According to dogtime.com, the Shih Tzu is nicknamed the chrysanthemum dog because of the way its fur grows out in all directions on its face. The nickname is said to have been coined by Lady Brownrigg, who brought the first Shih Tzus into England in the 1930s. She was the wife of Lieutenant General Sir Douglas Brownrigg; Sir Douglas and Lady Brownrigg were keen dog breeders.
© Haydn Thompson 2017