|
| First Dog | Dog Care | Dog Training | Dog Feeding | Dog Health | Dog Breeding | Dog Showing | OutDoor Dogs | Working Dogs | Careers with Dogs | Forum | Pet Links | Site Map | Home | |
LHASA APSO |
||||||||
Additonal Breeds Starting With Letter:
Pet Sites
 |
the power of
Buddha. The god was said to have shown his complete domination over
the animals by making the lion guard his temples and follow him around
"like a pet dog." A leonine colored and shaped dog was a good
example to show primitive people proof of this story.
Lhasas^
"lion dogs," became fixtures inside the homes of Tibetan
nobility and in lamas' monasteries. Of course, the little dogs were
purported to be guardians which, with their wariness to strangers and
sharp bark, they probably were. But, with a Tibetan Mastiff tied outside
the dwelling to provide the heavy artillery, the Apsos were mainly the
beloved companions and friends of people in an inhospitable part of
the world. Legend says that lamas (priests) that failed to reach Nirvana
came back reincarnated as Lhasa Apsos. With this prestigious background,
it is obvious why they were treated so well by the Tibetans.
The origin
of the breed's name is a matter of controversy. In Tibet, the Lhasa
is called abso seng kye, which indicates a barking, sentinel
lion dog. Most numerous
around the religious capital of Lhasa, the resulting combination might
have contributed to his Western name. There are those that feel the
name came from the Tibetan word rapso, which means goatlike,
a description of the coat. In Britain, he is sometimes called, more
generically, the Tibetan Apso.
Documented
evidence exists that, for centuries, the Dalai Lamas—the spiritual
heads of Tibet—sent gifts of small lion dogs to the imperial courts
of China as tokens of esteem and good fortune. These dogs were incorporated
into the strains of Chinese dogs and helped in the formation of breeds
such as the Shih Tzu and Pekingese. The last of the Manchu empresses
was known to have bred the Lhasas into her Chinese dogs "to improve
coat."
Lhasa dogs
began to appear in the West around the turn of the century, brought
back by British explorers, emissaries and other travelers to Tibet.
There was much confusion at first, with shaggy Oriental dogs of a
variety of sizes being called "Lhasa Terriers." It was only
later that authorities
distinguished between the leggier and longer headed Tibetan Terrier
and the smaller Lhasa Apso. Many early Shih Tzus also may have been
a part of this confusion. But by the 1930s, the Lhasa Apso had his
own identity and a supportive breed club in Britain. The breed was
introduced into the United States about this same time, from an initial
pair given as gifts by the 13th Dalai Lama to visiting Americans,
the C. Suydam Cuttings, forming the famed Hamilton line. In fact,
the dogs in Tibet were never sold, but given away to esteemed friends
as good luck talismans that kept evil spirits away.
Later,
when the Shih Tzu first arrived in the States, they were mistakingly
registered as Lha-sas. Some of these dogs were naturally bred to
Lhasas, causing a great deal of trouble between breeders. Even today
one will find stress placed on the "pure Hamilton line,"
indicating no Shih Tzu blood flows in their veins.
The Lhasa
has become a favored companion dog in many modern nations. His small—but
not toy—size combined with his surprising hardiness and ability
to distinguish friend from foe have endeared him to many. Owners
are amazed by his ability to adapt to a variety of climatic conditions
and lifestyles, but he does need human contact to fulfill his destiny.
Despite their natural companionability with man, some can be a bit
strong-minded, and early introduction to rules and firm, loving
discipline are recommended.
They
are well known for their longevity; dogs of 18 are not uncommon
and one champion of this breed lived to be 29! In the show ring,
the Lhasa is the ultimate in coiffed glamour, with hair completely
covering his eyes and head and reaching the floor. Even those
specimens intended as pets require regular grooming to prevent
a disaster of tangles and mats. Due to the brachycephalic nature
of their genetic background, undershot jaws are the norm.
|
