| ORIGINS OF THE LHASA APSO |
| DESCRIPTION OF THE LHASA APSO |
| **Though shaggy little dogs believed to be close ancestors of the Apso have been in existence for some 800 years, it has only been in the last century that the Lhasa Apso gained public attention in this country. What these canines share in common with other animals native to the cold land, from which Mount Everest rises, is their long shaggy coat. In this wild and mountainous country lying beyond the northern boundary of India, one would expect nature to have provided its animal inhabitants with the Lhasa's profuse coat to ward off the frequently intense cold.** A SACRED DOG **The history of these dogs of Tibet can in large measure be told by the history of that country's monasteries. Many of the dogs were kept in monasteries and treated as sacred animals by the monks. They even participated in the religious activities. An explanation generally accepted as the reason these dogs were universally accorded great respect in their country declares that the souls of the Dalai Lamas entered the bodies of the dogs after they died. The belief that the sturdy Lhasa were the abode for the souls of deceased rulers of the country was at one time so widespread and unquestioned that a religious rite revolving around the dogs sprung up. The dogs were brought near bodies of the dead in cases where it was thought that some evil was present in a corpse, and were thought to be able to dispel the evil by their presence. In some countries where the breed has become officially recognized it is referred to as the Tibetan Apso, after its land of origin, while in the US and Canada the name Lhasa, which is the name of name, Apso, is thought to be a corruption of the Tibetan word rapso, which means goatlike. Rapso aptly describes the long, often rough coat found on dogs native to that country. The Lhasa Apso is believed to be purely a Tibetan dog." It is almost certain in history that the Shih Tzu which originated in western China, and the Apso interbred. It was the practice of the Dalai Lama of Tibet to give a pair of palace bred Apsos to visiting high dignitaries and officials from other countries. This is how the dogs were brought to the imperial court of China. The Chinese Emperor gave the Shih Tzu to highly place visitors of state, so in this way Shih Tzu found their way into Tibet. It was considered a great honor to receive one of the highly revered Tibetan dogs which were said to signify good fortune for the receiver.** THE LHASA AS A GUARD DOG **The Lhasa in addition to participating in religious rites was an inside palace guard dog. The huge Tibetan Mastiffs noted for their ferocity in certain circumstances, were kept as guards outside the palace. If by some rare chance intruders got past the Mastiffs the Lhasas gave warning of the intruders. "Hundreds of generations of breeding and training as a guard dog have given rise to a breed that is bright, hardy and alert in spite of its small size."** THE LHASA IN THE US **The C. Suydam Cuttings of Hamilton Farms Kennel were responsible for forming the backbone of the Lhasa Apso breed in the US. It was to them a pair of the little dogs were presented by the Dalai Lama himself after several visits by the Cuttings were made to his country.** |
| **The Lhasa is a spunky little dog, who makes and ideal family dog and companion. His friendly, lively ways endeared him as a companion to the lamas and to all those in whos homes he resided. In today's homes, where his chief purpose is that of companion and playmate, his hardiness enables him to fit into homes where there are only adults or homes where there are children. He is loyal and his quick intelligence makes him a desirable companion. He is also quick to sound the alarm when unknown persons approach the house. With children, the Lhasa enjoys vigorous romping as well as the children and is sturdy enough and mentally alert enough to take care of himself, in spite of his relatively small size. Children should be taught, as with every breed, not to abuse or take advantage of their trusting ways. The Lhasa is friendly and can be counted on to be hospitable to his family's friends, they also pick and choose their friends. This is logical since they were bred to distinguish the difference between friends and strangers in their guard duties. The Lhasa should not be agressive or hostile toward those he has not chosen for friends. He should be gay and assertive, though he is chary of strangers. Any snappiness or open antagonism from a Lhasa should definitely not be accepted as the norm, but rather as a sign of bad breeding. When you get a puppy whose disposition that is all it should be, he will be particularly receptive to the socialization that is an invaluable part of training for every dog. From the time the puppy is brought into your house, he should be handled moderately, included in family activities, and associated with pleasurable experiences at the hands of those who are now his family. In this way, he will not only learn to be responsive to human needs and ways, but will also learn the limitations that must be observed in his new lifestyle. The most noticable characteristics in the Lhasa are his long, dense coat and the variety of color gradations it appears in. The coat should be very dense, but not woolly or silky. It grows very long and the actual length varying from one individual to another. The Lhasa's exceptionally profuse coat, developed in a homeland of severe climatic conditions, is one or the attributes that makes him so adaptable. In cold climates, it keeps in body heat: in hot ones, it insulates against excessive heat penetration. His coat color varies over a wide range of colors and shadings from black at one end of the spectrum to solid white at the other. But lying in between these two is the golden or honey-toned shades that is most highly desirable, it being most closely related to the color of his namesake, the lion. Grizzled effects of brown, grays, and tans with almost-black streaks occur frequently and add to the Lhasa's exotic beauty. While there are many colors and the combinations thereof are acceptable, the one color characteristic that remains constant are the dark points. Dark eyes and black nose are the only acceptable colors for show standards drawn up by national breed clubs and approved by the national kennel club. The standards are always subject to change through review by the national breed club. Standards may vary from country to country. The Lhasa's coat as in any long haired dog requires more attention and must be groomed**. Many family pets, when groomed are clipped shorter due to their owners busy lifestyle, to preserve the good health of their dogs. I recommend to new Lhasa owners they purchase " LHASA APSO" By Diane McCarty. **Information gathered from " LHASA APSO By Diane McCarty" |
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