Sunday, March 23, 2008
Shih Tzu The Hotly Contested Question Of Shih Tzu Size Part III
There is a highly important article presented by a Norweigan Shih Tzu fancier of which the authors name is not given. It is thought to be almost certain, however, the article was written by Dr. Walter Young, author of Some Canine Breeds of Asia.
The article was published in Peiping shortly before the first Peking Kennel Club Show. The articles states: at least as common as good Pekingese in Peiping are the Tibetans, the shock-headed long-coated little dogs which came to China during the Manchu dynasty as gifts from the grand lamas at Lhasa. The writer continues to say: it is a novel little breed, and complained at that time, no effort is made to distinguish what is quite evidently two distinct types, one considerably larger and higher on the leg than the other.
These types of dogs described as being considerably larger and higher on the leg than the other were commonly bred by Chinese fanciers and sold in the dog markets on fair days. The writer placed these dogs as ones who must be in the non-sporting group, and admitted there was much confusion about the breed, and even in those days, was very inaccurate information being spread about the different sizes of the Shih Tzu. The article does confirm the theory regarding the existence of two types of Shih Tzu in Peking, at least as far as the 1930s were concerned: one of a very small variety, in size more or less similar to the Pekingese, the other larger and apparently closely resembling what we now call the Apso, although smaller, and with shorter legs. The writer was also aware of many cases of crossing of Shih Tzu and Pekingese.
When Princess Der Ling came to Peking and shared her knowledge with the Countess dAnjou, the full truth about the palace dogs of old began to emerge. Peking fanciers began to do their best to restore to the Shih Tzu something of the imperial grandeur which had been its birthright in happier days. The Japanese occupation of Peking in the summer of 1937 which was followed by the attack on Pearl Harbor 4 years later, brought an end to their hopes and dreams.
Some very valuable information regarding Shih Tzu size and weight is in the form of a personal letter, dated May, 1955, written by the Countess dAnjou to Mrs. L.G. Widdrington, leading English fancier and widely recognized authority on palace lion dog history. The letter in its entirety can be found in the American Shih Tzu News of March, 1967. The standard that was made out for France set weight limits for the Shih Tzu of 11-22 pounds. The whole standard is also said to have met with the complete approval of two other French fanciers from pre-Pearl Harbor Peking. It is highly unlikely either of them knew nearly as much about the breeds history as the Countess. The available evidence suggest their experience of Shih Tzu dates from the confused period before the Princess Der Ling arrived in Peking to bring to light the full truth about the Imperial Lion Dogs as she had known them in the palace.
The Countess went on in her letter to make it quite clear that she was far from happy about the weight limits permitted. She had accepted them against her better judgement. She did not regard such a weight range as historically correct or even as desirable. The Countesss letter to Mrs. Widdrington states: Yes, I did think the Shih Tzu too big in England. They really should be under 12 pounds. In fact, there were two classes in Peking, up to 12 pounds (which would include our little 6 pound teacups today) and over 12 pounds were judged separately. They never had the big ones in the Imperial Palace
Presently, the American Kennel Club standard for size does not regard the weight of under 9 pounds as being appropriate for the ideal Shih Tzu, and to be accepted by the American Kennel Club show ring competitions. This size is not allowed in the AKC show ring. All who love this size, must accept this fact as it is.
However, we must also face the facts that these smaller size Shih Tzu are the result of days gone-by breeding practices. It is not at all true that the smaller Shih Tzu are sickly or have greater health problems than the larger Shih Tzu. It is not at all true that breeders who produce the smaller size Shih Tzu are guilty of being irresponsible, in-breeding and line-breeding with close relatives to obtain the small size, and doing just about anything to get these small sizes for the sake of more money.
Shih Tzu puppies from the standard size Shih Tzu show ring requirements are priced at much higher prices and are capable of having just as many, if not more, health problems due to the fact that anytime animals are bred to meet a specific weight, look and requirement, a type has to be set in. Type is set in by in-breeding and line-breeding. Negative attributes, such as any health problems in the bloodlines are passed onto offspring just as the positive attributes of those that make a Shih Tzu beautiful for the Showring.
This article is FREE to publish with resource box.
Connie Limon is a Shih Tzu breeder. She publishes a FREE weekly newsletter. A professional newsletter with a focus upon health and wellness for you and your pets. Discounts are offered to subscribers. Sign up at: http://www.stainglassshihtzus.com
The article was published in Peiping shortly before the first Peking Kennel Club Show. The articles states: at least as common as good Pekingese in Peiping are the Tibetans, the shock-headed long-coated little dogs which came to China during the Manchu dynasty as gifts from the grand lamas at Lhasa. The writer continues to say: it is a novel little breed, and complained at that time, no effort is made to distinguish what is quite evidently two distinct types, one considerably larger and higher on the leg than the other.
These types of dogs described as being considerably larger and higher on the leg than the other were commonly bred by Chinese fanciers and sold in the dog markets on fair days. The writer placed these dogs as ones who must be in the non-sporting group, and admitted there was much confusion about the breed, and even in those days, was very inaccurate information being spread about the different sizes of the Shih Tzu. The article does confirm the theory regarding the existence of two types of Shih Tzu in Peking, at least as far as the 1930s were concerned: one of a very small variety, in size more or less similar to the Pekingese, the other larger and apparently closely resembling what we now call the Apso, although smaller, and with shorter legs. The writer was also aware of many cases of crossing of Shih Tzu and Pekingese.
When Princess Der Ling came to Peking and shared her knowledge with the Countess dAnjou, the full truth about the palace dogs of old began to emerge. Peking fanciers began to do their best to restore to the Shih Tzu something of the imperial grandeur which had been its birthright in happier days. The Japanese occupation of Peking in the summer of 1937 which was followed by the attack on Pearl Harbor 4 years later, brought an end to their hopes and dreams.
Some very valuable information regarding Shih Tzu size and weight is in the form of a personal letter, dated May, 1955, written by the Countess dAnjou to Mrs. L.G. Widdrington, leading English fancier and widely recognized authority on palace lion dog history. The letter in its entirety can be found in the American Shih Tzu News of March, 1967. The standard that was made out for France set weight limits for the Shih Tzu of 11-22 pounds. The whole standard is also said to have met with the complete approval of two other French fanciers from pre-Pearl Harbor Peking. It is highly unlikely either of them knew nearly as much about the breeds history as the Countess. The available evidence suggest their experience of Shih Tzu dates from the confused period before the Princess Der Ling arrived in Peking to bring to light the full truth about the Imperial Lion Dogs as she had known them in the palace.
The Countess went on in her letter to make it quite clear that she was far from happy about the weight limits permitted. She had accepted them against her better judgement. She did not regard such a weight range as historically correct or even as desirable. The Countesss letter to Mrs. Widdrington states: Yes, I did think the Shih Tzu too big in England. They really should be under 12 pounds. In fact, there were two classes in Peking, up to 12 pounds (which would include our little 6 pound teacups today) and over 12 pounds were judged separately. They never had the big ones in the Imperial Palace
Presently, the American Kennel Club standard for size does not regard the weight of under 9 pounds as being appropriate for the ideal Shih Tzu, and to be accepted by the American Kennel Club show ring competitions. This size is not allowed in the AKC show ring. All who love this size, must accept this fact as it is.
However, we must also face the facts that these smaller size Shih Tzu are the result of days gone-by breeding practices. It is not at all true that the smaller Shih Tzu are sickly or have greater health problems than the larger Shih Tzu. It is not at all true that breeders who produce the smaller size Shih Tzu are guilty of being irresponsible, in-breeding and line-breeding with close relatives to obtain the small size, and doing just about anything to get these small sizes for the sake of more money.
Shih Tzu puppies from the standard size Shih Tzu show ring requirements are priced at much higher prices and are capable of having just as many, if not more, health problems due to the fact that anytime animals are bred to meet a specific weight, look and requirement, a type has to be set in. Type is set in by in-breeding and line-breeding. Negative attributes, such as any health problems in the bloodlines are passed onto offspring just as the positive attributes of those that make a Shih Tzu beautiful for the Showring.
This article is FREE to publish with resource box.
Connie Limon is a Shih Tzu breeder. She publishes a FREE weekly newsletter. A professional newsletter with a focus upon health and wellness for you and your pets. Discounts are offered to subscribers. Sign up at: http://www.stainglassshihtzus.com
Dog Day Care
Dog day care is growing in popularity. It started in California in 1987 and has been spreading across the country every since. Dog day care centers are all over now. Great way for your dog to spend the day, getting exercise, interaction with other dogs and people. Find out more about dog day care!
I must admit it's not something I was aware of. Of course, I know about kennels - a place to take your dog if you just can't take him with you on a trip but not dog day care. Isn't it child day care? Anyway, one day when I was talking with my son he mentioned he was taking his dog to dog day care the next day. What's that? Anyway he said he dog loved going there and he even had a dog friend. Well, I had to look into this and so here is what I came up with.
Dog day care is much like day care for children. You drop your dog off in the mornings and pick him up after work. Your dog gets to socialize with other dogs, gets outdoor exercise, have activities, play games like fetch. They even have nap time! They have tug toys, balls and toys to climb on. Some places have couches, chairs and even bean bags for them. They even can attend an obedience class.
These centers are generally in a large open space like a renovated warehouse. They have an area for large dogs and one for small dogs. They will also have a large outdoor area.
Some centers have cameras going that you can get on the internet and see what your dog is doing. Do child care centers have that?
These dog day care centers are great for people who feel guilty about spending so much time away from their dogs. They offer dog owners options giving their dog a day of play rather than boredom and loneliness at home. They get to interact with other dogs, get exercise and have fun.
You know some dogs get so lonely and bored at home alone they get into mischief like chewing on shoes, furniture and whatever they can find. Some dogs suffer from separation anxiety so this would be a great way to help them by giving them dogs to play with and people around.
Check out these factors when choosing a dog day care center.
Are the employees trained?
Some have been trained in dog behavior, first aid and obedience training.
Is the facility clean?
Is there an area specifically for the dogs to potty? How does the center smell?
Is the facility overcrowded?
Is the staff to dog ratio good?
One staff member to every 10-15 dogs is optimun.
Does it look like the staff enjoys the dogs?
Is there a security fence around the outdoor areas?
Are they high enough to prevent dogs from jumping over?
Midday meals?
Do they give medications?
To get in a center your dog needs:
Current vaccinations.
Flea prevention
Sprayed/neutered
Dog must get along with other dogs.
Some centers have other services like overnight boarding, dog training and grooming facilities. Some will even pick your dog up and home and return him at night.
I found cost from $15.00 a day to $35.00 a day plus weekly rates so shop around.
These dog day care centers do provide a safe and healthy atmosphere with lots of interaction with people and other dogs.
Sandy Oberreuter has a web site on small dog breeds with articles on popular small dogs, dogs good with children and seniors, breeders, dog diseases and more.
I must admit it's not something I was aware of. Of course, I know about kennels - a place to take your dog if you just can't take him with you on a trip but not dog day care. Isn't it child day care? Anyway, one day when I was talking with my son he mentioned he was taking his dog to dog day care the next day. What's that? Anyway he said he dog loved going there and he even had a dog friend. Well, I had to look into this and so here is what I came up with.
Dog day care is much like day care for children. You drop your dog off in the mornings and pick him up after work. Your dog gets to socialize with other dogs, gets outdoor exercise, have activities, play games like fetch. They even have nap time! They have tug toys, balls and toys to climb on. Some places have couches, chairs and even bean bags for them. They even can attend an obedience class.
These centers are generally in a large open space like a renovated warehouse. They have an area for large dogs and one for small dogs. They will also have a large outdoor area.
Some centers have cameras going that you can get on the internet and see what your dog is doing. Do child care centers have that?
These dog day care centers are great for people who feel guilty about spending so much time away from their dogs. They offer dog owners options giving their dog a day of play rather than boredom and loneliness at home. They get to interact with other dogs, get exercise and have fun.
You know some dogs get so lonely and bored at home alone they get into mischief like chewing on shoes, furniture and whatever they can find. Some dogs suffer from separation anxiety so this would be a great way to help them by giving them dogs to play with and people around.
Check out these factors when choosing a dog day care center.
Are the employees trained?
Some have been trained in dog behavior, first aid and obedience training.
Is the facility clean?
Is there an area specifically for the dogs to potty? How does the center smell?
Is the facility overcrowded?
Is the staff to dog ratio good?
One staff member to every 10-15 dogs is optimun.
Does it look like the staff enjoys the dogs?
Is there a security fence around the outdoor areas?
Are they high enough to prevent dogs from jumping over?
Midday meals?
Do they give medications?
To get in a center your dog needs:
Current vaccinations.
Flea prevention
Sprayed/neutered
Dog must get along with other dogs.
Some centers have other services like overnight boarding, dog training and grooming facilities. Some will even pick your dog up and home and return him at night.
I found cost from $15.00 a day to $35.00 a day plus weekly rates so shop around.
These dog day care centers do provide a safe and healthy atmosphere with lots of interaction with people and other dogs.
Sandy Oberreuter has a web site on small dog breeds with articles on popular small dogs, dogs good with children and seniors, breeders, dog diseases and more.
Everything You Need to Know About Fencing
Is there such a thing as fail-safe fencing and gates? Maybe someday! In the meantime, there are certain steps you should take to make sure your horse not only remains in his enclosure, but remains there safely.
First of all, consider visibility. Your horse must be able to see his fencing, otherwise injuries are imminent. While your horse shouldn't have any trouble seeing a wood or PVC fence, wire fences pose more of a problem. Colorful tape or ribbon tied to the fence every foot or so makes the horse aware of the fence.
Next, consider the height of the fence. Fencing must be high enough to deter the horse from going over, and low enough to deter him from going under. How high is high enough? About nose high (the horse's nose, that is!) should do it. If you have more than one horse in the enclosure, put it at the height of the tallest horse's nose.
There are many different types of fencing to choose from, but electric, wood, and PVC are the most popular.
Electric fence is the most economical for horsemen on a budget. The most popular forms of electric fence for horses are galvanized wire, plastic-coated wire, 1/2-inch electric polytape, or 1 1/2-inch electric polytape. A good way to make wire fence visible to your horse is to tie brightly colored cloth on every strand every three feet or so. In addition to the wire you'll need insulators, posts, hardware, and a charger. For about $200, you can buy everything you need to build a small electric fence corral.
If your budget is larger you might want to investigate woodeither board, slipboard, or rustic rail. While lumber prices will vary from area to area and do fluctuate, wood is always more expensive than wire. Wood fencing is more aesthetically pleasing than wire and will add value to your farm, but it will also cost you time and money in upkeep. Fences made out of non-pressure treated wood must be painted or stained on a regular basis, and broken or dangerous boards must be replaced as noticed. When installing board fencing, make sure you nail the boards to the inside of the posts, and not the outside, to prevent them from popping off when a horse leans against them. Nail heads should be flush, and the fence posts should be stable. If you are in a situation where it is imperative that your horses don't get outyour pasture borders a busy road, you want to separate stallions from mares, etc.you might want to consider running a strand of electric wire along the top rail of the fence.
If money is no object you can get attractive fencing with little or no upkeep. PVC fencing is aesthetically pleasing as it looks like wood from afar, but it never needs painting and won't rot, rust, splinter, or break. Some manufacturers claim it is stronger than wood.
Regardless of what kind of fence you choose, once you have it up it is important to walk it frequently for safety reasons. Make sure there are no downed wires or boards that horses could get caught in or escape through. All fencing must be free of any protruding wires, nails, or pieces of splintered wood that a horse could injure himself on. As you walk your fence, replace any broken, sagging, or splintering boards and downed wires as you notice them. Always check your posts for sturdiness by grabbing them and giving them a good tug; if you live in an area where the ground temperature changes frequently you'll need to do this more often.
Remember, function is important when it comes to fencing, but so is safety!
Ron Petracek is the founder of Equine Internets vast 15 site classified and social network. You can view its amazing size here Http://www.equineinternet.com/network.php or to further your equine habit please visit our forum by clicking here http://www.horsechitchat.com/equineforums and start posting Need to sell a horse or tack? place a free ad here http://www.click4equine.com and always the barn door in left open on purpose.
First of all, consider visibility. Your horse must be able to see his fencing, otherwise injuries are imminent. While your horse shouldn't have any trouble seeing a wood or PVC fence, wire fences pose more of a problem. Colorful tape or ribbon tied to the fence every foot or so makes the horse aware of the fence.
Next, consider the height of the fence. Fencing must be high enough to deter the horse from going over, and low enough to deter him from going under. How high is high enough? About nose high (the horse's nose, that is!) should do it. If you have more than one horse in the enclosure, put it at the height of the tallest horse's nose.
There are many different types of fencing to choose from, but electric, wood, and PVC are the most popular.
Electric fence is the most economical for horsemen on a budget. The most popular forms of electric fence for horses are galvanized wire, plastic-coated wire, 1/2-inch electric polytape, or 1 1/2-inch electric polytape. A good way to make wire fence visible to your horse is to tie brightly colored cloth on every strand every three feet or so. In addition to the wire you'll need insulators, posts, hardware, and a charger. For about $200, you can buy everything you need to build a small electric fence corral.
If your budget is larger you might want to investigate woodeither board, slipboard, or rustic rail. While lumber prices will vary from area to area and do fluctuate, wood is always more expensive than wire. Wood fencing is more aesthetically pleasing than wire and will add value to your farm, but it will also cost you time and money in upkeep. Fences made out of non-pressure treated wood must be painted or stained on a regular basis, and broken or dangerous boards must be replaced as noticed. When installing board fencing, make sure you nail the boards to the inside of the posts, and not the outside, to prevent them from popping off when a horse leans against them. Nail heads should be flush, and the fence posts should be stable. If you are in a situation where it is imperative that your horses don't get outyour pasture borders a busy road, you want to separate stallions from mares, etc.you might want to consider running a strand of electric wire along the top rail of the fence.
If money is no object you can get attractive fencing with little or no upkeep. PVC fencing is aesthetically pleasing as it looks like wood from afar, but it never needs painting and won't rot, rust, splinter, or break. Some manufacturers claim it is stronger than wood.
Regardless of what kind of fence you choose, once you have it up it is important to walk it frequently for safety reasons. Make sure there are no downed wires or boards that horses could get caught in or escape through. All fencing must be free of any protruding wires, nails, or pieces of splintered wood that a horse could injure himself on. As you walk your fence, replace any broken, sagging, or splintering boards and downed wires as you notice them. Always check your posts for sturdiness by grabbing them and giving them a good tug; if you live in an area where the ground temperature changes frequently you'll need to do this more often.
Remember, function is important when it comes to fencing, but so is safety!
Ron Petracek is the founder of Equine Internets vast 15 site classified and social network. You can view its amazing size here Http://www.equineinternet.com/network.php or to further your equine habit please visit our forum by clicking here http://www.horsechitchat.com/equineforums and start posting Need to sell a horse or tack? place a free ad here http://www.click4equine.com and always the barn door in left open on purpose.
