History of lhasa apso

The Lhasa Apso originated in Tibet in the Himalayan Mountains hundreds of years ago. It's named after the sacred city of Lhasa. For years the breed remained solely bred in Tibet by holy men and nobles. It was used as a watchdog in temples and monasteries. The dog was considered sacred. The belief was that when its master died the master's soul entered the Lhasa Apso's body. The breed was not easy to come across and was hard to buy. The dogs were considered good luck to their owners. In 1933 the dogs spread to other parts of the world thanks to C. Suydam Cutting, who introduced the first Lhasas to the USA as gifts from the 13th Dalai Lama. Tibet's

ruler would present them to visiting foreign diplomats. The Lhasa Apso first appeared in Britain in the 1920s and in the USA in 1930. It was first recognized by the AKC in 1935.



The Lhasa Apso is a small, hardy dog. The body length is longer than the height of the dog. The small, deep-set eyes are dark brown and the pendant ears are heavily feathered. The front legs are straight. The back legs are heavily covered in hair. The muzzle is medium in length. The teeth
should meet in a level or slightly undershot bite. The feet are round and catlike with an abundance of hair. The tail is set high, well feathered and carried over the back in a screw. Some tails have a kink at the end. The dense, double coat is straight and long over the entire body, including over the head and eyes, reaching to the floor. Any color is acceptable in the show ring. Gold, cream and honey are the most popular, but the coat also comes in dark-grizzle, slate, smoke and multi-colors of brown, white and black.
 PuppyHeight: Males 10 - 11 inches (25 - 28 cm); a little less for Females
Weight: Males 13 - 15 pounds (5.9 - 6.8 kg) coats often change colors as the puppy grows. Owners often cut the dogs’ hair short in a puppy cut to make them easier to care for.
These dogs are good for apartment living. They are very active indoors and will do okay without a yard.About 4 to 6 puppies.
The long coat parts at the spine and falls straight on either side. No trimming or stripping is needed, although when in full coat, they need to be brushed about once a day to keep their coats from matting. Some owners opt to cut the coats short for easier grooming. Dry shampoo as necessary. Check the feet for matting and for foreign matter stuck there. Clean the eyes and ears meticulously, for they tend to tear. This breed sheds very little.