Tibetan Spaniel – the little lion dog from Tibet

Behind the breed designation Tibet Spaniel is not a spaniel at all, not even a hunting dog. In its Tibetan homeland, the “Jemtse Apso” is considered a popular house and family dog. In addition to alert – and loud – reporting, the little lion has one task above all: He wants to be there for his humans. To this day, many of these interesting fuzzy dogs live in Tibetan monasteries. Does the big character in the small package also suit you?

Companion dog with guard function – for many centuries

The history of the Jemtse Apso, which means “shorn Apso”, goes back so far that its origins are now hidden. This much is certain: it is one of the oldest Asian dog breeds. For many centuries, animals of this very original breed have been found as companions in homes and monasteries. The love of people for their smallest Apso is based on the numerous advantages of living together with the small dogs: They loudly announce every visitor, they keep their humans warm in the long, cold winters and they are among the best comforters and listeners among all dog breeds. The little lion dogs have a special talent for listening to their humans and pulling faces as if they could understand every word. And who knows, maybe a Tibetan Spaniel actually understands more than we realize!

Two other exciting, but completely different dog breeds from Tibet are the Tibetan Terrier and the Do-Khyi, the Tibetan Mastiff.

The character of the Tibetan Spaniel

The little Tibetan has a very people-friendly, affectionate character. He loves to always be there and fits perfectly into the everyday life of his human partner. In fact, the Tibetan Spaniel sees its humans as partners and wants to be treated with respect. You could certainly call it majestic and a little arrogant. With pressure and toughness you won’t achieve anything with these strong-charactered, courageous and intelligent dogs. At the same time, however, they are so clever that they willingly use lack of leadership for their own purposes. The right balance of give and take is in the blood of the lovable lion. If you pay attention to this, you are sure of a wonderful, well-manageable companion.

During a walk – or on a holey garden fence – the curious, independent and adventurous side of the Tibetan Spaniel often becomes apparent. Although it has no hunting instinct, it still finds many things it could do off the beaten track. Your recall must therefore be really good before you let the little Tibetan go hiking without a leash. This is especially important if your little companion is allowed to go hiking with you: Tibetan Spaniels love excursions of all kinds and are surprisingly sure-footed, robust and enduring. No wonder, as their ancestors had to conquer the mountain trails with their humans in the Tibetan heights.

Probably the most important character trait in terms of attitude and education is the barking of the little Apsos. It is in their blood to report any suspicious noise. If you want to counteract this, you should start as early as possible.

Education and Husbandry

When training the Tibetan Spaniel, fairness and consistency must be the focus. Of course, this applies to every dog breed – but the little Apso attaches great importance to appreciative interaction at eye level. His education is therefore less about receiving commands than about communicating with a partner. If these conditions are right, the loyal and docile Tibetan is easy to train. First-time dog owners also usually get along well with this breed if they seek professional help in dog schools, especially at the beginning.

Thanks to their adaptability, the likeable dwarfs do not make any special demands on their posture. Whether it’s a small city apartment, a house with a garden or a farm – they will find a warm place in every hut. Nevertheless, they are not just lap dogs: they like to go for walks, hikes and even climbing. When cycling, they occasionally need a break in the bicycle basket.

In addition to daily exercise, a little mental exercise is good for the robust little guys. They carry out their greatest talent – watching – at any time without help. Hunting and retrieving are just as little for them as they are for pure nose work. But thanks to their intelligence, they learn dog tricks faster than some other dog breeds. Why not have your slippers brought to you in the evening? Or teach him to open the doors? Little Jemtse Apso can perform amazing feats if he enjoys working with his humans.

Caring for the Tibetan Spaniel

Despite the long hair, the Tibetan Spaniel is considered easy to care for. Regular brushing and sorting out twigs, burdock or the like from the coat are of course mandatory, but beyond that you don’t have much to do. Trimming or shearing is neither necessary nor advisable, it would destroy the silky, water-repellent hair structure.

Special features and health

The Tibetan Spaniel is a friendly, usually good-humoured, clever companion dog for people of all ages. It easily adapts its need for movement to its humans and finds its way around in almost any environment. Only one thing is important to it: to be alone as little as possible!

On the health side, the Tibetan has a robust constitution. There are some known hereditary diseases that must be tested for before breeding approval. These include a form of deafness that occurs more often in white dogs, problems with the eyes such as eyelid changes and retinal atrophy, hip dysplasia (HD), patellar luxation and kidney problems. Therefore, buy a puppy only from a recognized breed. The VDH (Association for the German Canine Society) acts as a contact for the breeder search.

A well-groomed and slender Tibetan Spaniel can live up to 15 years.

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