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To trace the origins of the Lhasa Apso, one must travel north of India near Mount Everest and into the land of Tibet. This mysterious land is situated on a high plateau and its boundaries to the south and west are the Himalayas while to the north is Kunlun Shan.
Within Tibet there are grasslands, huge mountains and high deserts as well as valleys where farming efforts are watered by glacial runoffs. Between its latitude being almost the same as northern Florida and the high altitude, the climate can range from intense heat to artic like.
Invasion by foreign countries and danger from within its boundaries was a constant fear of the people of Tibet so dogs were bred to be sentinels. The sacred city of Lhasa itself gave birth to three breeds of dogs, the Tibetan Terrier, Tibetan Spaniel and the Lhasa Apso. All three of these breeds have tails that curl over the back and heavy coats of hair to protect them from the extremes seen in climate.
Often a giant Mastiff would be chained outside a palace or monastery to keep intruders out. Within the walls of the establishment there was an entirely different type of sentinel whose recorded history can be traced back as early as 800B.C. These records speak of a shaggy dog that bears a striking resemblance to the Lhasa Apso.
Known in Tibet as “Abso Seng Kye” which means “Bark Lion Sentinel Dog,” the Lhasa Apso was an excellent choice for this indoor sentinel duty. It is normally an intelligent little dog that has excellent hearing and a well-honed instinct for distinguishing intimates and strangers. This intelligence as well as its beautiful flowing coats and loyal personality has made the Lhasa Apso a favorite of nobility as well as more than one Dalai Lama through the centuries.
There are stories of how the Dalai Lama would present as a wish of prosperity and good luck pairs of Lhasa Apsos to visiting royalty and dignitaries from as far back as 1583. As their fame grew, so did the demand.
Entire villages around the sacred city of Lhasa were for the express purpose of breeding the Lhasa Apso. Many times adventurers or bandits steal specimens of the breed. Others would attempt to force villagers to “give” the dogs up with little luck on the part of the bandit. Since the Lhasa Apso was considered such a sacred part of Tibet, they would be fed ground glass so it could be assured the dog wouldn’t survive the trip to other parts of the world.
A naturalist and world traveler by the name of C. Suydam Cutting is credited with bringing the Lhasa Apso to America. During a trip to Tibet in 1933, he met and formed a friendship with the thirteenth Dalai Lama. As a token of this friendship, the Dalai Lama gave to Mr. Cutting a pair of Lhasa Apsos. A few years later the fourteenth Dalai Lama also gave Mr. and Mrs. Cutting another pair. From these, the breed in America took off. The American Kennel Club’s studbook recorded its first Lhasa Apso, “Empress of Kokonor” in 1935.
Compared to so many breeds, the official standard for the Lhasa Apso is short and to the point.
Character- The Lhasa Apso should be gay and assertive but leery of strangers.
Size-The actual size may vary but is generally 10 to 11 inches at the shoulder.
Body and Shape-The overall length from shoulder point to buttocks is longer than the height at the withers. The Lhasa Apso should be well ribbed up, strong in the loin and have well-developed hindquarters and thighs.
Coat-The coat should be very dense and of good length. It should also be heavy, straight and hard but not wooly or silky.
Mouth-The preferred bite is level or even slightly undershot and set into a muzzle of medium length. The term undershot simply means the lower teeth and jaw should extend beyond the upper.
Head-The skull is narrow and falls away from the eyes in a marked degree. It isn’t quite flat nor is it apple-shaped or domed. The foreface is straight and of fair length. There should be plenty of hair on the head. The AKC standard is quoted as “Heavy head furnishings with good fall over eyes, good whiskers and beard.”
Nose-The nose should be black and the length from tip of nose to eye should be about one-third of the total length from nose to back of skull.
Eyes-Dark brown in color and neither very large and full, nor small and sunk.
Ears-The ears should be heavily feathered and pendant like.
Legs-The forelegs are straight and as with the hind legs, heavily covered with hair.
Feet-The feet are well feathered, round and catlike with good pads.
Tail-The tail should be heavily feathered and carried well over the back in a screw. Some dogs will even have a kink at the end and this is acceptable. A tail that is carried low is considered a serious fault.
The Lhasa Apso is normally a hardy little dog that seems to do well in all types of climates. Its crowning glory of hair though requires upkeep every few days but can easily be done by the owner. As a rule they are not picky eaters, vicious nor prone to a vast number of the hereditary defects so many other breeds are. With proper preventative, nutritional and dental care, a Lhasa Apso can be a wonderful pet and family sentinel for many years.
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