The Cock-A-Tzu is a newer variety of designer dog, an intentional cross between the American Cocker Spaniel, a companion animal that was once a hunting dog, and the Shih-Tzu, the companion and watchdog of Asian royalty. The Shih-Tzu is an ancient breed of dogs that hails from China. It is believed to have been developed from the Lhasa Apso, a tiny guard dog from Tibet, that was bred with small Chinese dogs, such as the Pekingese. Designed to be a companion and a watchdog, the Shih-Tzu was favored by Chinese royalty for many centuries because of its flowing, hypoallergenic coat and its friendly nature. Spaniels, in general, are classified as a variety of gun dog, but in truth, they have been assisting hunters since long before the gun was invented. Initially, these dogs were bred to flush prey out of the deep brush for hunters as early as the 1500’s and in some cases, to retrieve birds and game from where they had fallen either on land or water. The earliest Spaniels were first divided into two groups based on where they worked; water Spaniels and land Spaniels. It wasn’t until sometime in the 17th century that a distinction was made between types of land Spaniels, and the distinction was based entirely on size. The taller Spaniels were typically employed to “spring” game animals from the bush and were therefore called Springers, whereas the smaller dogs were particularly adept at flushing out game birds like woodcocks for their owners, earning them the name of Cocker Spaniel. When the Cocker Spaniels began development in America they changed considerably, being bred for suitability as a companion rather than as a game dog. Cocker Spaniels in America had lengthened backs, more dome shaped heads and a greatly reduced prey drive. The change was so great that in 1935 a group was formed for those who preferred the traditional look of the English Cocker Spaniel and were adamant about discouraging interbreeding between the original English Cocker Spaniel and the newer Americanized version. In 1946 the Cocker spaniels that had developed in America were recognized as a separate breed, the American Cocker Spaniel, and this is the breed utilized for the development of the Cock-A-Tzu hybrid.
