Falling Star Shih Tzu

Shih Tzu, New York

Falling Star Shih Tzu was founded by Troy Clifford Dargin and has been in effect since 1985. I would come home from junior high school and watch old national videos of Shih Tzu and read old Shih Tzu magazine and books. I found the type that I fell in love with. I loved the Dragonfire (Red Raider) and Wingate (Dickens) lines. I contacted both but Peggy Hogg of Dragonfire Shih Tzu was just getting out of breeding at that point. Jody Neal of Wingate told me the only way she would sell me a dog was if I came out to California to study with her handler, Clive Harrold for a summer. So off I go on my 16th birthday to learn how to groom. I didn’t know a thing when I got to Clive’s estate. I didn’t even know how to coordinate my fingers to use rubber bands. Well, I am very glad I went that summer because I learned about 5 years of knowledge in 3 months time.   We have had the priviledge of flying all over the United States, including Puerto Rico and Alaska with our dogs. We have had dogs in the top 10 and had the privilege of earning the Lainee Award for top producing bitch in 1997, tying for that award (with my own dogs!!!). We have had top producing dogs and several Registry of Merits on our dogs. We have finished over 55 home-bred champions in a 10 year period and recently, after almost 40 years of breeding and showing well over 100. At Falling Star we are dedicated to producing only the best dog possible. We don’t breed to just make money. We also believe that if “experts” in the breed don’t share their dogs with others then we really aren’t doing much for the improvement of the breed. Don’t get us wrong, we don’t sell to just anyone, but everyone has to start somewhere. When a novice has shown their dedication at learning then we are willing to do our part to help out. Just think what could happen in our breed if every breeder took one person to mentor. At Falling Star we have strived very hard to perfect the “look” that we have established. We breed for health of course and we like a very pretty head but the dog must be able to move with a high head carriage (which is part of the breed standard). Thank you for taking the time to review our site.