ive studied Shou Shu for a few years now.
Shou Shu is a fighting style revolving around 7 animals, Bear, Tiger, Mongoose, White Crane, Mantis, Cobra and Dragon.
each animal has its own motions and creates power differently
when all 7 animals are mastered, you have no weaknesses
from white belt to black belt you learn all the Bear material and a little bit about all the other animals.
once you get your black belt, you learn Tiger to get your 2nd degree black belt, then you learn Mongoose to get your 3rd dgree black belt, etc etc
Da Shifu Al Moore Sr. learned the art in China but it was not called Shou Shu. Shou Shu is the title he named it after he changed the way it was taught to students. when he learned the art, he learned one motion at a time, there where no techniques like in Kenpo. he tried to teach others one motion at a time but students didnt like learning this way so after he befriended Ed Parker and saw how Parker taught Kenpo, Da Shifu took Kenpo techniques and added the animal motions that he learned in china calling the art Shou Shu.
heres the Official Shou Shu site
http://www.mooreschinesemartialarts.com/this site talks about the animals even tho the people at Sheng Chi ARENT with the Moores anymore
http://www.shengchikungfu.com/beasts.htm