Lhasa Apso Dog

Lhasa Apso dog is alert, steady but a little bit aloof with strangers. This breed responds to motivational training. It should have a dominant owner. They are good watchdogs with a loud, persistent bark, which gives the impression to intruders of a much larger dog. The breed can be noisy and may be too nervous around children and strangers. They are inclined to fight if they are not the only dog in the house. They have a fine sense of hearing. These little dogs travel well . Lhasa Apso bitches make good mothers. They dislike being alone and can be snappish if surprised or peeved. Lhasas should be "gay and assertive, chary of strangers." They can be very stubborn dogs. Some people perceive this as a lack of intelligence, but that is not the case.

They are very bright and clown-like. 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. Harsh training and disciplinary measures will not win over a Lhasa. This is a dog of great dignity and style.

The dogs should be about 10 or 11 inches at the withers for dogs, bitches slightly smaller. The coat can be any color, including parti-colors, grizzles and brindles, and should be heavy, straight, hard and very dense. The texture should not be woolly or silky. The head should have heavy "head furnishings," and the ears should be heavily feathered. The shape of the head should be with a narrow skull, falling away behind the eyes in a marked degree, not flat, but not domed or apple-shaped, with a straight foreface of fair length. The nose should be black, and the length from tip of nose to eye should be roughly one-third of the total length from nose to back of skull. The eyes are dark brown, neither very large and full, nor very small and sunk.

The Lhasa's feet should be round and catlike, and well-feathered. The tail, also well-feathered, should be carried well over the back in a screw, andthere may be a kink in the end of the tail. A "low carriage of stern" (tail) is considered a fault in the breed.