A Shih Tzu (UK: /ˌʃiːˈtsuː/, US: /ˈʃiːˌtsuː/; Chinese: 西施犬; pinyin: Xī Shī quǎn literally 'Xi Shi dog', also spelled Shittsu) is a toy dog breed, weighing from 4 to 7.25 kilograms (9–16 lb) when fully grown. The dog may also be called the Tibetan Lion Dog;, but whether the breed should be referred to as 'Tibetan' or 'Chinese' is a source of both historical and political contention, as the subsequent section notes. A book on the breed states that 'dog historians tend to have very strong opinions' on the subject. 2 Temperament. Shih TzuChinese nameChinese西施犬Literal meaningXi Shi dogTranscriptionsStandard MandarinHanyu Pinyinxīshī quǎnBopomofoㄒㄧ ㄕ ㄑㄩㄢˇGwoyeu Romatzyhshishy cheuanWade–Gileshsi1-shih1 chʻüan3Yale Romanizationsyīshr̄ chywǎnIPAYue: CantoneseYale Romanizationsāi sī hyúnJyutpingsai1 si1 hyun2IPAAlternative nameTraditional Chinese獅子Simplified Chinese狮子Literal meaninglionTranscriptionsStandard MandarinHanyu PinyinshīziBopomofoㄕ ˙ㄗGwoyeu Romatzyhshy.tzyWade–Gilesshih1-tzuYale Romanizationshr̄ dzIPAYue: CantoneseYale Romanizationsī jíJyutpingsi1 zi2IPA. The dogs were favorites of the Chinese royals and so prized that, for years, the Chinese refused to sell, trade, or give any away.