Lhasa Apso

Lhasa Apso Hair & Coat

Lhasa Apso Health & Care

Lhasa Apso are one of the healthiest and pure breeds in the world as of today. They are mostly free of diseases and can live up to 20 years at times. In fact one of the oldest dogs was a Lhasa Apso, which lived up to the age of 29 years. Though this may not occur in your pet at any given time, these are one of the most common diseases that your adorable pet can suffer from.

Your Lhasa Apso can suffer from a genetic disease called progressive retinal atrophy, which if not treated in time can lead to blindness in your pet. In this the retina of your pet’s is attacked and can lead to partial blindness, which at times can also lead to complete blindness. The first sign is night blindness in your pet. In addition to this Cherry eye is also a common problem with this breed, which is the swelling of the third eyelid that resembles a cherry.

Your Lhasa Apso is very prone to various ear infections because of its long ears, which are filled with hair. This provides a perfect breeding ground for all infections. So it is extremely important to keep it clean at all times. The other common aliment in your dogs is allergies, which can be caused with various reasons. This is a healthy breed and your vet visits will be restricted with these dogs to a large extent

Lhasa Apso Behavior

Lhasa Apso is a great family dog. They have an even temperament and were bred to be sentinels dogs by the monks in the monasteries of Tibet.  Their exceptional sense of hearing make them the perfect watchdogs. So if you have a Lhasa at home then be rest assured that every new comer into the house will be greeted with incessant barking.

They can be wary of strangers so ensure that when he or she is a puppy you socialize them with other pets and people other than family members. If not trained early they can turn aggressive towards stranger. They are fiercely loyal to their owners and can be extremely protective toward them at times.

Lhasa is the perfect family dog and they love to show their love towards their owners. They will run and roll around your feet and will be always be ready to be petted. If you have this adorable breed at home you will know that patience is virtue when it comes to your Lhasa, though they are highly intelligent and trainable. They can be little stubborn at times and they are slow when it comes to be house trained. So if you are an aspirant owner then remember that you will need to give them time with all kinds of training. Your Lhasa Apso will respond well to motivational training though.

They are fantastic as family dogs they might not be the perfect kid friendly dog for your infants and toddlers though. In fact their low exercise requirement makes them the perfect companions for senior and adult families, which have older kids. If you are an experienced dog owner then they will do well with young kids as well.

Lhasa Apso has been bred in Tibet, which is known for its fierce winters and short but hot climate in summers and lesser oxygen levels. So, they are perfect for any weather. Their size makes them perfect for all apartments living as well. Though the size of the breed is small they also need regular exercise. An everyday walk will be enough.

This not only helps to meet their exercise requirement but also helps to develop a well rounded dog. Lhasa can easily adapt to yard living as well but just ensure that it is fenced. They are great family dogs but at times can be difficult for very young children as they might not how to handle him or her.

Lhasa Apso is perfect for families with a older children and adults. Just remember that you need to socialize your pet early to avoid any temperamental issues later with strangers. They can be vary of strangers and can bark incessantly in their presence at times.

Lhasa Apso is a very intelligent dog but this intelligence does not make them easily trainable dogs. They were bred to be fierce watchdogs. Though the ferocious streak is not present in them any more they can still at times consider themselves to be the alpha male of the family or the protector.

So always remember that you need to be patient when it comes to training your Lhasa Apso. The first thing you need to remember is to train your puppy to ensure that he or she is friendly with all the family members. It is recommended to help them interact with strangers to ensure happy go lucky dogs.

This breed might look fragile but are in contrast very sturdy for their small size. They are excellent watch dogs and their heightened smell helps them to be trained for any foreign object in your home. Lhasa Apso take time to be house trained. The best way will be to start with crate training. Just remember that persistence will help you to get the desired results easily.

Lhasa Apso Breeding

Lhasa Apso are generally a healthy breed and even their breeding does not have many complications attached. The only thing you have to think about is giving the adorable puppies up for sale or adoption. It seems that most of the complications have been bred out of the Lhasa Apsos in the thousands of years.

An average male and female Lhasa Apso attains sexual maturity anywhere between six to nine months of age. Though your pet is still very young to breed. A dog takes around 18 months to reach his or her full height and structure. It is advisable to breed your dogs after at least two years of age. If you are a first timer at breeding then taking vets help is advisable. You just sit back and enjoy the company of four to six adorable little puppies. An average litter size of the breed. The Lhasa Apso comes in a variety of colors though the most widely available and the common colors include gold, cream and honey. You can have more than one color in a litter.

A Lhasa puppy is probably one of the cutest in the dog kingdom. The size along with the sparkling eyes and fluffy coat make them a perfect cuddly toy. If you are planning to get one home then remember that these puppies are a bundle of energy and they love to play. So they will need a fair amount of monitoring to ensure that they do not hurt themselves.

If you have this adorable breed at home then you would know that a Lhasa matures late so even if he or she is three years old. It still might think that they are a puppy. So when training your pet remember that you will require patience and their playful nature might make this a little difficult. You will need your fair share of patience when it comes to housetrain them also.

Lhasa Apso Appearance

This small fragile looking dog on the contrary to its look has a robust built and the first thing that you will notice about them is the long and lustrous coat, which parts along the spine. It needs to be brushed regularly to prevent any tangles and matting. The body of your Lhasa Apso is longer than its height, which has a level back along with sprung rubs and long loins.

The tail of the Lhasa Apso is also heavily feathered and is set high and is curled over the back. They end may be at times kinked. The legs are also densely feathered with straight forelegs and the hind legs are muscular and well developed.

In addition to this the feet resembles a cat that is well feathered, compact and round. The pads are thick. The eyes are mostly covered with hair but are dark brown and medium shaped, the white parts are not visible with the hair over it. The ears are feathered and hang down from the body. Along with this Lhasa Apso has a narrow skull with a slightly arched black nose and heavy long hair falling over the eyes. They will be your faithful companion for almost 12 to 15 years.