Lhasa Apsos - Pictures

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Lhasa Apsos - History

Lhasa Apsos are one of the three AKC recognized breeds that were bred in Tibet. The Lhasa Apso is the most popular of them. These dogs appeared in Tibet a long time ago. Monks that made up a great part of Tibet population carefully kept the breeding programs a secret. They believed that reincarnated souls of people lived in Lhasa Apsos.

Like all Tibetan breeds, the Lhasa Apso is characterized by a heavy coat and a tail that is carried over the back. The first part of the breed's name is derived from Lhasa - the capital of Tibet. The second part of the name originates from a Tibetan word "abso," which translates as "longhaired" or "goatlike."

Lhasa Apsos - In Great Britain

The first Lhasa Apsos appeared in Great Britain in the 1920s. Breeders took to this outlandish breed at once. The UKC started to register the dogs under the name of Lhasa Terriers. Many subsequent generations of breeders continued to refer to the breed as the Lhasa Terrier even though the dog had never been used for hunting.

During World War I, the population of Lhasa Apsos in Great Britain was destroyed. After the war, a few dogs were brought to Great Britain and registered as Lhasa Apsos. In reality, however, those dogs were Shih-Tzus.

Lhasa Apsos - In the United States

Meanwhile, a few true Lhasa Apsos were imported to the United States as a present from Dalai Lama. The kennel that imported Lhasa Apsos directly from Tibet produced a lot of dogs, many of which became champions. Interested in the breed, other breeders imported Lhasa Apsos from Great Britain. Most of the dogs were the ancestors of Shih-Tzus mistakenly registered as Lhasa Apsos.

The AKC recognized the breed in 1935. The dogs continued to be called Lhasa Terriers till 1944. Since 1944, the breed is being referred to with his present name. However, Lhasa Apsos did not cease to be members of the Terrier group till 1959, when they shifted to the Non-sporting Group of dogs.

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