The Most Influential Shih Tzu Breeder in the Early Days of Shih Tzu in North America

The most influential breeder in the early days of the Shih Tzu in North America was Swedish-born Ingrid Colwell. Noone has equaled her contribution to the breed. She was the daughter of Ingrid Engstrom.

Mrs. Colwell's original stock was 80 percent Scandinavian. Future breedings incorporated English lines. The combination of these lines, the Scandinavian and English created the distinctive line of Mrs. Colwell called the Si-Kiang line. The Si-Kiang line became the most influential and most respected Shih Tzu kennel in its time. Mrs. Colwell bred shih tzu in the 1960's.

Through Mrs. Colwell's tireless efforts, the shih tzu gained much of its popularity in the United States. Although the American public were becoming very interested in the Shih Tzu there was still little information about the breed available. Very little research and no documented account of the breed, either in the U.S. or Europe, was available at this time. As a result, a great deal of confusion arose about the breed. During her days breeding and showing her shih tzu, Ingrid had stacks and stacks of papers on everything that had been written about the breed at that time, and she handed it out liberally. No one walked away from Ingrid Colwell without knowing something about the breed.

Unfortunately, Mrs. Colwell did not live to see AKC recognition of the breed.

One of the early pillars of the breed owned by Ingrid Colwell was French Ch. Jungefeldts Jung-wu.

All Shih Tzu Fanciers should cherish Mrs. Ingrid Colwell's contributions to this wonderful breed and know a little bit about her.