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Speaker 1: Animal lovers are drawn to the big, bold eyes of the Shih Tzu breed, but
those beautiful eyes do come with their own set of problems. We actually call that condition
"ax ophthalmos", which means the eyes are protruding and they're actually more prone
to what we call "exposure keratitis". Simply, the pollens, the doss will irritate the cornea
of those dogs' eyes and even create a black pigment, which colors the globe of they eye
like a shade and eventually can lead to blindness. So it's important to be aware that this breed
can develop that problem. Speaker 2: They're a good blend of playful
and mellow. We like the fact that they can kind of adapt to how the family schedule is.
My husband liked the fact that he didn't shed and he was hypo-allergenic and so, right off
the bat, we knew that that was the breed for us.
Speaker 3: The other thing about a Shih Tzu is that they are what we call brachycephalic
dogs, meaning that they have a squishy face and so dogs with squishy faces can sometimes
have a more difficult time with breathing. So, from a training perspective, it's really
important that we take our time and we make sure we train them in a cool climate so they
don't overheat. They don't need a tremendous amount of exercise. They need a little bit
more grooming than some of the other dogs. Shih Tzus are bred for companion ability,
meaning they were bred to be in your lap. So, because of that, they are a wonderful
choice for any family member. Speaker 4: My name is Kate Mcilvain. I'm the
director of program operations for Sit Stay Read. Asher is an eight-year-old Shih Tzu
who's been volunteering with Sit Stay Read for about a year with her mom, Debbie. Asher
is a great volunteer for Sit Stay Read. Asher is obedient and well-behaved, which is a really
good thing for our programs because volunteering with kids, with a lot of kids, in schools
and community centers can be a hectic experience, so it's great that Asher is so calm and easy-going.
Asher just loves to be pet by our kids and snuggled with our kids and getting treats
from our kids. She's an exemplary Sit Stay Read dog.
Speaker 5: Shih Tzus actually originated in Tibet, but were developed in China and they
were considered royal dogs. In fact, royalty kept these dogs and they sat for hours and
hours and hours in the lap of royalty.