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.

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Although the Poodle originates from Central Europe and Asia it is commonly associated with France and are often called the French Poodle. Indeed the French do seem to own a lot of poodles, mainly miniature and toy varieties.

The nature of the standard and miniature poodles is more placid than that of the Toy Poodle which can have a tendency to yap and behave hysterically if not controlled.

Highly trainable and eager to please, the Poodle requires early socialization and obedience training. With their sensitive nature they do not respond to harsh or heavy-handed methods. The Poodle does best with fairness, firmness, respect, patience, and consistency. They excel at learning tricks, including agility, retrieving, and competitive obedience.

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Did you know that the AKC (American Kennel Club) recognizes 8 dog breed groups? These include the sporting, hound, working, terrier, toy, non-sporting, terrier and miscellaneous groups.

Dogs are assigned to a specific group based on the purpose for which the dog was originally bred or has been used for historically. For example, dogs in the herding group are well suited to herding animals such as cows or sheep.

Over the years, man has worked to select and hone a number of specific traits desirable in a particular breed of dog to make it do any number of jobs. Beginning with the wolf, animals that were less afraid of humans eventually became incorporated into the human society, becoming companions and eventually able bodies workers. From there, people continued to create dogs that were best suited to fit the needs of man.

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