Shih Tzu, translates to "Little Lion" which originates from its Tibetan ancestry.  It's rumored that the Tibetan Buddhist God of Learning traveled with a small Lion dog that would convert to an actual Lion.  These Tibetan "Little Lions" were exported to Chinese royalty, but they were exterminated during the 1949 Communist Revolution.  So how do we have Shih Tzu's today?  Good question - Chinese Royalty provided them to other royalty,  England, for example, received them, and THEY were imported to the US during WW2; so they were popular in other countries - but the Shih Tzu's we have today go back to only 14 dogs.   Chinese Royalty loved their Tibetan "Little Lions" and they even had a breeding program, but sadly when Empress Tzu Hsi died - it fell apart.  Keep in mind that only Chinese Royalty were allowed to have Shih Tzu's, which is why you see them in old Chinese art. Shih Tzu is in the Toy Group, which includes...