Sheltie Tzu

Due to the fact that the Sheltie Tzu is a new designer breed, you have to look at the histories of the parent breeds. The Shetland Sheepdog originated in the Shetland Islands in Scotland in the 1800s from the King Charles Spaniel, Northern Spitz, the Pomeranian, and the Border and Scotch Collies. They were bred to herd sheep, horses, and other animals on the farm but others preferred to keep these sweet-natured dogs as pets. Sometime before 1917, the Shetland Sheepdog was brought to England by members of the British Navy after going to the Shetland Islands for training. They made it to the United States in 1908 but were not acknowledged by the American Kennel Club until three years later. The Shetland Sheepdog is now the 24th most commonly bought breed in the United States. The Shih Tzu has been around since the Tang Dynasty when they were bred in China as companions and watchdogs to royal families. They are friendly and alert dogs that do not need much exercise but do need extensive grooming. They were bred from the Tibetan Mountain dog, Pekingese, and Lhasa Apso and can be traced back to the sixth century. They soon became popular with the common people but nearly became extinct during the Chinese Revolution. There were only a handful of Shih Tzus left, of which the modern Shih Tzu descended. The breed started to become popular in other countries such as England, Norway, and the United States in the 1900s but they were often confused with the Lhasa Apso, which looks very similar to the Shih Tzu. It was not until 1938 that the standards were set to discern between these two breeds. However, they were not recognized by the American Kennel Club until 31 years later, in 1969. The breed is now the 20th most well-liked breed in America.