What is a prapso Shih Tzu?
Photos are examples of beautiful prapso dogs shared with permission of their owners.
Many people think that the Prapso looks like a Lhasa Apso, Tibetan Spaniel, Pekinese, Japanese Chin, or a mix of a Shih Tzu with one or more of those breeds. But, the reality is that prapso Shih Tzu are purebred dogs that look very different, develop at a faster rate, and are most likely to be the fearless, dominant puppies in the litter. Prapso puppies are not rare, but sometimes they are hard to find.
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- What exactly is a prapso?
- Why does my Shih Tzu not look like a Shih Tzu?
- Did my breeder lie to me about this puppy being purebred?
- Does this mean something is wrong with my puppy?
These questions, and many more can pop up when people learn about the PRAPSO Shih Tzu. Rest assured that the puppies known as prapso Shih Tzu are most likely purebred Shih Tzu.
- Most come from parents who are 100% Shih Tzu and will test 100% Shih Tzu when tested for breed purity, like Wink in the photo below.
- Others, even if from 100% purebred parents, will test nearly 100% like Charlotte's tests show below.
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On this page we will address:
- how can a prapso possibly be a purebred
- what makes a puppy a prapso
- prapso characterisitcs
- historic attempts to understand the origins
- and recent genetic findings
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Where does the term, prapso, originate? It is believed that the term originated in Australia. "Prapso" is a shortened response from the phrase "perhaps an apso" meaning a Lhasa Apso - trying to explain why a Shih Tzu puppy looks different. Sometimes these puppies are called low-groom, smooth coat, or throw-back puppies by some breeders and owners, as well.
The prapso phenomenon isn't restricted to the Shih Tzu breed only, but it happens in other breeds as well. No documented cases were recorded before WWII, and it is unclear if that is because breeders were trying to hide the puppies, (many breeders like to hide any problems their dogs or lines may carry) or perhaps it never occurred before then. It does appear to have been a worldwide phenomenon, and not something localized to a certain area.
The prapso phenomenon isn't restricted to the Shih Tzu breed only, but it happens in other breeds as well. No documented cases were recorded before WWII, and it is unclear if that is because breeders were trying to hide the puppies, (many breeders like to hide any problems their dogs or lines may carry) or perhaps it never occurred before then. It does appear to have been a worldwide phenomenon, and not something localized to a certain area.
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Prapso puppies, with their charming faces and personalities, display several characteristics that are not standard for the Shih Tzu breed. All prapso dogs have shorter coats, to one degree or another, than standard. Some prapso have more hair than others, some have more significant facial differences like longer muzzles, wider eye set, or a flatter face. These differences are subtle when puppies are young, and more apparent as they age. By about 6 weeks of age there is no doubt that a prapso puppy is different from their non-affected siblings. Not all prapso puppies look the same, as we discussed the quantitative characteristics theory above. But, many do display some notable similarities to one degree or another.
Some of these similarities include:
Prapso Shih Tzu make lovely pets and companions. They share all of the desirable breed personality traits that we love so much about this breed. They have long, healthy lives, an seem to have no more tendencies for health issues than their litter mates.
Breeders and owners all report, whether or not they know about prapso traits or causes, these puppies are beloved pets who bond strongly with their chosen people. They are highly sought after and prized, especially by those who have previously owned a prapso.
We, here at Shurbeez Shih Tzu, have never produced a prapso, but have educated ourselves about them in hopes of helping those who may have questions about the puppies out there who look different than the breed standard.
Some of these similarities include:
- eyes open early - sometimes as early as 6 days after birth
- some are walking - up off their bellies before their eyes are open
- early teething, full sets of fully erupted teeth by 4-4.5 weeks of age
- eyes can appear wider or narrower than litter mate's
- muzzle differences - shorter, longer, and/or wider muzzle
- facial hair that is sparse, short, or grows tight to the muzzle, hair is so short that the whiskers are visibly longer than the facial hair
- hair only grows on the perimeter of the face, neck, and/or chest in uneven patterns
- possibly only the ear hair, neck, and/or tail hair need to be trimmed regularly (some need no trimming)
- hair grows long between the toes, but commonly nowhere else on the leg - or- there's no hair that grows on the feet between the toes
- leg feathering, short hair on the front of the legs, or very short leg hair
- body hair that seems sparse, coarse, doesn't mat, single coated, and doesn't grow well, can also be thin, whispy and prone to mat, or silky smooth
- can shed more than the standard, or shed less
- sometimes the feet themselves are shaped different (hare feet)
- shorter or longer legs than standard
- some have noticeably larger heads or noticeably smaller heads
- faster mental development, more prone to getting into trouble because they are bored with their litter mates' inability to keep up, need a job as an adult to engage their mental stimulation needs
Prapso Shih Tzu make lovely pets and companions. They share all of the desirable breed personality traits that we love so much about this breed. They have long, healthy lives, an seem to have no more tendencies for health issues than their litter mates.
Breeders and owners all report, whether or not they know about prapso traits or causes, these puppies are beloved pets who bond strongly with their chosen people. They are highly sought after and prized, especially by those who have previously owned a prapso.
We, here at Shurbeez Shih Tzu, have never produced a prapso, but have educated ourselves about them in hopes of helping those who may have questions about the puppies out there who look different than the breed standard.
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In the 1970's Australian Lhasa Apso breeders, in an attempt to find the cause of the prapso phenomenon, began studying the puppies, their parents, and documenting their findings. All of these findings were kept confidential, and sent to an organization in the UK called CHART. The geneticists of this organization researched animal abnormalities with the technology they had at the time.
As the Australian breeders worked with CHART, their repeated test matings ruled out the possibility of simple autosomal dominant or recessive genes as the cause. Instead, CHART reported that their findings indicated 'quantitative characteristics' as the underlying cause. Simply put, this type of inheritance is a result of multiple genes affecting each other and often affecting each other to varying degrees. CHART further explained, that because the inheritance of individual genetic alleles from each parent is random, there are varied results (and individual prapso looks) as a result of this quantitative inheritance.
Another reason offered by CHART for varied degrees of genetic variance, was potentially the inheritance of one or more mutations of genes whose chemical structures had been spontaneously changed or altered by chemicals or by environmental radiation. When the onset of prapso changes were first recorded, DDT and other new pesticides were commonly used around the world. It is now known that DDT and similar pesticides have been the cause of many genetic defects.
A final explanation offered by CHART was the possibility of a 'protein shift' in the amino acid bases of those affected genes which order the coats and facial features. They surmised that this subtle change could have altered a gene or genes which affect prapso puppies to one degree or another.
So, CHART concluded that the reason that the prapso do not all look the same or have the same degree of diversion from the breed standard could be traced to the degree that the alleles they inherited are altered and/or changed by each other.
Source: Lhasa Lore by Sally Ann Vervaeke-Helf, Joan Beard, Asian Breeds Bulletin, Sydney, Australia, May 1970 pp.4-5.
This knowledge, even though it's dated, can still help breeders do a better job of understanding the seemingly random occurrences, causes, and early thinking of how genes interact to produce prapso puppies. By choosing not to breed pairs together that have produced prapso puppies, knowing what's on their genetic panel (as we will discuss below), and knowing what is behind the dogs on their pedigrees - all help breeders weed out the causes of prapso puppies.
It has been observed for decades, that certain pairs of parent dogs that produce prapso puppies together, can also produce unaffected puppies with different mates. So, breeders can avoid further production of these puppies by not pairing the same sire and dam together repeatedly if they produce prapso offspring.
We do not advocate pairing dogs together that produce these genetic defects, despite the cuteness or desirability of the prapso dogs, because it is a genetic fault. We truly love our beautiful Shih Tzu breed, want to preserve & better the breed, and desire to be a responsible breeder, so we not try to produce puppies with these, or other genetic anomalies, like we would with albino, or severe midline defects, or color dilution alopecia (CDA).
Other breeders may choose to purposely breed for prapso puppies, or use prapso adults to ensure that puppies are prapso - every breeder has their own goals and motivations for their breeding programs.
Geneticists in 2024 do not suggest that all breeding adults who produce prapso puppies should be removed from the breeding pool, just like carriers of undesirable traits or diseases. Basing a breeding program only off of a few known (or unknown) genetic markers can be detrimental to genetic diversity. We can now be more selective choosing those dogs we pair together and make informed choices based on the genetic tests that are currently available. As generations progress we have the ability to choose unaffected and non-carrier dogs to continue on the lines and genes of these diverse individual dogs while selecting to omit a certain allele for a trait or disease over time.
As the Australian breeders worked with CHART, their repeated test matings ruled out the possibility of simple autosomal dominant or recessive genes as the cause. Instead, CHART reported that their findings indicated 'quantitative characteristics' as the underlying cause. Simply put, this type of inheritance is a result of multiple genes affecting each other and often affecting each other to varying degrees. CHART further explained, that because the inheritance of individual genetic alleles from each parent is random, there are varied results (and individual prapso looks) as a result of this quantitative inheritance.
Another reason offered by CHART for varied degrees of genetic variance, was potentially the inheritance of one or more mutations of genes whose chemical structures had been spontaneously changed or altered by chemicals or by environmental radiation. When the onset of prapso changes were first recorded, DDT and other new pesticides were commonly used around the world. It is now known that DDT and similar pesticides have been the cause of many genetic defects.
A final explanation offered by CHART was the possibility of a 'protein shift' in the amino acid bases of those affected genes which order the coats and facial features. They surmised that this subtle change could have altered a gene or genes which affect prapso puppies to one degree or another.
So, CHART concluded that the reason that the prapso do not all look the same or have the same degree of diversion from the breed standard could be traced to the degree that the alleles they inherited are altered and/or changed by each other.
Source: Lhasa Lore by Sally Ann Vervaeke-Helf, Joan Beard, Asian Breeds Bulletin, Sydney, Australia, May 1970 pp.4-5.
This knowledge, even though it's dated, can still help breeders do a better job of understanding the seemingly random occurrences, causes, and early thinking of how genes interact to produce prapso puppies. By choosing not to breed pairs together that have produced prapso puppies, knowing what's on their genetic panel (as we will discuss below), and knowing what is behind the dogs on their pedigrees - all help breeders weed out the causes of prapso puppies.
It has been observed for decades, that certain pairs of parent dogs that produce prapso puppies together, can also produce unaffected puppies with different mates. So, breeders can avoid further production of these puppies by not pairing the same sire and dam together repeatedly if they produce prapso offspring.
We do not advocate pairing dogs together that produce these genetic defects, despite the cuteness or desirability of the prapso dogs, because it is a genetic fault. We truly love our beautiful Shih Tzu breed, want to preserve & better the breed, and desire to be a responsible breeder, so we not try to produce puppies with these, or other genetic anomalies, like we would with albino, or severe midline defects, or color dilution alopecia (CDA).
Other breeders may choose to purposely breed for prapso puppies, or use prapso adults to ensure that puppies are prapso - every breeder has their own goals and motivations for their breeding programs.
Geneticists in 2024 do not suggest that all breeding adults who produce prapso puppies should be removed from the breeding pool, just like carriers of undesirable traits or diseases. Basing a breeding program only off of a few known (or unknown) genetic markers can be detrimental to genetic diversity. We can now be more selective choosing those dogs we pair together and make informed choices based on the genetic tests that are currently available. As generations progress we have the ability to choose unaffected and non-carrier dogs to continue on the lines and genes of these diverse individual dogs while selecting to omit a certain allele for a trait or disease over time.
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More recently, many breeders refer to the prapso as a "throw-back". Meaning that some genes from the original breeds that made up the Shih Tzu breed are coming forward and being displayed in this prapso puppy. I'm not sure if this is possible when we know that the Shih Tzu breed is one of the oldest breeds whose ancestors were set long ago.
But, in the recent past, there was a Pekinese breeder, named Freda Evans in the UK who acquired two Shih Tzu. She deemed that the breed was in need of Peke blood to shorten the muzzle, legs, and back and to strengthen 'bad pigment', faults that Ms. Evans alone determined needed to be fixed. So in October 1952, without the consent of the Breed Club, she crossed the Peke back into her Shih Tzu, causing a lot of bad feelings between breeders of the day. Four generations later the offspring of this cross were allowed into the Kennel Club registry and the majority of the Shih Tzu in the UK are from this historically recent cross. It's also interesting to note, that the AKC would not recognize this specific cross until the 7th generation after the initial cross from Freda Evans. Could some of the prapso genes come from this throw-back breeding cross? Perhaps.
https://www.theshihtzuclub.co.uk/shih-tzu/breed-history
It is also possible that some faulty genes have entered into the gene pool from breeders who, Like Mrs. Evans mentioned above, cross another breed into their Shih Tzu for color or other trait reasons, and are then crossed back to Shih Tzu for generations until they can be tested as purebred once again, yet some faulty genes remain. Likewise, there are less scrupulous breeders who purposely falsify records. It does happen that breed-cross matings are not recorded correctly and AKC papers are 'hung' (meaning the actual parents are not the ones listed on the puppy's papers). So genes from other breeds can slip into, and remain for generations, in a dog who tests 100% pure, but still carries faulty genes. (By faulty we mean genes that do not belong to a breed with fixed traits, not that they are defective in-and-of-themselves)
But, in the recent past, there was a Pekinese breeder, named Freda Evans in the UK who acquired two Shih Tzu. She deemed that the breed was in need of Peke blood to shorten the muzzle, legs, and back and to strengthen 'bad pigment', faults that Ms. Evans alone determined needed to be fixed. So in October 1952, without the consent of the Breed Club, she crossed the Peke back into her Shih Tzu, causing a lot of bad feelings between breeders of the day. Four generations later the offspring of this cross were allowed into the Kennel Club registry and the majority of the Shih Tzu in the UK are from this historically recent cross. It's also interesting to note, that the AKC would not recognize this specific cross until the 7th generation after the initial cross from Freda Evans. Could some of the prapso genes come from this throw-back breeding cross? Perhaps.
https://www.theshihtzuclub.co.uk/shih-tzu/breed-history
It is also possible that some faulty genes have entered into the gene pool from breeders who, Like Mrs. Evans mentioned above, cross another breed into their Shih Tzu for color or other trait reasons, and are then crossed back to Shih Tzu for generations until they can be tested as purebred once again, yet some faulty genes remain. Likewise, there are less scrupulous breeders who purposely falsify records. It does happen that breed-cross matings are not recorded correctly and AKC papers are 'hung' (meaning the actual parents are not the ones listed on the puppy's papers). So genes from other breeds can slip into, and remain for generations, in a dog who tests 100% pure, but still carries faulty genes. (By faulty we mean genes that do not belong to a breed with fixed traits, not that they are defective in-and-of-themselves)
This is where our powerful ally, genetic testing, can prove itself so useful. Over the last two decades genetic testing for dogs has gone from being on the sci-fi level of fiction to widely, commercially available. The first dog to have it's entire genome sequenced was a boxer named Tasha, in 2005. This was only two short years after the full human genome was first mapped out. The information gained from this mapping was the first step to understanding so many of the complex genes that create the diversity in all of our breeds. There is now an international genome project taking place called Dog10K that will sequence genomes from 10,000 dogs worldwide, within the next 5 years, to aid in understanding the variability of the dog genetics.
Because of these significant projects and countless other studies on specific genes, we now know that there are several testable genes that control coat length, type, and texture. As well as testable genes for facial furnishings and muzzle length. Lack of some or all of these genetic alleles are contributing factors in creating prapso puppies. Dogs can carry faulty genes that they do not display, so genetic testing makes it possible to see what's hidden to our eyes. So, it is now possible to obtain reliable testing for our dogs in many of the genes that are involved in genetically creating the prapso dogs. Knowledgeable breeders select dogs who have the correct furnishing genes - RSPO2 (F/F), long coat genes -FGF5 (Lh/Lh), and correct muzzle length - BMP3 (A/A), among many others. These are at least three of the known genes that contribute to the factors creating prapso puppies.
I have seen the genetic testing of several prapso dogs and they commonly have zero copies of furnishing genes, long coat genes, and short muzzle length genes. These are the commonalities among the tests I've personally seen. If anyone would like to share the testing they've done on their own dogs they can email a link or PDF to [email protected] or contact me in Facebook messenger. I'd love to see more! Yes, I am a genetics geek! ;) Likewise, if there are any owners or breeders who don't understand what their genetic test results mean, I am happy to assist you - feel free to email or reach out on Facebook messenger as well.
Despite the advances in genetic sequencing there are still many unknown genes, alleles, and interactions between the alleles that are not testable yet. Is it possible that there could be more genes and alleles of genes that haven't been identified, but contribute to the creation of a prapso puppy, 100% yes!
Hopefully the Dog10K project will aid in further understanding many more genes and how their alleles interact to form a more complete understanding of dog genetics. Because of the work on the Dog10K project, and the many geneticists who study individual genes and their alleles, we may soon know all of the alleles involved in the creation of every part of our dogs thus giving us a clearer picture of how to safely move forward while maintaining genetic diversity and breed standard traits.
Because of these significant projects and countless other studies on specific genes, we now know that there are several testable genes that control coat length, type, and texture. As well as testable genes for facial furnishings and muzzle length. Lack of some or all of these genetic alleles are contributing factors in creating prapso puppies. Dogs can carry faulty genes that they do not display, so genetic testing makes it possible to see what's hidden to our eyes. So, it is now possible to obtain reliable testing for our dogs in many of the genes that are involved in genetically creating the prapso dogs. Knowledgeable breeders select dogs who have the correct furnishing genes - RSPO2 (F/F), long coat genes -FGF5 (Lh/Lh), and correct muzzle length - BMP3 (A/A), among many others. These are at least three of the known genes that contribute to the factors creating prapso puppies.
I have seen the genetic testing of several prapso dogs and they commonly have zero copies of furnishing genes, long coat genes, and short muzzle length genes. These are the commonalities among the tests I've personally seen. If anyone would like to share the testing they've done on their own dogs they can email a link or PDF to [email protected] or contact me in Facebook messenger. I'd love to see more! Yes, I am a genetics geek! ;) Likewise, if there are any owners or breeders who don't understand what their genetic test results mean, I am happy to assist you - feel free to email or reach out on Facebook messenger as well.
Despite the advances in genetic sequencing there are still many unknown genes, alleles, and interactions between the alleles that are not testable yet. Is it possible that there could be more genes and alleles of genes that haven't been identified, but contribute to the creation of a prapso puppy, 100% yes!
Hopefully the Dog10K project will aid in further understanding many more genes and how their alleles interact to form a more complete understanding of dog genetics. Because of the work on the Dog10K project, and the many geneticists who study individual genes and their alleles, we may soon know all of the alleles involved in the creation of every part of our dogs thus giving us a clearer picture of how to safely move forward while maintaining genetic diversity and breed standard traits.
