walks. For whatever reason the owners of tiny Shih Tzu have an attitude problem. They arrogantly point out (as they look at my 11-inch 16-pound girl) that THEIRS is a purebred. I'll be nice and keep quiet, but now I can smile to myself and think, "Hmmmph, obviously an Imperial Shih Tzu, not recognized as a purebred at all."
Hahaa! I have had 4 American Shih Tzu. They are well bred, robust and healthy with beautiful temperaments. Those tiny ones can have health issues. My guys charge around, love playing with kids and are well socialized. That said they are clowns and can be sorta babyish at times.
If both the Imperial Shih Tzu and teacup Shih tzu are from purebred AKC parents, they are purebred. It’s just that the smaller dogs do not meet breed standards. Most of the pet quality Shih Tzu that people know and love Do Not meet AKC Shih Tzu standards. Too taller, too short, the coat not as full, the wrong tail set, tail too curly……….I could go on. Because your beloved pet doesn’t meet show quality standards doesn’t make them any less of a Shih Tzu. My 2 9 pound girls are healthy and intelligent. They both know more than 25 separate commands and are therapy dogs. And no…… not all smaller Shih tzu are runts. Some people will believe anything.
My Shitzu of 14 years and 10 months passed away today. One of the hardest days of my life. She brought us so much joy. She had congestive heart failure and it was really effecting her quality of life so we put her down. That happened at 10:30 am today and I am so heart broken. 😢
Exactly. Imagine thinking a black or brindle or blue-eyed shih tzu is a distinct type! Even then, half the dogs in this video don't look even remotely like shih tzus. It wouldn't be so bad if the channel was just about dogs, but it's apparently just about shih tzu. Bizarre!
My favorite Shihtzu is the brindle color. I have been FORTUNATE to have two of these , a male that latter changed to charcoal gray and white and the female is gradually starting to turn to tan and white. She is just three years old. They are wonderful companions and very loyal and smart.
If you’re going good to make an informational video, it’s probably a good idea to make sure your information is correct and you don’t use unrelated pictures.
So much misinformation in this video. "Purebred" isn't determined by size or color, but by the % of a breed a dog is made of. If you breed 2, 100% Shih Tzus together, all of the offspring is 100% Shih Tzu, a/k/a "Purebred", no matter what size or color it is. The American Kennel Club Breed Standard states that Shih Tzus should be between 8-11" tall & 9-16 lbs., so there is quite a bit of variation in sizes of the purebred Shih Tzus, just in general. The non-showing public loves "different", so breeding outside the Breed Standard for unusual color patterns &/or smaller sizes, are where things like "Imperial" come from. "Imperial" is just a term for "Undersized Shih Tzu". Of course, when something's trendy, like "Imperial" or "Teacup", people will cross the Shih Tzu w/ a smaller breed in an effort to create the wee pooches that are in demand on the pet market, & in that case, they won't be Purebred Shih Tzu. There are also many mixed breed dogs in this video, which makes it even more misleading. The idea is a good one, but the creator should educate themselves more about the breeds, terminology, etc., before making an "educational" video such as this, full of inaccuracies.
I own both a Black and a Brindle Shih Tzu ~ both are female. The Black is registered, whereas the Brindle is not. She came from 2 registered parents, however, my daughter whom I got her from did not register the liter. I really didn’t care about papers. My daughter had given her to a woman who did not properly care for the pup. I got her at age 9 months and she is 11 years old now and very spoiled ~ as all pets should be.
Thanks for pointing this out. It's bad enough that this is a dog channel - its apparently dedicated to this breed and they can't even get vids of the actual breed? Never mind indicating there are 8 different types when most of these are just different colour variations.
I have a 6mo shih tzu with black fur. Her feet all are brown and her chest and chin are brownish too. She also has white coloring that looks like her eyebrows. It was so prominent when her coat was thinner. My other one is over 2yo and is mostly white with brown and black here and there.
My Sparky was a rescue, due to his disabled owner passing away from COVID. I wasn't looking for a particular breed, but I thought he was the cutest dog EVER the moment I saw him. Sparky and my favorite cat became instant friends, and that settled it. I had found my companion canine. He is Black with white on his chest and paws, and looks like an American boy.
Half the dogs here clearly aren't shih tzus. Neither the pure white dog nor the black dogs that start at 1:51 are shih tzus - their muzzles are far too long. I've never encountered the term "teacup shih tzu" - the term for any shih tzu bred to be small is an Imperial, and it's correct that they aren't recognized by any kennel club; the small size is discouraged due to breeding problems (I adopted my two as early retired breeders, as one was so small her puppies were born prematurely and died). No doubt the Imperials are created by successively breeding smaller and smaller dogs together, however, no one with any intelligence would breed two dogs from the same litter - that's just nuts. Black or brindle shih tzus aren't "types" of shih tzus (nor are blue-eyed shih tzus, as nearly all dog breeds have blue-eyed variants) - they're simply less-common coat colours. It's misleading to call them a distinct "type." For eg. my smallest shih tzu is dark brown with caramel coloured points (feet, tail, face) described as "dobie-marked" bc it resembles a doberman. None of the dogs shown here are brindle, which is often described as "tiger-striped," bc the colouration is black striping on a red/brown/gold background. Brindle shih tzus exist... just not in this video.
I have a shih tzu that is a pure bred shih tzu from a pure shih tzu breeders that has breed them for over 20 yrs and he is registered with the American kennel club as pure breed as is his parents and his father and grandfather are brindle l have four generations of his history so there are brindle shih tzu
I agree, imperial is a term for breeders to market small shih tzu's and most have health issues. I lived with a shih tzu breeder and her ethics were none to pleasing, she had 34 dogs, 2 of which at the time were standard poodles, and the rest were Shih tzu or shih tzu crosses. She bred half siblings and marketed them as imperial. She has been breeding for "15-20 years" and I say that loosely. She does not do the things breeders should do. She even told me she wanted to introduce merle to poodles and say they were pure bred, she had a doodle and it looked more poodle and she was going to use her other spayed poodles papers to paper her and she did the same with several other shih tzu, most were mixed with yorkie to get that extra small size yorkies have and the mom dog had an incorrect tail form and she would lie and say it was a fault but she produced "Perfect puppies that are tiny" and that was her words. Breeders are sneaky, papers mean nothing anymore. Luckily she was investigated by ACK recently and rehomed some of the adults. But sadly she has now kept just as many puppies and bought some pekes and more poodles. All they need is some papers from another dog that is retired/gone/fixed and paper a mutt. I am glad I no longer live there, it was hell on earth seeing those dogs live in a small townhome and not even touch the outside ground their whole lives. She moved into a house but it is not any better as she has more and more dogs.
@@Dime.Society It is truly upsetting, hard to believe it because she keeps her facebook page and website nice, and hides the dogs in her room when people come see the puppies. She uses wax melts to hide the smell of urine as not all of them are potty trained and track it in from the yard since three are so many. Watching her be so deceitful made it all to disturbing to know there are breeders who can put on a show like they are ethical and yet they are the bottom tier breeders. Made it hard for me to trust any breeders, which is sad because there are good ones. I just know they can hide things too well after seeing it first hand.
Yes! We adopted at black shih tzu and didn’t even know they came all black. He blends in and sometimes missed in photos. Some of our friends didn’t know we have a dog because they can’t see 👀 him in our family photos. 😂 🥷
I have a shih tzu and her name is Mochi, she is a tri-colored shih tzu and when I search it up its kinda rare to find these. Mochi was watching the vid with me and it looked like she enjoyed it!
@@IamAdrianaCarolina mine is also tri colour, (named monster) she’s mostly honey and white..with the honey colour darkening in some spots, like the tips of her ears, and with a few wisps of black in her tail and moustache 🥰
If both the Imperial Shih Tzu and teacup Shih tzu are from purebred AKC parents, they are purebred. It’s just that the smaller dogs do not meet breed standards. Most of the pet quality Shih Tzu that people know and love Do Not meet AKC Shih Tzu standards. Too taller, too short, the coat not as full, the wrong tail set, tail too curly……….I could go on. Because your beloved pet doesn’t meet show quality standards doesn’t make them any less of a Shih Tzu.
This channel doesn’t know anything about shin tzu’s. The original bread is the imperial and are from Tibet. There are only three types and the American and European ones were crossed with bigger dogs for hunting. Any dog can be AKC registered, you only have to pay the bucks. Also teacup ones are not a breed they are just bread from the smallest of the imperial ones and are very unhealthy due to inbreeding.
There aren't. You have a shih tzu with blue eyes - which is lovely! but it's not a distinct type within the breed. You can safely disregard almost everything in this video. The creator clearly knows very little about the breed - they couldn't even find real shih tzu for the video; many of these dogs aren't even shih tzu's!
I did not know what type of shin tzu my Puka(his name) was,I just identified him.He is American.The family who bought him did not want him anymore, I got him by mistake since my wife wanted a dog and I didn’t want him to be a stray so I got him.I wouldn’t change him for anything in the world.
Well i own a IMPERIAL SHIH TZU. He is 2 lbs and He is 3 months old now. He was white/brown . He was registered with KCI. He is my love of my life. I take care my dog with lots of love (LEO
If both the Imperial Shih Tzu and teacup Shih tzu are from purebred AKC parents, they are purebred. It’s just that the smaller dogs do not meet breed standards. Most of the pet quality Shih Tzu that people know and love Do Not meet AKC Shih Tzu standards. Too taller, too short, the coat not as full, the wrong tail set, tail too curly……….I could go on. Because your beloved pet doesn’t meet show quality standards doesn’t make them any less of a Shih Tzu. Now you know what to say to educate the ignorant people. Enjoy your little man. :)
I had to put my Shih tzu down 9 months ago, I was devastated. My daughter talked me into buying another one, I did he was 8 weeks old, after 2 weeks something went wrong with him and I had to put him down. The vet said whatever it was went to his brain. I almost had a nervous breakdown at the emergency vet. These dogs have a lot of health conditions. Because of the vet bills I’m without a dog now, very heartbreaking.
Aww. That’s just tragic. How old was the other one you put down 9 months ago? God, losing a puppy is just as devastating as losing a dog you’ve loved for years. I remember growing up, i always wanted a dog but for some reasons, after our first dog died from a road accident, our puppies just keeps on dying. I got one a friend gave me but it died a few days later and it’s poop got some blood on it. A few others died that way too years apart. I never knew of viruses then and dogs usually aren’t vaccinated in the past. Then, around 10y ago, we got another puppy after giving up for awhile. That puppy died too. It jumped off a moving vehicle and got run over by the vehicle it was on. Such a tragedy. It was still so small and it was sweet too. It was wagging its tail at first but slowly it’s drifting away from us. I can never forget the noise it makes as it slowly dies. It wasn’t loud. She was just trying to breath and live. Now i have 2 shih tzu and am very careful with them. When we go to town i always make sure they are secured. They are my world.
Sorry to hear that, l know that was devastating...most people are breeding for money not the breed. Look at this guy, he doesn't even know the shih zhu standards......
I’m sorry to hear that! My shihtzu is almost 14 years old and he still acts like a puppy. He’s never had health issues of any kind except after his first vaccination, he had an allergic reaction. He’s such a cutie pie. He is losing his vision at his advanced age now bc he has cataracts. But besides that, he still thinks he’s a playful puppy.
I'm so sorry, Tracy. I know the devastation of losing a beloved dog - it's simply heartbreaking. I do agree that this breed is prone to some health issues - one of my current girls is going to cost me the earth with something called brachycephalic opthalmic syndrome - the moment the vet said it, I could feel my pocket getting lighter, lol. However, it sounds like your pup had some sort of infection that went to his brain - that's not really typical of the breed, but may be a sign of having come from an unethical breeder. You don't say where you got your little fellow, but a good breeder would be horrified that this happened to your pup - at a minimum they'd have refunded you your money. I hope that after taking time to heal your heart, you'll consider another dog; you sound like someone who can give one a very good home!
Our little Carly was a shihtzu/poodle she was a great little dog and so sweet she passed away last night and I'll miss her alot if your wondering if there great dogs they are
After the 1949 Communist revolution, all Shih Tzu in China were killed because of their association with wealth. At this time, Lady Brownrigg, an Englishwoman who had made her home in China, was fortunate to find a few of these dogs which she then imported to England. These, along with a few which were salvaged by an English Officer on duty in China at that time, made up the stock which was responsible for the continuation of the breed in England and Europe. Every Shih Tzu alive today can be traced to one of Shih Tzu 14 dogs - seven males and seven females - that were used to rebuild the breed.
Yes, it's a great piece of history - it's too bad the video didn't include it (or other accurate information)! Thanks for adding that great historical information, as I'm sure a lot of folks don't know it.
@@dondupgafel7777u r rite n wrong. Lhasa apso’s was taken from tibet to China. From there they breed them with another breed of dog n created the Shih Tzu. So they r a breed from China
@@dondupgafel7777u r mistaken Lhasa apso’s was taken from Tibet to China while in China they mixed the Lhasa Apso with another breed of dog and created the Shih Tzu so they are a break from China
There's only 1 type of shih tzu, others are smaller because they lack nutrition or DNA talks. (I'm not talking about liver line shih tzu, you know what I mean). Imperial, teacup, etc., Sometimes breeders breed small shih tzu/s to produce smaller ones, and then they'll tell people that this is a teacup, etc. to earn a few bucks than the usual.
Please bear in mind that at one time there was only one size of Poodle, Australian Shepherd, and other breeds of dogs before you go spewing your nonsense as if you know what you're talking about.
You need to educate yourself. Imperial and Teacup are descriptive terms. I have two AKC registered Teacup Shih Tzus, my sister is a breeder. Definitely not lacking nutrition and both extremely healthy and happy.
G. W hampton5525 You are so correct. If both the Imperial Shih Tzu and teacup Shih tzu are from purebred AKC parents, they are purebred. It’s just that the smaller dogs do not meet breed standards. Most of the pet quality Shih Tzu that people know and love Do Not meet AKC Shih Tzu standards. Too taller, too short, the coat not as full, the wrong tail set, tail too curly……….I could go on. Because your beloved pet doesn’t meet show quality standards doesn’t make them any less of a Shih Tzu.
*My Shih Tzu front teeth fits down inside the bottom teeth. That should have been mentioned in this video. That is the main heritage of a pure breed Shih Tzu.*
I have a solid black one with blue eyes. He is now about 5. I found him as a puppy on the side of the interstate. Now I know why the vet asked me how much I had to pay for him when I took him in the first time. Wish I wouldn't have gotten him fixed now so I could have had more.
Shih-Tzu are the only breed I’ve ever owned for more than 20 yrs. There are American/European standards that specify requirements for size and formation. “Imperial” is designer dog where someone has simply bred for a smaller puppy. The primary consideration with them is the potential for more health issues. Those hybrids like SheePoos etc., aren’t recognized and can’t be registered. My current baby is AKC, has a smoother silky coat and on the lighter side of the standard, at 9 lbs.
I have two shih tzu, father and son. But they look different. I sometimes wonder if the son is a cross breed. I call them Ewok and Chewbacca. I love them both to bits because of they’re personalities I love the video 👍👍.
Some of the dogs in this video did not even appear to be Shih Tzu. Also, to say Imperial or teacup are not purebred is not accurate. Both are just bred using small parents. If the parents are purebred, the puppy is purebred. Imperial may not be recognized, but it’s just a small Shih Tzu. Found some of this information to be very inaccurate. I am a long time Shih Tzu owner, I’ve had black and white party, blue and white, brindle and currently have a Liver Imperial. Everything about Shih Tzu is wonderful. Adorable, Lovable loyal, intelligent, mischievous, friendly. Magnificent breed!! ❤️❤️❤️❤️
I had an American Shih Tzu. A wonderful dog in every way. But there is no room in the dog world, the world, for ‘teacup Shih Thus’ or any other breed. I’m glad the video at least touched on the problems associated with these dogs, who through no fault of their own, are created to be ‘cute’ not healthy.
My Shih Tzu is my morning bell. he left me with a memory of injury wanting to catch him and when he realized that i was hurt he quits running and ran towards me to carry him.
But aren't the Original Shihtzus from Tibet much much smaller in size, similar to the Imperial? They originated from Tibet so how is the Original Shihtzu now called an American Shihtzu?
The video is rife with inaccuracies. The traditional shih tzu *were* from Tibet, though I can't comment on what size they were - I hadn't heard that they were smaller than today's standard shih tzu. I'd be surprised if they were, since most toy breeds started-out larger, and have been bred to be successively smaller, for that highly desirable trait know as "cuteness," lol. The idea of an "original" or "American" shih tzu is one that begins and ends with this video - as far as I know, it's not really a thing.
I adopted a little dog 10 years ago from a shelter and still unsure if he is a lhasa apso or a shihtzu or maybe even a mix of both. I didn't realise there were so many different types of shihtzu
my sister adopted a dog from the shelter. she thought it as a shih tzuh. turned out to be a lhasa appso with her keen smell and fierce barking of strangers! love that dog. miss her sometimes when i got back home. but i have my own imperial shih tzuh to take care of and love
I have two male Lhasa apso n Shih Tzu mix the bigger one weighs 22 pounds n the smaller one weighs 16. They r litter mates. N I have a chocolate full blooded Shih Tzu named her Candy. N she lives up to her name. It after watching this video I’m thinking. Cause she is only 7.5 pounds n the vet told me if she ends up weighing more it will b because she will b fat. 😢
I have a Maltese shi shizu He is 3 years old and I love him so much ❤️ but he is very dominant and gets angry when I tell him off for his bad behaviour What can I do please 🙏
ty for information received for i have a miniature Schnauzer and my sister's dog is a chit su ,so i was wondering how the puppies will come out. This will be her first pregnancy and she is only 9 months old. Pregnancy was totally an accident for it was not planned
My moms friend shih tzu had puppies, 3 girls. One is all black, one is all brown, and one is white and brown ❤ I’m picking up the brown and white one in 4 weeks
this video is misleading, there is only one Shih Tzu. It varies in size and color. Imperial is just heartless breeders trying to breed them that way and sell for more money. Always see the parents before you buy them, do not buy those are smaller than 10 lbs, they tend to have health issue.
standard weight is 8 to 16 lbs. not 10 lbs. I also see breeders advertising 10 week old puppies at 4 lbs and saying they are imperial, Never telling you they will most likely triple in size when full grown.
M Henry is a black shih tzu. I rescued him when he was 9 and soon be 17 . I had no idea tll now that he eas considerd rare.. when i cut his hair very short for summer his hair becomes silver and these wierd black dots over his back but are invisible when jis hair grows back black.
There's one more type , we have a rare Shih Tzu known as the Biscuit Mafia and will hold various items hostage until suitable payment is received for release of said item, often identifying items of which one should never have possession off as been the best items for a high value reward.
I have a brindle shih tzu he has brown black tan white stripes he just turn 1 yr yesterday when he gets groom he his almost white he's always changing he's father back to his great grandfather people love his colors
We have seen amazing shows abroad: e.g. FANTASEA in Phuket and includind a gorgeous 5* buffet dinner and return transfers from our resort we paid under some $OZ 100 each. Now, in Australia it will cost a fortune to see this show or any other. Therefore, thanks but, will not attend as money does not grow on trees. Enjoy!
I have two tzus and my boy is a red with black mask colouring. He almost looks identical to a Ewok lol when he was a puppy people will point out and say "it's that thing from Star Wars!"
