| I have wondered just who are the ancestors of the | | | | salukis, pharoah hounds and Ibizan hounds. I have to |
| shih tzu. Like all other dog breeds, shih tzu ancestors | | | | admit the only one in this group I recognize is the |
| most likely come from five choices: Grey Wolf, | | | | "greyhound." Our shih tzu was not in this group at all |
| Golden Jackal, Coyote, African Wild Dog. It is hard to | | | | it seems. However, less frequently, were paintings of |
| imagine our little shih tzu baby dolls has any of these | | | | small, short-legged dogs, (not our shih tzu) in |
| wild characters in their background. According to | | | | domestic settings. They could have been the |
| researchers, all canines have their roots in one of | | | | watchdogs for the Egyptians or just simply pets. |
| these five categories. I don't think I could ever be in | | | | The Romans were crazy about dogs and seemed to |
| love with a real live wolf or a coyote. A coyote | | | | realize they could choose dogs to mate based on |
| makes those strange sounding "howls." I have some | | | | appearance or behavior and develop specific abilities. |
| shih tzu that have a howl sound rather than a bark. | | | | They had guard dogs and dogs who fought in |
| Out of the five groups, wolves and dogs share 71 of | | | | battles. They had a variety of house dogs including |
| 90 charted behavioral patterns, more than any other | | | | one that most likely was of the Maltese type. |
| two canid species. My thinking is then probably most | | | | The Chinese emperors were quite fond of pets. |
| breeds as we know them today have the wolf as its | | | | Their puppies had human nurses and their adult dogs |
| ancestor. The fact that the shih tzu has ancestors in | | | | had human servants. The Pekingese exists as a |
| the wolf family, however, does not thrill me in the | | | | breed at least from the period of A.D. 700. They |
| least. I cannot imagine sharing my bed with a real live | | | | were developed to resemble the spirit lion to ward |
| wolf. The shih tzu faces are so sweet and innocent. | | | | off evil and bring good luck. The chin were |
| A lot of my shih tzu look like chinese men and | | | | sometimes called "sleeve dogs." There are ancient |
| women in the face. They do not seem like even | | | | imperial dog cemeteries scattered about Beijing in |
| "dogs" to me. | | | | China. Pekingese dogs were very often entombed |
| The Egyptians had a real talent for taming animals | | | | with their emperors. The thing that really amazes me |
| and kept a variety of pets. They probably receive | | | | is how the faces of some our shih tzu look like the |
| the most credit for the domestication of the cat, but | | | | faces of chinese men and women. How did the |
| there were dogs in the Egyptians' homes as well. We | | | | Chinese accomplish that? |
| can imagine this because of the many canines that | | | | During the 14th Century the Chinese began to |
| prance across egyptian tomb paintings. Some of | | | | recognize the dog's many functions such as being |
| those canines have been identified as greyhounds, | | | | able to lead the blind. |