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TIBETAN TERRIER |
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Despite his name, this ancient Tibetan is not a terrier, but a true herding dog. The spunky little animal developed through ancient breeds, the North KunLun Mountain Dog and the Inner Mongolian Dog, which resembled a Poodle and stemmed back to the owtcharkas. Others believe this breed to be one of the prototypes of the herding family. One talent specifically mentioned
by Margar-eta Sundqvist is the Tibetan Terrier's ability to assist
the shepherds on their journeys down from the mountains, by leaping
to the backs of the sheep and down again in narrow passages. They also served
as alarm dogs in remote Tibetan villages, alerting the Tibetan Mastiffs
of intruders. Tibetans that were too small for such a rigorous life
were given to the lamas and utilized and bred by the Tibetan monks for
many centuries, developing into Lhasa Apsos.
Brought
into Europe by the Magyars, the TT is a likely contributor to the
Puli's makeup, being similar in size, shape, tail carriage and working
traits. Other modern breeds acquired some of his qualities as he made
his way through Europe.
The triad
of shepherd, flock guard and herding dog has worked as a partnership
throughout the world and over the centuries. None thrives alone in
its sheep tending, so each has learned to rely on the other. Ancient
Tibetan natives conceived this workable arrangement, with their Tibetan
Mastiff doing the guarding and the Tibetan Terrier taking care of
the actual herding. As the barbarians of the East invaded Europe,
their families and flocks came with them, along with their two types
of dogs. These Mastiffs and herders were left in all countries which
absorbed these migrations, where they became individualized for the
local region.
Poland
developed the mighty Podhalanski and the shaggy Nizinny; in Hungary,
the corded Komondor watched the flocks while the Puli did the footwork;
northern Italy brought forth the Maremma and the accompanying Bergamasco.
Spain boasts the Spanish Mastiff and the Gos d'Atura. Even tiny
Portugal, on the coast, has the Estrela Mountain Dog which works
with the Cao de Serra de Aires, And the French Great Pyrenees plays
guard while the Berger de Pyrenees runs interference.
In each of these regions,
the flock-guarding dogs have remained very similar. The sheep-herding
dogs have retained manycharacteristics
that lump them together with the sheepdogs of the East, rather
than those that came by way of the North. These sheep dogs tend
to be shaggy all over their bodies. Many have the tail that tends
to curl over the back. Grizzled colors of grays and fawns predominate,
rather than the black/tans so common in the northern shepherd
dogs. An English physician,
Dr. H.R. Grieg, saved a Tibetan citizen's life and was honored with one
of these shaggy Tibetan herding dogs. She later obtained another and brought
them back to England; although she was not successful in breeding them,
her dogs did serve to introduce the breed to the Western World. The Tibetan
Terrier has been recognized in India since 1920, and in England since
1937, where they compete in the Utility Group. A comparative newcomer
to the United States, they have been shown in Non-Sporting since 1973.
While the Tibetan
Terrier of past centuries was tousled and shaggy-coated, today's show
dog is adorned by an elegant coat necessitating hours of skillful grooming.
Their long, elegant tails wrap protectively around themselves while sleeping.
Another charming characteristic is that of using their paws in a catlike
manner, holding, grasping and batting at balls. They can be stubborn if
pushed into compliance. The Tibetan makes a merry household pet, small
enough for apartments and sturdy enough for children's roughhousing.
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