I know every dog owner thinks their dog is the greatest fur covered specimen on the planet, but most people - unbiased people! - who know shih-tzus agree that they're shockingly well-behaved as a breed. Sweet, friendly, adaptable, good with children, most shih-tzus are exceptionally loving (they were originally bred, after all, to be the lap dogs of ancient Chinese emperors!)
My pup - a six-year-old almost all white shih-tzu named Lilly - has a temperament which ranges from calm to more or less comatose: we joke that she's a cat in a dog's body. My parents have a five-year-old shih-tzu who goes on 5k runs with my father - and then sleeps the rest of the day. This isn't the dog to get if you want to play fetch for hours or hike in the mountains: 20 minutes of running up and down the hall will tire them out for the afternoon.
But if you have allergies, live in a small apartment or a big city, need to travel frequently, or want companionship without the hassle of exercising a big dog, they're perfect. Widely considered to be hypo-allergenic, they also don't shed, although they do need regular grooming (I bathe mine in the sink every other week, and get her clipped at Petco at least every other month).
Shih-Tzus Don't Really Bark
Unlike other breeds (especially Pomerianians), they're not known for hyperactivity or frequent barking. Lilly barks once or twice every three days. In other words, shih-tzus were not designed for guarding anything, except your heart (awww). If an intruder broke in, your shih-tzu would roll over and let him rub her belly. Fierce!
They're not the easiest dogs to potty train - mine took almost a year - but now that she has it down, her bladder control is exemplary. After a three month puppy kindergarten when she was a baby, she's maintained good manners in the "sit, stay" department ever since. "Come!" however, is a 50-50 proposition. She comes, sometimes, when she feels like it. Like a teenager. Still working on that.
Shih-Tzus: yep, they're a purse dog. But not an embarrassing purse dog.
The best part about shih-tzus - besides their sweetness - is their portability (they average 10-16lbs). When I adopted Lilly as a baby, I took her with me everywhere - and I mean everywhere - which ended up being the single best decision I made about her upbringing. Obviously you can't do this as easily with the bigger dogs, but with those under 15 lbs? Just put her in her favorite bag and bring her with! (Lilly loves her bag, and if it's just sitting on the floor, she'll climb in and curl up. It's her safe spot.) And I can't tell you how great it is to just take them on planes with you.
I hope this helps! I'm so blessed to have Lilly (who is currently curled up, exhausted from a vigorous day of sleeping, at the end of my bed, near my feet, as I type) in my life. I don't know what I would do without her.
