WHATEVER YOU WANT TO KNOW ABOUT SHIH TZU GO TO WWW.SHIHTZU.ORG by JO ANN WHITE
F or the new year, the Ameri- can Shih Tzu Club’s website received a major reorganiza- tion and redesign. When the late Kandy Jones developed the first ASTC website, it was one of the very first websites devoted to a single breed and won a number of awards. This is the third major upgrade of the site since Kandy’s untimely death, and we think it is the best one yet. Over the eight years that I have headed the ASTC website committee, we have tried to add at least two new articles every month in addition to keeping the site up to date and provid- ing information about upcoming events and deadlines. As a result, the site now contains some three hundred articles designed to appeal to pet owners, breeders, exhibitors and judges. For Shih Tzu pet owners and those thinking about getting a Shih Tzu, this is the best place for you to learn more about our breed, how to find the right Shih Tzu for you and how to care for and train it. The website is the club’s best way to reach people interested in our breed outside the dog show world and the new home page reflects that fact. In addition to a rotating display of photos that describe our breed, it has large, eye-catching hot buttons for such users—About Shih Tzu, Breeder Refer- ral, Health, Grooming and Training. Once you have learned enough about our breed to decide that it is the one for you, you can go on to the Breeder Refer- ral page. It not only lists ASTC members and local clubs that have chosen to par- ticipate, ASTC breeders who are AKC Breeders of Merit and ASTC rescue con- tacts, but has links to articles explain- ing how to find a responsible breeder, why to buy a purebred dog and how to evaluate websites offering Shih Tzu for sale. It also discusses “designer dogs” and “imperial Shih Tzu,” and explains why one should not buy a puppy from a pet shop and why purebred puppies from responsible breeders cost what they do.
The Health button links to a large number of articles related to Shih Tzu health, to various other reputable health-related websites and to the Shih Tzu health survey and the Purina Par- ent Club program that raises money for Shih Tzu health research. We encour- age all Shih Tzu owners to participate in both of these. Grooming has articles on pet and show grooming, topknots, nail trim- ming, and an illustrated guide to vari- ous pet clips with detailed instructions and a guide to what clips might look best on what dog. Across the top of the home page are links to tell you more about the ASTC and its activities, about dog shows (including how they work and what those titles mean) and how to become involved in pet therapy or perfor- mance activities such as agility, rally and obedience. The Education button has a link to articles of interest to all dog lovers and owners. There is also a link to the Shih Tzu store, where many interesting items are offered. For breeders, exhibitors and judges, the home page has a calendar listing upcoming events and seminars, and a link to information about the current year’s National Specialty, which will be held in late April in St. Louis, Missouri. In addition to two regional specialties, the National Specialty (including puppy sweepstakes), two Obedience and Rally trials and two Agility trials, there will be an awards banquet and auction to raise money for the ASTC Charitable Trust, a Judges’ Education seminar, ringside mentoring and a free educational semi- nar in which experts will offer tips on Shih Tzu grooming for pet and show. The Education button on the toolbar at the top of the page has a dropdown menu linking to the sections most tar- geted to you. Under Breeder Educa- tion, you will find articles on the breed standard and responsible breeding, tips on show handling, how to socialize puppies, and other topics.
Many breeders print off articles such as the one on preparing to bring your new puppy home for their buyers. Under Judges Education are informative articles on how to examine a Shih Tzu and evaluate what is under all that hair, the distinctive Shih Tzu head, structure, movement and other topics of interest. There is also a list of ASTC-approved mentors. You might also want to look at the Gallery of Specialty Winners under Shows and Awards to see how the breed in the US has changed over the years since it gained AKC recognition in 1969. We tried to provide everyone inter- ested in Shih Tzu with what they need. If you don’t find what you are looking for or would like to write a new article, please contact us. A good website is always evolving! ABOUT THE AUTHOR Jo Ann White, past president of the American Shih Tzu Club, is currently president of the Shih Tzu Fanciers of Central Florida and on the Board of Directors of the ASTC and the Mana- tee Kennel Club. She wrote The Official Book of the Shih Tzu and other books on the breed, is head of the ASTC web- site committee and has been the breed columnist for the AKC Gazette since 1978. She has bred and owned many champion Shih Tzu, including the winner of the 2010 ASTC specialty.
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