15 Interesting Facts About Shih Tzus By Allen Abby - There are Chinese paintings dating back to around the year 500 C.E. that depict dogs believed to be Shih Tzus. There are also documents describing the dogs as gifts to China from the Byzantine Empire. Shih Tzus and similar breeds were present in Tibetan Buddhist temples, where Tibetan monks revered the dogs as holy. Please follow and like us: