Lhasa Apso Information

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The Lhasa Apso is a small breed, with a long, heavy, double coat, which in show dogs cascaded over the eyes and is draped over the entire body to the floor. They resemble a small version of the Old English Sheepdog. The Lhasa comes in a variety of colors, from gold, cream, and honey to smoke, dark‑grizzle and slate. Some Lhasas are multicolored, black or brown and white. The coat is straight, hard and heavy, and not silky. The Lhasa has small, dark eyes, deep-set rather than protruding, framed by heavy, feathered ears that extend past the chin and frame the round face and a medium-length muzzle. Show dogs will have a dark beard and mustache. The neck will have an abundant "scarf" of hair, the tail is feathered and curled over the back in a "screw."

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Their hair is red, white, brown, and tan.

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Character

The Lhasa Apso is an intelligent and lively breed, and makes an excellent pet. They are very affectionate and devoted to their owners, but will not put up with rough handling from children, and indeed do not care for children in general unless they've been socialized with them from an early age. Obedience training should be started early. The Lhasa has a tendency to be stubborn, however, so this trait must be tolerated. They make excellent watch dogs, being suspicious of strangers, and are inclined to bark a great deal. They are dog-aggressive and prefer to be the only dog in the home.


If you train a Lhasa Apso well, they will not only come to love you, but also their surroundings. Always try to be nice to a Lhasa and train it only in a calm nice manner. Never yell at a Lhasa. It takes not only patience but time to properly train this breed. The Lhasa Apso is a vigorous, energetic, personable, intelligent, little dog with more heart than the average dog. They are courageous and totally devoted to their family. The Lhasa Apso can live in an apartment or on a 300 acre ranch. It also can befriend a child with asthma that may never experience the joy of owning a pet, as they are hypoallergenic. Lhasa Apsos are intelligent and require a firm but gentle master. Lhasa Apsos do prefer living by their own rules but are extremely sensitive and enjoy pleasing their masters. Praise will go much farther than force or tough verbal correction as a Lhasa Apso can become stubborn if to much authority is applied. The Lhasa Apso has a wonderful temperament. Lhasa's are so intelligent that they can tell when you are home just by the sound of your car door shutting. If you are not feeling well your Lhasa Apso is always there to comfort you and is just happy being by your side. Their nature is that they aim to please. Lhasa Apso's are wonderful dogs for the obedience ring.

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Size

9-11 inches
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Weight

14-19 pounds
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General Health

Renal dysplasia, an often‑fatal kidney ailment, can afflict the Lhasa. Hip dysplasia also occurs, but is not very common. The long coat must be kept free of parasites to ensure no skin problems.


Hair around the ears should be trimmed to avoid infection. The ears need bi-weekly cleaning.

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History

The Lhasa Apso was first bred in the sacred city of Lhasa, Tibet over two thousand years ago. The breed was used in temples and monasteries as a watchdog and were considered sacred, as it was thought that when the master died, his soul would enter that of the dog. The breed was able to spread to other countries thanks to the Dalai Lama, who presented them to visiting foreign diplomats. They became established in England in the early 1900s and the United States in the 1930s. The American Kennel Club accepted the breed in 1935.

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Maintenance

The coat of the Lhasa Apso pars at the spine and falls straight on either side. It will be easier to groom if you keep it cut short, however the coats of show dogs must reach the floor. These dogs must have their coats brushed once a day to keep from matting. Do not bathe, simply dry shampoo. Check the feet and end of the coat for matting, as well as foreign matter. The eyes and ears must be cleaned every day. This breed is an average shedder.


Some dogs shed excessively, but most shed minimally. Owners will need to brush accordingly.

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Ideal Environment

The Lhasa Apso makes an excellent pet for apartment living. They will run around the home and do not necessarily need a yard. They do like to be taken for long walks, and have the opportunity to run free in a safe and secure area.

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Dog Training!

If you're having problems training your dog or getting control, you should read our review of DogProblems.com. Adam will do whatever it takes to help you whip your dog into shape. I've used them to help with my Great Dane as well as help friends train their dogs. It's the first place I go to help answer users Questions. Many training issues are too extensive to answer in this forum, which is why I refer a lot of the load to his site. Update: I've been using and recommending DogProblems for three years now. I, as well as my users, value the techniques we've learned. I get weekly emails from users who have become better owners from the information they received.

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Lhasa Apso Q&A

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Anxiety when i leave the home and gets over excited when i come home. Is there anythign i can do to settle him down wheni come in. he is 4 yrs old.

I don't have a Lhasa Apso but I have found with my dogs that if I give them a special treat when I leave the house they don't get upset and actually look forward to the treat. Try not to give that treat at other times.When I come home I don't make a big deal of it. I actually ignore them and find something to do until they settle down. Then I pet and greet them. They seem to mirror my energy level...so stay calm when you walk in the door. No high pitched or excited greetings. Give them a couple of minutes then greet them. Hope this helps you too.

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do most lhasa apso's have web feet?

I have a Lhasa-apso,and i'm pretty sure the answer is no.

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my little guy is a real fussy eater. He's 2 years old, 3 in january. He's been like this the whole time. I need him on dry food. he'll go a couple days or even a week with very little food. tidbits really. I've tried alot of food over the past 2years. he fluxuates in weight due to his poor eating habbits. the only food that i've been able to give him is that wet ceaser crap. I try to mix it with dry food, but he spits the dry out. i've tried some good brands like evo 93 different flavors, nutro, nutrience etc..... This can't be healthy, but aside from your normal fatigness, he's quite active. Any advice, are these breeds perhaps picky and very small eaters?

try wetting his dry food, so that he thinks that it is wet. Maybe it is the texture that he likes/ dislikes.

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hi i have just purchased a lhasa apso she is brindle and loving but just one query she has no tail is this normal or is there a breed of lhasa apso without tail please return any info thanks as my vet says it has not been docked

I think it might be a mixed breed, there are dogs born without tails, abnormaly, but there are also breeds of dogs who don't have tails. I don't think it will be a big problem.

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We have our first Lhasa Apso puppies. We are absolutely in love with this dog and this breed. My question is about the eye hair. My groomer has been doing a great job of keeping the corners of her eyes neatly trimmed and I clean her tears almost daily. However, I would like to tie her hair up in a top knot like I see on some of the show dogs and wondered if it is right to let all of the hair around her eyes grow out or do I still need to keep the corners trimmed? Thank you for any help you can give me.

As long as you will be able to take care of his eye problems, it would be fine. It's best if you cut the hair near the eyes, but you can leave the hair on the head and beard and everywhere you want it.

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Do they shed?

Not that much if you groom them regularly.

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I own a female Lhasa Apso how often do the menstrate? How long is their mating cycle?

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I own a lhasa apso of 5 years old.it is not eating properly. What type of food would you suggest to increase his appetite?

Try switching him to a different diet. Some dogs can be pretty picky about their food. Some brands which I've heard to appeal to dogs (and are healthy for them too) are Innova EVO or Blue Buffalo. If dry food doesn't appeal to your dog, maybe you should try a BARF (all raw diet) or one consisting of cooked rice, chicken and vegetables.

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I own a female Lhasa Apso. She is my best friend. Her hair is curly and short. I have let it grow but does not grow long. Why?

Are you sure your lhasa apso is pure bred? It's strange that you say she has curly hair that does not grow long because a pretty dominant trait of lhasas are a long, thick straight coat. Perhaps your lhasa apso is mixed with a poodle or some other breed. If not, then there is not much that you can do about it.

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how often should you feed a puppy and which brand?

It's best to feed your lhasa apso puppy at least 2 to 3 times a day, because it's needs the most maximum energy for it to be strong, healthy, and it helps the skin to grow shiny. I don't know the brand but try to buy the ones with more meat. Like if you look in the ingredients label, the first one shouldn't be wheat but meat. That is your choice though, and I prefer that because my puppy is a bit picky, but now he is beautiful. He doesn't have any skin problems and is in perfect shape. When they grow up you should feed them max of 2 times a day, or they will become quite chubby.

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