Lhasa Apso, Pictures, Characteristics & Facts

Lhasa Apso is pronounced as (LAH-Suh-AHP-so). These breeds are lavishly coated thousand years old breeds. Smart, confident, and Friendly nature makes them well adaptable in any place. These sweet pups are great pets for single people, seniors, and family as well. These breeds are well socialized with people and other animal pets as well. They are a sharp-minded breed with loud alarming barks. They are small in size, less than a foot at the shoulder. They are comedians to families but aloof to strangers. Their feathery tail curls get curled by the back distinctly. Their long coats drape each side of the body.

If you want an excellent watchdog with great energy and intelligence to protect your house from strangers, Lhasa Apsos is the best breed to choose.

History of Lhasa Apso

Lhasa Apso is among the 14 ancient breeds. These are the oldest breed in History, originating in Tibet. They walked through the Himalayas with the Buddhist Monks and Dalai Lama and were called a great companion and a companion. They were bred as sentinels for the Buddhist monastery. These small breeds are fearless. These breeds result from the interbreeding between Shih Tzu and Tibetan terrier. With a full coat and hair in the body, these breeds have Leonine color. Due to this Leonine color, it was referred to as the Lion Dogs.

According to ALAC, Some Buddhist monks believed this Breed has the soul of lamas (priest).ALAC was founded in 1959. Lhasa Apso didn’t keep these breeds as his pet but also gifted them to honored guests. He gifted these breeds to a couple, and then they were seen in West country in the early 19^th century. Due to their alert nature and loud bark, these breeds served as excellent guard dogs to the monks at that time.

The Lhasa Apso was seen in America in 1933 when Dalai Lama gifted these breeds to a naturalist C. Suydam Cutting. This gifted dog became the stock for the kennel in Cutting’s Farm. American Kennel Club officially registered this Lhasa Apso breed in 1935.

Information about Lhasa Apso Breed

Highlights about Lhasa Apso

• Lhasa Apso is popular for its straight, long, and dense coat. They have lions like looks and spirit.
• These breeds are very friendly to everyone except strangers.
• They have an alarming loud bark, making them a perfect watchdog for the House. They can suspect the unexpected events around with their keen ears.
• They are very adjustable in Apartments and small houses, but their barks can annoy the neighbors.
• Lhasa Apso likes the interaction with owners and family. For a few periods, they can tolerate being left alone.
• These breeds need 20 min exercise regularly and some playtime in the house or yard. This helps to stimulate their energy at puppy age.
• They can overcome any challenge with their charming and patient personality.
• They will always have your back no matter what, as they were bred for protection.
• They need little time in new places to adjust and so prefer to socialize with much human them at an early age.
• Lhasa Apso is very suspicious of anyone until they get friendly with someone.

Appearance of Lhasa Apso

Lhasa Apso is one of the ancient breeds that are fairly small with a height of 10-11 inches and weighs 13-18 pounds (6 -8kg). Female Apso is smaller than Male Apso. These breeds look exotic and elegant.

Some of the features are given below-

Head: Their Head is round in shape covered with hair.

Ears:  Their Ears are hanging down with fold of Graceful Long Hairs. A linen shade with black on the tip is generally found.

Coat: They have lavish coats in various colors like black, white, tan, creamed, and Red. Very rarely can they have blue, silver, and grayer-colored coats.

Hair: Their hair grows long and so needs to be braid or tied pony. People also give them puppy haircuts sometimes, which look gorgeous. They also posses long beards.

Nose: They have a button-shaped nose that is black or brown in color with long snouts.

Tail: Their tails are curled up over the back.

Lhasa Apso Characteristics

Each dog has different characteristics. The Characteristics of the Lhasa Apso are given below-

• Lhasa Apso is one of the oldest breeds and is a smart, confident, and loyal breed.
• These breeds are suitable for the family and become a great companion to the single person living alone.
• They can live well in apartments and small houses.
• Lhasa Apso is a headstrong and stubborn breed which might make it difficult to train them, but they can learn anything when given proper instruction.
• They are prone to a skin condition called Skin adenitis. In this, their sebaceous glands get attacked by their immune system. This causes brittle coats, dandruff, and dull coat. This also causes smelly skin lesions.
• As their coat is long and prone to skin condition, they need a good amount of effort to maintain.
• Lhasa Apso loves to please its owner and wants to be pleased in return.
• They are highly intelligent and Protective, and Darker tipped whiskers and bore almost give them a lion-like appearance.
• They become stubborn and destructive when they get pissed off, bullied, or badgered.
• These breeds want creative and motivated people who can enjoy their Company and play around with them.
• As we know, they were bred as companions and watchdogs in early times. This makes them very protective toward the people they know and trust, but they get aloof toward the strangers.
• The loud alarm bark can be a nuisance when not guided appropriately.
• This breed needs a fair amount of socialization and human company. They are not good with other dogs if not get socialized from puppyhood.

• Lhasa Apso is not extremely active, so they are suitable to live indoors. They don’t need vigorous exercise.
• Training is essential for these breeds to conduct themselves and prevent them from thinking they are superior and can rule everyone. Their owners must be strong and leaders to guide them properly.

• Lhasa likes to be around his family to sit on his lap and play around. However, due to their independent nature, they are fine when left alone for a short time. This breed doesn’t suffer from separation anxiety.
• Their temperament depends on  Heredity, training, and socialization. Puppies are curious and playful and can be trained easily at an early age.
• Lhasa Apso is an athletic dog that has well-developed thighs and quarters.

Size of Lhasa Apso

Lhasa Apso is a small dog where Males measure around 10-11 inches while females measure 9-10 inches. Females are generally smaller than the male breed

Life Span of Lhasa Apso

The life Span of Lhasa Apso may depend on their genetic and hereditary health issues. A Healthy Lhasa does live for 12-15years.

They are susceptible to health conditions like progressive retinal atrophy (PRA), Renal cortical hypoplasia, Patellar luxation, and entropion.

Regular checkups from the Vet can prevent the growth of any disease, and Proper Nutrition, Grooming, and Gentle Care can help your dog increase their Lifespan.

Health tips for Lhasa Apso

Good health always depends on the lifestyle of Dog. The way of eating and living majorly affect their Health. So, for a healthy Lhasa Apso, you need to feed him a proper diet and give him all the care he needs.

Many Breeders doesn’t speak about the Health issues of dog. So, always seek reputable breeders who can give you a Healthy breed. Patmypet is one of the best places to get healthy and disease-free Dogs.

Lhasa is a healthy, robust dog, but they have genetic and hereditary diseases that can be lifelong.

Some of Lhasa’s Common Health issues and tips to prevent them are given below-

• Kidney Dysfunction:  These are the most serious health problem found in these breeds. There is no reliable test to detect its carriers. These need to be sought out earlier to prevent its growth. It can be present in mild to a severe forms in the Kidney. The severe form can damage the kidney leading to Death.
• Sebaceous Adenitis: Lhasa Apso is very prone to this disease. It is a condition of the skin where the immune system affects the sebaceous gland of the Dog. It is very smelly when it gets skin lesions from it. It causes dull and dandruff hair. These can be treated with medicated shampoos, mineral oils, and some antibiotics.
• Renal cortical Hyperplasia: This is also hereditary kidney disease. The kidney is improperly developed and doesn’t filter toxins from the blood. There is no cure. So keeping them hydrated and managing their weight can prevent them from developing such issues.
• Cherry Eye:  These are common in these breeds. It causes a red mass at the inner corner of the dog’s eye.

Care of Lhasa Apso

Care shows the amount of love you have toward your Pets. Every pet needs care. It is vital for their health and growth. Proper care will help your Lhasa Apso to live longer and happier.

You can follow some of the important care tips given below-

• Make a routine for your dog to give proper care. It includes grooming, feeding, playing, etc.
• Give your dog nutrient-rich food. This helps them to grow well as they are very energetic and active.
• Grooming your Dog like bathing, trimming nails, cleaning ears will help them stay away from disease and rashes.
• Lhasa is a smart and intelligent breed. They can get bored and aggressive if they don’t get love and attention. Play with them and show how much you love them.
•  They are well suited to live in apartments or condos and need moderate exercise and short walks.
• Give some time to your pet. He loves to sit around the lap, play with toys, and wander around the house.
• Training Lhasa is not easy, so training at an early age is preferred. They grow faster in size, fully grown at one year of age. They can act puppyish even when they are grown to adult so, proper training and discipline are necessary. The owner needs to be patient and positive while training them.

Nutrition/Food of Lhasa Apso

The growth and development of your pet directly depend on Nutrition and food. An ideal nutritional food helps the pet grow well and even for longer.

• Lhasa is a Picky eater and needs proper Nutrition and food to remain vibrant. It is recommended to give them high quality of food.
• 3/4 to 1 cup of nutrient-rich dry food a day is recommended for this breed.
• Divide their meals into two as overeating can lead to various health issues and digestive problems in this breed.
• Lhasa Apso is prone to skin issues. They are recommended to provide Vitamin A, E, and Omega fatty acids.
• Provide them 100% natural food blended with vitamins.
• Rather than leaving food all day out, It is advised to make a schedule for their mealtime to prevent diseases due to being overweight.
• Nutritionists recommend above 14 % fat in food, protein sources to their meals.
• Dry food or slightly moistened food with little flavor enhancement like cooked meat and grain-free canned food can be fed.

Grooming tips for Lhasa Apso

All Dog needs grooming. Brushing them helps to ventilate their coats. Grooming helps keep your dog hygiene and ensures good health keeping away from several skin infections and diseases.

Lhasa has long hair, and grooming can be time-consuming, but grooming is important for them. It helps to remove debris and prevent skin disease.

Some of the grooming tips for Lhasa Apso are given below-

• The Glamorous Lhasa have long hair can need hours of grooming. His long hair needs regular care.
• Please give them a weekly bath. Thorough cleansing is needed as shampoo residual can irritate skin and infections too. Use Pet formulated shampoo and dry them with a towel after bath.
• Brush their coat as it gets dry, and you can also make ponies for them. Otherwise, it will get matt and tangled.
• Clean their ears regularly as the ear is prone to infections and dirt. Use cotton to clean their ear and don’t dig beneath.
• Oral hygiene is one of the points that people forget. Use pet formulated toothpaste to brush their teeth. Brushing their teeth daily helps to prevent periodontal diseases.
• You have to be very particular when it comes to trimming nails. They are very touchy about their feet. If you find your dog clicking on the floor, it’s a sign that their nails have grown long. Remember to Trim nails frequently.
• Make grooming fun and exciting for your Pet. You can provide them with treats and rewards. A positive experience of grooming makes dogs habitual to be groomed.
• Dont forget to check inside their mouth and ears. Check for any rashes or inflammation in their skin. Dogs are good at hiding health issues. So, it becomes your responsibility to find out.
• Frequent visits to the vet will help to spot potential health issues earlier. Timely treatment can prevent from developing long time diseases.
• These are high maintenance breeds, and so people also hire professional groomers for their pet Grooming.

Read More: Pet Grooming | Pet Grooming at Home in Delhi | Pet Grooming at Home in Mumbai | Pet Grooming at Home in Noida | Pet Grooming at Home in Ghaziabad

Exercise for Lhasa Apso

Lhasa is a healthy breed and doesn’t need much exercise. They can free play with toys as an exercise. A less energized exercise is enough for these breeds when they are growing. So, giving them a short exercise is preferred to keep them healthy.

Below are some exercises tips for Lhasa Apso

• As they don’t need much vigorous exercise. They can do short activities like running and walking to maintain their physical health.
• Socializing these dogs with other pets can be one of the activities to burn some energy.
• As they grow old, they become less active. Their energy lowers down. So, it is important then to retain some energy by doing exercise. This keeps their joints and muscles active and helps to manage their weight.
• Overeating causes several health problems in this breed. So, exercise can help them to manage their weight by burning some of their energy.
• The age develops joint diseases like arthritis. Some walks and runs surely help them to prevent such diseases.
• Daily Walk: Minimum of 15-20 mins of the daily walk is sufficient for Lhasa’s health.
• Toys: Lhasa is a moderate chewer and can be destructive with toys. You can provide them with flavor plush toys.
• Fetch: It is the most likable game for the Dogs. It helps them to bond with you. It would be best to remember that don’t make them fetch for a long time. Their long hair can get sweaty and irritate their skin.

Price of Lhasa Apso in India