The Shih-tzu in Sweden.

Norwegian born Flinthaugs Da-Wa was the first Swedish owned shih-tzu. She came to Sweden in 1950. She was bred by Mrs. A. Heyerdahl in Norway and was owned by Baron Carl Leuheusen. Her forebearers were Aidzo, a black and white dog born in Peking in 1930, Leidza, a brown bitch born in the Imperial Palace in 1928 and the black and white bitch,Schauder born in Shanghai in 1931. These were first registered as Shih-tzu in 1939 by the Norwegian Kennel club.

The first Swedish Shih-tzu breeder came into being in 1951 through Anna Haufman´s kennel Shepherds. The kennels first two Shih-tzu were the bitch Lindevangens Choo Li / Flinthaugs Wu-Hi-, Björneholms Karma, an import from Denmark ( Descended from Aidzo , Leidza and Schauder ) and a dog Wu-Lung Fengsao with origins in Britain . This dog has Choo-Choo ( Aidzo and Schauder on both his father and his mother´s side ,) Otherwise he is preceeded by Lung Fu Ssu , Hibou , Ssu and Ming, these three formed the foundation of Kennel Taishan owned bu Lady Brownrigg.

An another early breeder was Mrs. Lindeberg – Kennel Brogyllen which started soon after, with a dog imported from Norway – Flinthaugs Lung-Toy and the Bitch Flinthaugs Li-Tzu.

In 1953 Carl-Olov and Erna Jungefeldt, Kennel Jungfältet, imported Björneholms Pippi, a bitch whose lines went back to the three Norwegian dogs from China. Björneholms Pippi was the first Shih-Tzu in the world to win Best In Show Also , at their debut show , in 1955. C-O and Erna Jungefeldt showed only Björneholms Dogs. In 1959 the kennel imported a black and white British bred dog , Fu-Ling of Clystvale.

Fu-Ling later became Swedish Champion. This dog was the sixth generation from the Pekingnese crossing of 1952 and was used regularly for stud in Sweden where he produced numerous champions. He came to mean a great deal to the the Swedish breeding quality.

Kennel Jungfätet became not only famous in Sweden but also exported many dogs to the continent and the United States of America.

Björneholms Kennel also bred Dhondrup and Samdup. These were after Fu-Chi of Elfann who on both mother and father´s side had the Peke crossing. On the mother´s side there was also His-Li-Ya. A long line of champions came frome these lines some with, some without other Swedish lines.

Several new Swedish kennels came quickly into being, Beldams , Mings , Ceholms , Nanking , Rosengård and Marina to name but a few of the oldest .

Kennel Larcing owned by Evy Larsson came from Denmark and produced Arsuk Wu-Tsung .he became International and Nordic Champion . He was from International and Nordic Champion Björneholms Wu-Ling / Aidzo , Leidza and Schauder ) out of Luci Lu of Antartica , who at the bottom had Ming , Ta Chi of Chette and Choo Choo ( Aidzo , Leidza and Schauder ) plus Lung Fu Ssu , Hibo , Shussa , Arsuk Princess Mi who became Swedish Champion was after Björneholms Grim Ling ( Aidzo , Leidza and Schauder ) out of Hwa of Antartica who hade the Peke cross on his Father´s side through British Champion Shebo Wen Yin of Lhakang.

The Brother of Wu-Tsung , Arsuk Wang Poo has hade a great deal of influence in Sweden as have other dogs from Kennel Arsuk and Larcing . These lines are prominent in Kennels Ah-Kamas , Shi Moon , Liliencrons and Fossella and have provided many Champions.

A daughter from Lindevangen´s Choo-Li , Shepherds Li-Phong ( Aidzo , Leidza and Schauder ) was mated with Wu Lung Fengsao .This gave Swedish champion Shepherds Si Kiang . With this bitch amongst others Maria Lindeberg started Kennel Brogyllen. Together with Ch. Flinthaugs Lung Toy ( Aidzo, Leidza and Schauder ) came S SF champion Tinge-Ling of Brogyllen. With this bitch Kris Sandberg laid the ground for Kennel Beldam , together with S ch Fu Ling of Clystvale, she gave Int Nordic champion Beldams Fu-Mao-Thing. Numerou champion came from Kennel Beldams.

Tinge-Ling of Brogyllen and or Beldams Fu-Mao Ting can be found behind several kennels Tempelgården´s Lundehill, Bymarken, Lyckobringaren, La Mia to name but a few who during the 1960´s and later, produced a long line of champions. These all using Swedish champion Fu-Ling of Clystvale , Arsuk , Larcing line , Björneholms or other Norwegian (Aidzo,Leidza and Schauder ) but also even British lines as several imports came to Sweden primarily from Lhakang- Elfann background .

These kennels produced numerous champions . The breed had a flying start right from the beginning in Sweden.

To make cooperation on Sweden easier , in 1969 it was time to start The Shih-Tzu Society. Already in the beginning , the magazine Bulletinen was published . At the end of 1969 we were 225 members . In the new year of 1981 it was reformed to The Special Club for Shih-Tzu , SST , with the status to organize their own Certificate Shows . We try as much as possible to employ specialist Judges . At the end of 1999 we were 780 members . During 80´and 90´s between 500 and 600 puppies were registered annually.

At the beginning of the 1960´s Mr and Mrs Leadbitter laid the foundation of Kennel Greenmoss based largely on Taishan – Lhakang background.

During 1970´s and 1980´s a long line of imports came from amongst others , Greenmoss , Keytor , Santosha, Bellakerne and Lansu . Of these mentioned , Int Nordic Champion Kurts Boy of Lansu , who primarily was of Lhakang-Elfann background , Int Champion Greenmoss Titfer Tat ( Greenmoss , Elfann , Lhakang ) and Champion Whitethroat Jarvis ( same stock ) together with their offspring have dominated both in blood lines and Show placings during the latter part of th 70´s , 80´s , and 90´s , and were imported by Anita Berggren of Kennel Anibes .

Another import was Int , Nordic Ch Whitethroat Mr Wu , imported by Eddie Engstrand, Kennel Bellona . Mr Wu produced amongst others , together with Jungfältets Ki-Li (Kurts Boy of Lansu-Jungfältets Chi-Lai, )Int ch Anibes X.tra Special Oliver, A dog who was the best winning Shih-Tzu of his time.

Many kennels have built further on these four dogs with many wins in the show rings . Bombers , Yhrings , Formaregårdens , Ge-Mihs , Tangse , Khe-Sans and Spovens to name but a few .

During the 1970´s to 1990´s ,many of Kurt´s Boy of Lansu´s children won prestigious prizes in the show rings , amongst them , Formaregårdens Q-Ti-Pie who in 1978 was Toy Dog of the Year,.It should be noted that Dog of the Year in 97, 98, 99, are fifth generatio from Q-Tie-Pie. In 1980 , a son of Ch Anibes Li-Tom-Boy was Toy dog of the Year . In 1977, 78, 79, Kurts Boy of Lansy was winning stud dog of all Breeds in Sweden. He won 40 Progeny groups during 4 years.Most big winners in the breed have him somewhere behind them. The list of his children and grandchildren from this prestigious dog would be endless.

During the same time , 1970-1980, Börre Hasle of Kennel Boreas imported several dogs to Norway with similar backgrounds to that dogs previously named .

In 1981 Ch Greenmoss Titfer Tat together with Kurts Boy of Lansu added their quality to the breed. Hardly a show passed without the breed wasn´t represented amongst the winning groups . Often these two dogs could be found behind the winners. From the middle of the 1980´s until the millennium the breedhas been dominated by these backgrounds together with dogs from Kennel Santosha.

During the latter part of the 80´s and 90´s , imports have come from the U.S.A. from Pekings , Shanels and Charring Cross , while when quarantine stopped from the European Community , this resulted in only a few imports largely from Holland.

The Hamilton Trophy, the Swedish Kennel Club´s highest honour for dedicated breeding was awarded for the first time to our breed to Carl-Olov and Erna Jungefeldt of Kennel Jungfältet. In 1972 it was awarded to Marianne Berg of Kennel Marina and after that to Elsa Lund of Kennel Lundehill . In 1985 the same award was given to Anita Berggren of Kennel Anibes. The breed in Sweden has much to thank these Kennels for today.

In 1983, the points competition for breeders groups started. Anita Berggren´s Kennel Anibes stood bestfromm 1983-1986 by always occupying one of the top placings and was also the winning breeders group for Shih-Tzu during those years .

1988-1989 the Lillevor Lindberg Kennel Spovens was best breeder and fourth best breeder in the Toy group . From 1990-1999 , Eva-Lena Sönksen´s Kennel Khe-San´s was winning Shih-Tzu breeder and was also among the top five of all breeds during that period , with Whitethroat Mr Wu , Greenmoss Titfer Tat and Kurts Boy of Lansu in the lines.

1983 was also the first year for the Champion of Champion , Veteran of Veterans competition. This is a competition organized by STOKK, Stockholms Kennel club and takes place at a grand gala at the Grand Hotel in the centre of Stockholm. Only the absolute best from each breed are invited. Int and Nordic champion Anibes X.tra Special Oliver after Ch Whitethroat Mr Wu out of Jungfältet´s Ki-Li owned by Hans Almgren and Kent Westermark Kennel Bombers, who was Shih-Tzu of the year came was seen and won knocking out all the Swedish dog elite . This dog who had the pet name of Bomber was invited to take part in this competition no less than six times . He is one of the country´s most successful individual breed winners.

Yet another top dog from Anibes is Int and Nordic champion Anibes Orange Orchid after Whitethroat Jarvis out of Ch Yhrings No Stuffed Toi for Anibe ( the grandchild of Whitethroat Mr Wu and Kurts Boy of Lansu ) owned by H.Almgren and K Westermark. This bitch has several Best in Show placings and many wins as a veteran. In 1987 she was the winning toy dog , in 1988 she was Shih-Tzu of the year and mother to Shih-Tzu of the year in1989. Ch Bombers Let´s Have Rhythm and 1990-1993 Ch Bombers Key Two. Orange Orchid was also the winning veteran in all breeds in 1991. She finished her show career in 1994 by becoming Veteran of Veteran in all breeds. All these dogs represented the breed in the " Champion of Champions ".

Other Shih-Tzus that have taken part in Champion of Champions are –1989 Int Nordic Champion Swedish winner –81 Spovens Gaina-Zi ( daughter to Kurts Boy of Lansu ) 1992 and 1995 Int Nordic Champion Euw-96 NV-96 Formaregårdens Zorro ( grandchild to Greenmoss Titfer Tat on both sides) 1994 Swedish and Norwegian Champion Swedish winner-89 Fossella Like Art Made ( Boreas Little Jupiter- Ch Shansi Jade ) Lhakang and Skandinavan ) to name the most prominent.

The 1990´s have been dominated by Kennel Khe-San and 1993´s Ch Sonobra Sunni Side Up who was the Kennel´s primary brood bitch. In 1996 her son Int Nordic Champion Nordic Winner Khe-San´s Cool Porter was Best veteran in Champion of Champions. In 1999, once again Sunni Side up´s son Cool Porter and this time his sister Int Nordic Champion Khe-san´s Call Me Madame competed. Khe-San Kennel is the only kennel that has participated with tree veterans, Mother Son and Daughter are all from the same lines ( Kurt´s Boy of Lansu and Greenmoss Titfer Tat-Whitethroat Mr Wu ).

1997-1999 Dog of the Year was Int , Nordic Ch , JWW –96 , Swedish Winner –97-98 , Tangse Rock A Billy Rebell ( from Formaregårdens Zorro out of Tangse Cassandra Wee )bred and own by Rose Åkersten Sweden, with Santosha on the mother´s side.He managed in 1999 to be second best dog of all breeds and number 1 best Swedish breed dog. He is Father to Nordic Champion and Finnish winner Khe-San´s Rock A Gil Stuff and Swedish and Danish Champion Khe-San´s Rock A Gil News , both of whom have shown their qualities in the show ring. It is also well worth mentioning is the Mother to these two dogs , Int, Nordic and Finnish Champion Nordic winner-98 Swedish winner-99 Khe-San´s Twice As Nice ( Lansu-Whitethroat and Greenmoss ). JWW-98 Int . Nordic Champion Khe-San´s Zim Zala Bim ( Spanish-American-and Santosha ) JWW-98 Tangse Samantha Wee ( Formaregårdens Zorro- Ch Tangse Sharon Wee ) WW-98 Int , Nordic Finnish ch Copenhagen Winner –95-96 Popeyes Love ´N´Money ( American , Scandinavian ) We can only presume that these will continue in 2000.

Many more Swedish breeders should be named in this article , but that is impossible as in such a short article. I have to stop at the most successful. All breeders in Sweden Take great care of their dogs and we hope that the breed will be just as successful in the 2000´s as it has been in the previous 50 years.

Today´s Swedish Shih-Tzu is dominated by the British lines over the Scandinavian. You are always welcome to contact the Special Club for Shih-Tzu or the under mentioned . We all love the breed and answer willing any questions regarding this beloved Breed.

Lillevor Lindberg ( Kennel Spovens ) Sweden 2000