Temperament is one of the Shih Tzu’s most appealing qualities. Over the years, Shih Tzu’s have been bred to be the ultimate companion dog. In this article, we will look at what makes the Shih Tzu personality such a crowd favorite.
Shih Tzu’s Are Hopelessly Dedicated To You
Firstly, a Shih Tzu is totally and unapologetically devoted to you and your needs. They’re always going to be your companion till the end.
Yeah, sure they like to play with a chew toy every now and then, but I guarantee your Shih Tzu’s favorite part of any day is the time spent in your lap.
It is not unheard of for a Shih Tzu to sit at your feet for hours, enjoying nap time. However, your little companion will look at you every so often in complete admiration.
If you’re looking for a dog that you can leave alone for hours while you do your thing. This breed is not the right one for you. However, if you want a dog to cuddle with and always be at your side, this is the right dog.
Shih Tzu Personality Calm And Subdued
I know you’ve heard of those little lap dogs that do nothing all day but yap away and occasionally nip at your visitor’s ankles.
Well, the Shih Tzu is not one of those dogs. They’re more of a watch and observe kind of a dog.
Once in a while, you might get the occasional barking at the mailman, but they’re not bred to be guard dogs.
For the most part, your Shih Tzu is focused on being around you and do not have the time to worry about anything else.
When you do have visitors, your dog is compelled to think that’s just someone else that will pet and cuddle him or her as you do. There are times when your dog may bark at someone that comes over. But that could be avoided if your dog was socialized correctly.
Just like you have people that talk more than others, you will have some Shih Tzus that bark more than others. In general, this breed is not yappy.
Shih Tzus have a sense of humor too
Part of being a good companion is having a good sense of humor, and your little buddy will waste no time making you chuckle.
There is a litany of ways that your dog can make you laugh, such as flipping their mouse toy in the air and turning around to see where it lands.
Or playing fetch and running out of reach when you try to retrieve the ball. Or simply just looking at you with a perplexed look on its face. This just brightens up your day and puts a smile on your face. How can anyone resist such a Shih Tzu personality?
Shih Tzus are adaptable
No matter how devoted this breed is to its owner, they adapt well to new owners. Please do not feel bad; it’s not that your Shih Tzu didn’t like you. It is more like they’re in love with everyone else too.
Anyone that is willing to groom, pet, or feed a Shih Tzu will become its best friend.
This Shih Tzu personality trait makes adopting an older Shih Tzu a great decision. These dogs do not sit around moping and missing their previous owner.
Another great thing about adopting an older dog is that they may have already been housetrained.
Just as long as you have food and a warm lap to share, your new Shih Tzu will adapt to you and his or her new home in no time.
Beware of a Shih Tzu’s arrogance
If you’re not careful, you’ll be asking yourself, how does something so tiny and adorable have such an arrogant streak to it?
Well, if your ancestors were explicitly bred for royalty, then I’m sure you’ll have a high and mighty attitude too.
You can really tell a Shih Tzu’s arrogance by the way they stand, move, and turn around with their nose held high in the air.
At times, they may even turn their nose down when they feel someone is not worthy of their time. But keep in mind that this does not happen too often.
Don’t worry if you’re not royalty, I’m sure your Shih Tzu won’t mind. They’ll love you just the same.
