10 Best Ways to Include Your Shih Tzu on Your Wedding Day

Shih Tzu on Your Wedding Day

How wonderful is it to be surrounded by all your loved ones on your wedding day–including your beloved fur-baby?

In a perfect world, every wedding celebration would have the couple’s pet, donned in a delightfully cute miniature formal outfit, accompanying them up the aisle. Still, unfortunately, reality bites and this endeavor is not always practical.

Nevertheless, there are still a lot of creative ways to include your dog in your wedding, such as allowing him to make a cameo appearance or celebrating him in photos of your invitations, save the date, and other wedding paraphernalia.

Pets at weddings pose a lot of issues, so couples need to keep their (and their coordinator’s) creative juices flowing about how to include their furry friends in their once-in-a-lifetime big day.

Now, before you get drunk with the idea of your Shih Tzu ring bearer, start by envisioning your pets into the design of your wedding venue.

Ivory Fyre offers a photo-realistic, virtual wedding design so that the brides and grooms can see their venue set-up — with their fur-baby, of course, before the actual wedding day, a great example is above, of the 3D VIRTUAL Wedding set up featuring the couples Shih Tzu.

Having your dog become part of your wedding entourage is indeed a major challenge, but we’re here to help you out! We have put together a list of ideas for Shih Tzu owners to have your cuddly sidekick participate in your wedding. Ready to see some pawsome photos of Shih Tzus at weddings?! Let’s dig in!

1. Mention Them in the Ceremony

Start thinking honestly about your dog’s personality and temperament. Is he happy to meet and greet everyone and all of you? Does he have at least a couple of commands nailed down, particularly important ones like “down,” “stay,” and “sit”?

Does the sight of a crowd make him whirl in a frenzy? Or is he more reserved, shyer, or frightened by strangers? It is important to know what your dog will or will not be enjoying it. Dogs with anxiety or socialization issues are likely to RSVP “no.”

Don’t worry, though, because you can still include them in your day! One of the simplest ways to pay tribute to your beloved pet is to mention them at your ceremony, either in your vows or by dedicating a special animal poem to them. You could also save a seat for them in front of you with a framed photo. That way, they’re still with you in spirit during your big day!

2. Have Them Made into a Cardboard Cutout

Our favourite thing about this idea is that your pet will still be able to appear in your wedding portraits (some of them!). You can find a lot of sellers offering custom Amazon cutouts, but a local printer could also do it for you.

3. Include Him or Her in Your Stationery

Actually, there are dozens of ways to get your Shih Tzu involved in your wedding day: through a wallpaper plan for your Save the Dates; by having their fuzzy faces to your invitations; or by printing an illustration on menus, signs, napkins or brown paper doggie bags (get it? LOL) if you have a candy table.

You can also put your dog’s thousands of photos to use by making them into table numbers. Your guests are going to love seeing them too!

4. Incorporate Them into Your Cake

Gone are the days when you were expected to stick to pint-sized brides and grooms at the top of the cake, so feel free to use your pet’s sugary figure instead. This gives your multi-tiered wedding cake a unique touch and give your fluffy friend a little face time at the wedding, too.

You could ask your baker to make your Shih Tzu cake topper into hard icing, or order on Etsy to make it in clay or wood. We’ve seen a lot of cool styles where the pets are climbing up the tier or looking out from under the icing.

FAQ’s

How big are Shih Tzu?
The Shih Tzu is a snugly built little animal with a solid, sound structure. It stands from about 8 to 11 inches tall at the shoulders and should weigh from 9 to 16 pounds. Its body length is slightly greater than its height, and it should be physically proportional all over, not too short or too small, but a true miniature breed dog. In movement, it moves with effortless, smooth strides, showing good drive and reach, with the head and tail held high, giving away its ancient royal bloodline.

Where does the Shih Tzu come from, and why was the breed developed?
The Shih Tzu lineage is hotly debated; however, one theory is that the Shih Tzu descended from a cross between the Pekingese and Lhasa Apso breeds. This cross breed that would eventually become Shih Tzus, were favourites of the Chinese royals and so prized that, for years, the Chinese refused to sell, trade, or give any away.

The first dogs of the breed were imported into Europe in 1930 and were classified by the Kennel Club as “Apsos”. The first European standard for the breed was written in England in 1935 by the Shih Tzu Club, and the dogs were categorised again as Shih Tzu. The breed is now recognized by all of the major kennel clubs in the English-speaking world.

How is Shih Tzu pronounced, and what does it mean?
The most common and incorrect pronunciation of Shih Tzu is: Sh*t Zoo however, that isn’t actually how the little lion breed is supposed to be announced. According to the American Shih Tzu Club, the official and publicly confirmed pronunciation of Shih Tzu is: “Sheed-zoo."

The name comes from the Chinese language word for "lion" because this kind of dog was bred to resemble "the lion, as in traditional oriental art". Interestingly they are also known by another name tied to their European introduction. The Shih Tzu is sometimes called the Chrysanthemum Dog, a nickname that describes the way the hair on their face grows out in all directions. They look like a flower with a nose for the centre.

For more than one Shih Tzu, do you say Shih Tzus?
The age-old question, it is Shih Tzu or Shih Tzus? When writing or saying the plural of Shih Tzu, it is a common mistake for a person to write or say Shih Tzus, as one would think this is the normal way to put the dog in their plural form, and in fact, it is so common that I wouldn’t be surprised if we have even made such a slip up in this very article. However, the correct way to say Shih Tzus is Shih Tzu, due it being an irregular noun, allowing the plural of Shih Tzu can be Shih Tzu, just like ‘fish and fish’. With two or more Shih Tzu, there does not need to be an ‘s’.

What colours do Shih Tzus come in?
The Shih Tzu is a breed that can be found in an array of colours and with a variety of markings. It's common for owners to not know for sure what colour their Shih Tzu is. Sometimes a puppy may be referred to as an unofficial colour that is not recognized by the AKC, or another kennel club, through which the pup is registered. And in other cases, there can be some confusion when the colour listed on the papers does not seem to match what is seen. In addition to this, it's common for Shih Tzu dogs to change colour as they grow and mature, meaning that your little snowball of joy may turn sooty in their old age.

How much attention does a Shih Tzu need?
Despite their small stature, Shih Tzu are relatively active dogs. Puppies can be extremely hyper and adults are most content when given opportunities to release stored-up energy and be out and about. Without regular moderate exercise, a Shih Tzu can start to feel pent up and frustrated. This can manifest as behaviours such as excessive barking or destructive chewing.

Aim to take your little guy or gal for a minimum of two 20 to 30-minute walks per day, along with sessions of play like fetch to meet exercise requirements for this breed. If so, this will allow your Shih Tzu to enjoy being inside at home, able to relax beside you (or at your feet) and with a calmer disposition.

Do Shih Tzu get along with other pets?
In general, the Shih Tzu gets along quite well with other dogs, large and small. Shih Tzu rarely suffer from the ‘short leg syndrome’ common in small dogs, and more often than not, are simply little bundle of love.

However, every dog has their own personality, and it will depend on how well your dog as well as the other dogs have been socialized. Overall the Shih Tzu breed is calm and very playful and enjoys a variety of canine friends. But keep in mind each dog has their unique personality and circumstances. To say they will all behave exactly the same isn’t very realistic.

How do I provide the best care for a Shih Tzu?
Much of what you can do to keep your dog happy and healthy is common sense, just like it is for people. Watch their diet, make sure they get plenty of exercise, regularly brush their teeth and coat, and call a veterinary clinic or pet emergency hospital when something seems unusual.

It is also a good idea to create a routine for your Shih Tzu to lessen their anxiety and ensure they live a happy and calm life. Build their routine care into your schedule to help your Shih Tzu live longer, stay healthier, and be happier during their lifetime. Most importantly a proper diet and exercise routine is key to the long-term health of your pet.