About us
I am Stacey Michael; I am a labor and delivery nurse in South Central Indiana who has always had a passion for delivering babies and raising animals. As a child, I drove my mom and dad crazy dragging every stray animal I found into the house. I have combined these two passions into an amazing business! I fell in love with Shih Tzus amazingly, lovable personalities when my husband got his service dog Mei (May) – who is 3/4 Shih Tzu and 1/4 poodle. Mei is amazing – incredibly smart, super cute and very loving to everyone she meets. I chose to raise pure breed Shih Tzus after falling in love with the Shih Tzu qualities in Mei, her loving disposition, always wanting to be with her people, and eager to please. The kennel is called “Meihem” in honor of Mei, who instilled the love of Shih Tzus in us.
Pictured is Mei, traveling in style with her dad.
About Shih Tzus
History
The ancestry of the Shih Tzu is generally thought to be of Tibetan origin. The Shih Tzu (whose name means “lion”) is thought to have been the oldest and smallest variety of the Tibetan “holy dogs”. The breeding of this small dog was a favorite pastime of imperial rulers during much of China’s history.
These little guys are the Cadillac of lap dogs. Be prepared for company if you ever sit down. They love lying on their backs cradled like a baby and being on the receiving end of a good tummy scratch. If your hands are busy they are more than happy to curl up anywhere on your person where they can find or make a little spot. Shih Tzu are very much people dogs and thrive on contact with people. They are not a good choice for those who want a back yard pet who occasionally requires their humans attention.
Shih Tzu come in all sorts of colors and patterns of colors. These variations give each dog added personality. The puppies dark markings often lighten or completely change color by the time they reach adulthood. Many people are surprised when the red and white pup they brought home, changed to such a light gold and white that as an adult they could no longer see their markings. Looking at the parents and being aware of the colors in the puppies pedigree can give strong clues to their adult color. Dogs with dark faces do not have the visible face staining problem that affects so many of the dogs with light faces.
The coat of the Shih Tzu can differ more than by color. Some will have very straight coats, while others have a slight wave to their coat. Regardless of their coat characteristics, the coat will continue to grow and the length it reaches is determined by whether you choose to cut it or not. Shih Tzu’s who are shown professionally will have full long coats and a top knot to hold the hair out of their eyes. Many pet owners choose to keep their Shih Tzu’s trimmed in what is often referred to as a Puppy Cut. A trimmed Shih Tzu is more than adorable and the advantage to a trimmed dog is obvious … unless you like to spend hours taking care of all that hair. Since the Shih Tzu does not shed its coat, they make perfect furniture ornaments. It does not get much better than that!