Lhasa Apso Breed Information
DESCRIPTION
The Lhasa Apso is identifiable by its long coat that reaches all the way to the floor. The coat is heavy and double-coated, draping over the whole body and coming in the following colors: Gold, cream and honey (the most popular colors), however they also come in smoke, dark-grizzle, slate and a multi-color assortment of brown, white and black. The color of the Lhasa Apso can change as it grows and matures. Some have likened their appearance to a miniature version of the Old English sheepdog. The coat itself, has a hard. heavy texture and feel, without silkiness. The hair cascades over the body as well as the apple shaped head, finishing over its eyes. Lhasa Apsos have dark a dark beard and moustache, with a medium length muzzle, without squaring. The ears are feathered heavily and pendant in shape, whilst the eyes are deep set, dark brown in color and large (but not overly so). They have a longer body than they are tall, with strong loins and well developed thighs. Forequarters are straight and both forelegs and hind legs are covered with hair. They have cat-like feet with thick pads and a tail that is well feathered and carried in a screw like fashion over the back.
TEMPERAMENT
Their slightly ostentatious look, hides a hardy dog, full of character. The Lhasa Apso is an assertive and intelligent breed, with a friendly and lively disposition, displaying a lot of affection for its masters. They can be trained to a high obedience level, however unfortunately, due to their size, many owners neglect obedience training and do not reinforce their position as pack leaders, as a result this breed is susceptible to ´small dog syndrome.´ This can lead to a variety of unwanted and negative behaviors. Having said this, if this dog is made aware of its place in the ´family pack´ and owners display alpha dog traits, they should make wonderful little pets. When training a Lhasa Apso, motivational and positive reinforcement methods achieve the best results The Lhasa Apso is a vocal dog, with a keen sense of hearing and so can make a good watchdog.
