Lhasa Apso

Lhasa Apso History

The little shaggy coated Lhasa Apso dog can trace its heritage back to the picture postcard mountains and high plateaus of Tibet. Lhasa Apso dogs and puppies have lived for centuries in the monasteries and homes of the Tibetan people. They were never offered for sale but always given as gifts, being a talisman of the rich nobles and Buddhist monks.

Lhasa Apso gets his name from the capital and largest city in Tibet with a
population of 170,000. Lhasa is a shortened form of _lha sacha_, which means "god's place." Its extremes of weather includes harsh winds with low temperatures in the winter and, hot dusty daytimes in the summer.

The Lhasa Apso breed probably descended originally from European and Asiatic dogs such as the Puli and the Pumi. One of the reasons why it has been so difficult to establish the breed outside Tibet is that the majority if typical specimens were confined to the monasteries or owned by the nobles who were seldom willing to part with them.

In 1901 Miss Marjorie Wild acquired her first Lhasas Apso from the Honorable Mrs Mclaren Morrison, who saw the breed in Darjeeling, India, and brought some with her on her return to England. Thereafter, Miss Wild devoted some seventy years to breeding and showing the breed until her death in 1971.


Early in 1933 Mr and Mrs Suydam Cutting, who had seen the Lhasa Apso in Nepal, were given two by His Holiness the 13th Dalai Lama. It is largely through the efforts of Mr and Mrs Cutting that the Apso found its place in the American show scene and their Hamilton Kennels became known throughout the world.

Lhasa Apso Personality

This long-coated fellow makes an excellent apartment dog. Lhasas are very long-lived, playful and affectionate. Their independent and stubborn nature requires patience and understanding. In general, Lhasas are very eager to please, although some are aloof and haughty. They need to be trained with positive reinforcement — lots of praise and rewards. The Lhasa Apso temperament is unique. He is rather calm and deliberate, although suspicious of strangers which may be attributed to their heritage of seclusion in Tibet. Intensely loyal to their family, they are a small dog with a big heart! Try and buy your Lhasa Apso puppy from a Reputable Breeder.