New York, N.Y. The New York Shih Tzu Rescue Society is a project of The New York Global Leader Lions & Leos Club, sponsored in turn by the J. Luce Foundation. Our mission is to promote this Asian breed and find loving families for dogs in need.
Founded in October 2018 in Lions Club International District 20-R2 in Greater New York City, the club promotes canine rescue in support of animals and fostering kindness and compassion, but also as a training and development program for young global leaders focused on responsibility.
Currently we have more pre-approved, loving forever families than dogs available. There is a freeze on new applications in 202, however the organization is eager to rescue Shih Tzus and Lhasa Apsos in need.
A Shih Tzu (Chinese: 西施犬; Xī Shī quǎn, literally "Xi Shi dog"), is a toy dog breed, weighing from 9 to 16 lbs. when fully grown. The breed originated in Tibet and was developed in China.
A sturdy little dog with short muzzle and large dark brown eyes, they have a soft and long double coat. Although sometimes long, a Shih Tzu will not always have extremely lengthy hair like the Pekingese (but with short legs). Some of them have more short, curly hair. This is purely a choice made by the owners.
Floppy ears are covered with long fur, and the heavily furred tail is carried curled over the back. The coat may be of any color, though white and with blazes of grey are frequently seen. A very noticeable feature is the underbite, which is required in the breed standard.
Because of their long coat and fast-growing hair, regular grooming is necessary, which may be expensive and should be taken into account when considering adopting one of this breed. Often, the coat is clipped short to simplify care, but the coat still requires daily brushing. For conformation showing, the coat must be left in its natural state, though trimming for neatness around the feet and a**s is allowed. The shorter cut is typically called a “puppy cut.”
Although an individual Shih Tzus temperament varies from dog to dog, the breed has a personality and temperament that is loyal, affectionate, outgoing, cute, and alert. They tend to be possessive around other dogs. Training and proper socializing must start at a young age for the Shih Tzu to obey basic commands, for the Shih Tzu is prone to stubbornness when it comes to training.
While the Shih Tzu is an excellent watchdog because of its alert and active nature, it was not specifically bred for this purpose. Unlike the Lhasa Apso, which was bred to be a sentinel dog that enjoys high perches and is wary of strangers, the Shih Tzu prefers to be close to its companions and will often offer strangers its affection.
Because of its friendly nature, the Shih Tzu tends to interact well with other dogs and with children and adults. They do well with singles, couples, and families with older children. They may be a little temperamental with hyper or larger breeds, but generally, the Shih Tzu gets along well with other pets. They are generally well behaved and suitable for families.
The name comes from the Chinese language word for “lion” because this kind of dog was bred to resemble “the lion, as depicted in traditional oriental art.” This is why our Lions Club has embraced them. The dog may also be called the Tibetan Lion Dog, but whether the breed should be referred to as "Tibetan" or "Chinese" is a source of both historical and political contention, as the subsequent section notes.
One theory is that the Shih Tzu descended from a cross between the Pekingese and Lhasa Apso, a Tibetan dog given by the Dalai Lama to Chinese emperors near the end of the 17th century. The dogs were favorites of the Chinese royals and so prized that, for years, the Chinese refused to sell, trade, or give any away. The first dogs of the breed were imported into England in 1930 were classified by the Kennel Club as “Apsos.”
The first European standard for the breed was written in England in 1935 by the Shih Tzu Club, and the dogs were categorized again as Shih Tzu. The breed spread throughout Europe and was brought to the United States after World War II, when returning members of the U.S. military brought back dogs from Europe and Asia, in the mid-1950s. The Shih Tzu was recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1969 in the Toy Group.
In the United States, the Shih Tzu is ranked the 12th most popular breed.
This rescue society began ten years ago when Jim Luce penned Searching NYC for the Perfect Family Apartment Pooch for the Huffington Post. He wrote, “We are looking to adopt a young, male Shih Tzu, Havanese, Maltese, Papillion, or Lhasa Apso. I am 50-year old and a writer and orphan care expert who works from home, a three-bedroom duplex on Roosevelt Island. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/searching-nyc-for-the-per_b_650527
