I was surprised to learn that the Shih Tzu is more closely related to the wolf than other dogs! Originally bred over 2,000 years ago from a Pekinese and a Lhasa Apso, these pups originally served as foot warmers sleeping on the feet of nobles! They almost didn't make it, too – during the British invasion of China, the breed was cut down to only 14 dogs so all Shih Tzus that we know today can be traced back to one of those ancestors!