Souyen Kennels was established in 1973 by my husband Mark and I (Patti), we have bred over 50 Canadian Champions including many American and International titles. Our interest in Shih Tzu can be seen as a love at first sight type of affair. The first time I set my eyes on a Shih Tzu I was in love. We purchased our first Shih Tzu from Wendy and Richard Paquette, a black-masked gold bitch Ch. Wenrick’s Sou Son Sin “Honey”.

In 1991 while exhibiting Shih Tzu at an American show, I fell in love with another breed Norfolk Terriers. After watching Ch. Nanfan Crunch we decided that we wanted to get involved in Norfolk and bought our foundation bitch a year later from Mary and Clive Davies Ch. Cortaillod Cricket of Souyen “Cricket”. It has been 15 years since the introduction of Norfolk to Souyen. We have shown Norfolk Terriers to Canadian and American championships.

The Shih Tzu and Norfolk get along splendidly together.

Within the last 10 years our youngest daughter Sarah has become very interested in the breeding and showing of the Shih Tzu and Norfolk Terriers. She owned her first Shih Tzu in 2003 Am Can. Ch. Souyen’s Perfect Setting; and her first Norfolk Terrier in 2003 Ch. Souyen’s Tia Maria. Sarah became a breeder of Norfolk Terriers in November 2004. She takes great pride in her first home bred dog Ch. Souyen’s Shoot ‘Em Back “Shooter” (Number One Norfolk Terrier in Canada 2005), co-bred with us.

Over the last three decades Souyen Kennels has strived for quality over quantity and we continue to do so.