What are teddy bear puppies?
Dec 26
If you’ve had any experience at all with toy dogs you have no doubt heard the expression “teddy bear puppies”. It’s a moniker that is often mistaken as a clever nickname for cute cuddly animals, but the term actually does apply to a specific breed of dog. Cross a Bichon Frise with a Shih Tzu and you get a puppy that looks exactly like a live teddy bear. Its actual name is “Shihchon”, so you can see why the term teddy bear is usually substituted. We have teddy bear puppies for sale here at Affordable Pup.
Dog breeds are crossed to create new breeds that have the strengths of both parents. The Bichon Frise, ironically, is a cross breed itself, between the water spaniel and standard poodle. Their exact origins are somewhat unclear, but their history goes back to at least the 13th and 14th Century, when Spanish and Italian sailors often brought them aboard ship with them. It was also a popular breed in France in the 18th and 19th Century and has even made an appearance in Australia in the 20th century.
The Bichon Frise was recognized as a breed by the AKC in 1973. The Shih Tzu, which originated in Asia, was recognized four years earlier in 1969. It was classified in England back in 1935, but the Shih Tzu’s origins go back much further than that. Its DNA analysis classifies it as an “ancient” breed, or one that is most closely related to wolves. Variations of the breed are depicted in Asian art going back several centuries and owners of Shih Tzu often claim they seem to have “old souls”.
Imagine the denizens of the royal courts of France mingling with the monks and warriors of ancient China and you can understand the unlikely set of circumstances that had to occur for a cross between these two breeds, the Bichon Frise and the Shih Tzu. Describing these dogs as teddy bear pups gives you a clear picture of what they look like, but it doesn’t begin to describe the significance that their parent breeds have had on the world for hundreds of years. As an owner of one of these wonderful dogs, it’s not a bad idea to learn more about them.
Here at Affordable Pup we have a large variety of puppies for sale and some clever features to help you get to know them better. View pictures, use the webcam option to set up an interview, email or call us to ask questions. In addition to teddy bear puppies we also have Yorkies and Maltese puppies for sale Ohio breeders have certified as pure bred. The Maltese is very close to the Bichon Frise in appearance and ancestry. Continue to read our posts here to learn more about that.
