Mini the Lhasa Apso

Mini was the first dog that I have owned.  She had the familiar Lhasa Apso thick long coat draping her entire body down to the floor.  She was a beautiful mixture of brown and white all over with a white feathered tale.  I loved her eyes, which where of the deepest blue, although they where hard to see because they too where covered by thick hair.  She appeared to be sporting long bangs.  I think this is why she was prone to eye infections – her tear ducks would swell – usually clearing within several days.  I loved bringing Mini home from the groomers with a bow holding a wisp of her hair at the top of her head.  The Lhasa Apso requires much grooming.  Therefore, you should consider the cost of regular grooming if you plan to own one.

Lhasa Apso’s are friendly, affectionate, intelligent, and spirited small dogs.  Mini was easily housetrained and performed simple commands – sit, fetch, stay, etc.  As a puppy she taught me an interesting lesson.  We where playing tug of war with her rope toy.  I was pulling on one end, as she vigorously pulled the other end with her teeth.  All of a sudden she gave way and I noticed a tooth stuck on her end of the rope.  I, not being familiar with what was happening, thought I had pulled too hard.   I quickly called my dentist friend and she informed me that puppies – just like babies – lose their first set of teeth.

Lhasa Apso originated from Tibet and is named for the capital city of Lhasa.  According to Wikipedia, the Lhasa Apso was bred originally to guard monasteries. The Lhasa Apso was expected to follow the intruder barking until his master arrived to check on the intruder.  Also, they are believed to bring good luck to their owners.  Mini was a fantastic watchdog and a precious companion.  Her bark was quite deceiving because it sounded as if it belonged to a much larger dog.

If you are considering owning a Lhasa Apso they do well in apartment living.  They are too nervous around children and therefore require supervision.  They do need to be taken on daily walks for at least 20 minutes – dogs that do not have daily walks tend to display behavioral problems.  The average life span of this breed is 15 years and they are generally a healthy dog.  If you are planning to add a Lhasa Apso to your home please consider adopting one from a local shelter or a rescue group that specializes in this breed.  Also, consider adopting an older dog, they are usually housetrained and are not readily adopted - they need love and a family too.