A Dog With A Big Personality. Not For The Faint Hearted. (Lhasa Apso)

Member Name: mikebaileyuk

Product:	Lhasa Apso
Date:	04/11/09 (21 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Faithful, fun and a friend for life.

Disadvantages: Will always try to outsmart you, high grooming demands.

A dog with a big personality!

This is not a pet for the faint hearted, they may be cute and adorable-looking dogs but if you're not prepared to be leader of the pack they will end up being in charge. They are very strong-willed and see themselves as the protector of the household.

They do not usually respond well to training, you need to work hard to earn the respect of these wonderful little dogs - they appreciate firm, positive leadership - when you have their respect however, you have a friend for life. I have had 2 previous Lhasa Apsos and have found that every time, toilet training has taken a lot longer than with other dogs, persistence is the key with this and lots of other aspects of training, you always need to keep in mind that they are constantly thinking of ways to try and outsmart you and get you to do the work instead of them.

They are a long-lived breed and can typically live for 15 years or more, it is not uncommon for them to live into their twenties. They are an extremely hardy dog which you would expect with them originating in Tibet. Health-wise the main thing to watch out for is a condition called retinal atrophy. All good breeders will be able to show you that their puppies come from bloodlines that are free from this condition.

The dogs are said to bring good luck and were given in pairs as symbols of luck and prosperity by the Dalai Lama to visiting heads of state. For at least two thousand years they were bred only in Tibet by the holy men and were considered sacred. The dogs lived in packs in the temples and monasteries but the high-ranking monks were allowed to keep their own dog. There are stories of how the holy men who failed to achieve Nirvana would be reincarnated as Lhasa Apsos.

In Tibet, mastiffs would be kept outside the temples and monasteries to keep intruders away. If anyone got past these dogs into the courtyard, the Lhasa Apsos would sound the alert by barking. They are consequently quite a vocal dog, they will bark if they see people going past outside the house or if they see someone coming towards you when you are out on a walk. They are certainly a great dog to have if you want to hear when the postman is on his way.

These strong-willed, fearless little animals have an unbelievable amount of energy and are always up to mischief. They love digging in the garden and failing that love to dig behind the cushions on the sofa.

My Lhasa 'Lucky' always stays with my parents if we go on holiday abroad. He has one spot in their garden that he always likes to dig a big hole. When he spots my mum coming over to tell him off, he covers the hole with his paws so she can't see it. I think he's the boss when he goes there for his holidays!

As well as Lucky, we have a Rhodesian Ridgeback, the Ridgeback is a huge dog and weighs 60Kg more than Lucky. Guess who's in charge? When they are play fighting, Lucky will often charge at the big dog, jump up, grab hold of his ears with his teeth and hang off them until the big dog yelps. The big dog will get his own back though and try to pick Lucky up by his tail. The point I am making is that they have very little fear and are very resilient. They are supervised when they play like this though and we've never had any injuries yet, they are just being dogs and they love each other, they often go to sleep curled up next to each other.

They have very high grooming needs. Their coat is not easy to maintain at "show" standard. If you take them out for a walk, more than just your dog will come back with you. Coats get tangled very easily so you either have to groom them every day or keep them in a shorter cut. If you do take them to a professional dog groomer, make sure they know how to groom a Lhasa, many of them think they know how to do it but you can end up with a dog that looks more like a Pekingese. There are a lot more Lhasa owners nowadays compared to just 20 years ago, you'll quite often see them when you're out for a walk and many people can recommend a good dog groomer. Expect to pay around £20 to have the dog bathed and trimmed and you may need this doing every 6 weeks or so. I personally only have my dog cut about 3 times a year and will often do it myself. I don't like him to look like a show dog, he's far too busy playing with his 'brother' to need to be kept immaculate.

Bear in mind that a Lhasa is used to having a thick insulating coat and if you keep him short in winter he can get cold. If you keep him in a long coat though, be prepared to set aside several hours if you want to bathe and dry him yourself (which incidentally he will definitely not enjoy).

Well I've mentioned enough of the things that will make you really think whether a Lhasa is right for you or not. If you can cope with some of the points I've covered and you feel that you really want a Lhasa then find a good breeder and make sure the ancestry is free from retinal atrophy.

The good points about a Lhasa Apso? Just find a few pictures of them, both in show coat and in a pet or utility cut, that should tell you enough! They are a very faithful pet, they will ALWAYS want to be with you and love to lie by your feet (even when you're standing cooking in the kitchen). They will certainly bring years of pleasure. Just remember, when a Lhasa looks in the mirror, he sees a lion looking back.....

Summary: If you're prepared for years of fun AND hard work this is the dog for you.