If you are looking for a specific kind of dog and Lhasa Apso is one of the options you have, there is certainly a lot of information you would like to know before you get one.
Most people fall in love watching beautiful Lhasa Apso, but most have no idea how much effort and time it takes to have this adorable, yet insanely intelligent dog breed. To make it easier for you, I have done long detailed research. I decided to write down the main reasons you should get a Lhasa Apso dog breed and I truly hope it will help you out understanding this beautiful, yet very intelligent dog breed.
25 Reasons You Should Get a Lhasa Apso
- Lhasa Apso Is A Very Intelligent Dog Breed
- Lhasa Apso Is A Children-friendly Dog
- Lhasa Apso Is A Great Watchdog
- Lhasa Apso Is A Playful Dog
- Lhasa Apso Does Not Require A Lot of Space
- Lhasa Apso Is A Loyal Dog
- Lhasa Apso Has A Stunningly Beautiful Coat
- Lhasa Apso Loves to Be Clean
- Lhasa Apso Is A Healthy Dog Breed
- Lhasa Apso Likes Food Rewards
- Lhasa Apso Has A Bossy Personality
- Lhasa Apso Loves All Kinds of Activities
- Lhasa Apso Loves Attention
- Lhasa Apso Is A Fearless Dog Breed
- Lhasa Apso Can Live Up To 20 Years
- Lhasa Apso Is Not an Aggressive Dog Breed
- Lhasa Apso Can Be Trained
- Lhasa Apso Does Not Shed
- Lhasa Apso Does Not Like to Be Alone
- Lhasa Apso Does Not Have A Lot of Behavior Problems
- Lhasa Apso Is One of The Oldest Breeds
- Lhasa Apso Has A Long-Lasting Puppy Behavior
- Lhasa Apso Is Suspicious of Strangers
- Lhasa Apso Gets Along with Other Dog Breeds
- Grooming of Lhasa Apso Can Be Extremely Fun
At first, you might have noticed that Lhasa Apso is a not a dog for everyone, this is a dog that requires a lot of patience, effort, and a lot of love. As you can see, Lhasa Apso requires a true owner, someone who is ready and willing to do everything needed to make their dog healthy and happy. I will explain each of the reasons listed and make sure you can understand Lhasa Apso as a dog breed.
Lhasa Apso Is A Very Intelligent Dog Breed
Lhasa Apso dog breed originates from Tibet, they served as guards at the monastery grounds and they are well known for being very respected dogs. Lhasa Apso is easily trained and will happily join activities that we normally associate with larger dog breeds.
As intelligent as they are, they will often prove to be incredibly willful and sometimes, they might even refuse to train. Lhasa Apso is one of the dog breeds that require a strong and very kind leader. A good Lhasa Apso owner needs to know how to act towards their Lhasa Apso, Lhasa Apso might be small and cute, but they are very wise and will easily manipulate the owners who do not have much experience training this type of a breed.
If you are not very experienced around dogs, you might end up having your Lhasa Apso training you, instead of
Lhasa Apso Is A Children-friendly Dog
Unlike most small dog breeds, Lhasa Apso is not as fragile, they can play with children for hours and there should be no worry. They will always be ready for a new round of fetch and will surely become best friends with your child in a matter of days. This means you will need to teach your Lhasa Apso how to behave in order to prevent any injuries meanwhile playing.
Lhasa Apso will often trust to children before trusting to the grown-ups. Various Lhasa Apso owners often speak of their dog being extremely excited when seeing a child, they will run towards and be ready to get all of the attention right away. They are friendly and they know children are a lot less harmful than the grown-ups. It is important to teach your children how to behave towards Lhasa Apso, they are friendly, but they will get aggressive if disrespected or in pain.
Lhasa Apso Is A Great Watchdog
Known for guarding the monastery grounds back in the days, Lhasa Apso is also known for being an amazing watchdog. Lhasa Apso will always be suspicious of strange and unusual sounds, he/she will bark, nip and even snap at strangers if not trained properly.
Lhasa Apso will always alarm you if anyone gets nearby, which is what makes them a great watchdog! Many Lhasa Apso owners claim their dogs tend to be fearless in such situations, they are ready and willing to protect their home no matter the cost. It is important you make sure your Lhasa Apso feels safe at home, you do not want him/her getting scared and edgy about every single sound from the outside.
Lhasa Apso Is A Playful Dog
If you are an active person, Lhasa Apso will surely have a lot of fun with you. They love to take walks, they love fetching, digging holes and visiting the beach. Lhasa Apso is known to be very possessive of their toys, so make sure you always carry a couple with you!
Lhasa Apso loves spending time with their owners and they will do their best to keep up with your ideas, make sure you always have some water and a treat ready for your dog! As playful as they are, they can sometimes bite accidentally or bark out of excitement, do not get mad, stay peaceful and show him/her there is no reason for bites or barking at all.
Lhasa Apso Does Not Require A Lot of Space
Being limited with space is usually the first problem people face when adopting a dog. Limited space is not an issue for Lhasa Apso, they are well suited for condo or apartment living, of course, they will enjoy if you have a yard, but it is not one of their priorities. Your Lhasa Apso only needs their bed crate, their own personal bowl for food and water, toys and your love.
Lhasa Apso Is A Loyal Dog
Lhasa Apso is an incredibly loyal dog breed, they will consider you their best friend no matter what and will do anything to bring a smile on your face. The more time and effort you put into training your Lhasa Apso, the more he/she will make sure you are their proud owner.
Just like most dogs, Lhasa Apso will try and follow you everywhere, they will want to be around you at all times and sometimes even when they do not have to be. It is important you teach your Lhasa Apso when is the time to follow you around though, you do not want to have your work interrupted just because your Lhasa Apso needs more attention by each day!
Lhasa Apso Has A Stunningly Beautiful Coat
Lhasa Apso dog breed comes in all kinds of colors, slate, honey, white, parti-color, black. Their coat is known to be very long and silky, smooth to touch. The undercoat of Lhasa Apso is strong and very smooth. This gorgeous coat of Lhasa Apso requires a lot of care.
A good Lhasa Apso owner needs to know a lot about grooming to achieve the healthiest coat for their Lhasa Apso. Many owners decide to cut their coat short, this is all to cut down on grooming chores and make their life easier. Do not listen to anyone who claims you need to cut the hair of your Lhasa Apso completely, this is completely up to you.
The coat of Lhasa Apso is known to cause fewer allergies in people. Lhasa Apso hair is really heavy which makes it difficult for allergens to become airborne and escape. Keep in mind though, this does not mean they are non-allergenic, this means they just cause less allergic reactions than other dog breeds out there.
Lhasa Apso Loves to Be Clean
To keep their stunning beauty, Lhasa Apso requires a bath every two to four weeks, they require teeth brushing at least two up to three times a week and daily coat brushing is a must.
The reason Lhasa Apso requires so much cleaning and care is rather simple, all this helps with distribution of natural oils, these oils will leave your Lhasa Apso’s coat healthy and shiny at all times. When it comes to their teeth, they need their teeth brushed in order to remove the bacteria and tartar that builds inside their mouth.
Some owners brush their Lhasa Apso’s teeth every day, this is done to remove and prevent the bad breath and possible gum disease. Other owners prefer to buy dental chews and give them to their Lhasa Apso, these chews are a great and delicious treat for every dog, they will clean your dog’s teeth and scrape off all the tartar and plaque off their teeth.
See also: 10 WAYS TO KEEP LHASA APSO TEETH CLEAN
Lhasa Apso is a Healthy Dog Breed
Knowing Lhasa Apso is one of the oldest dog breeds in our history, it is obvious there are not as many health problems around them as there is with many other smaller dog breeds. Lhasa Apso is, however, prone to dental diseases, they are also prone to hereditary disease, but this is all well avoided by keeping your Lhasa Apso well hydrated, fed and clean.
Lhasa Apso can also develop a cherry eye, this is a skin condition better known as sebaceous adenitis. This skin condition is usually treated with antibiotics, treatments, shampoos, ointments and mineral oils. Overall, Lhasa Apso is a rather healthy dog breed, they do well in winter, summer, rain, they can handle it all, but only if you make sure to follow their grooming and feeding requirements.
Lhasa Apso Likes Food Rewards
Most dogs are known to enjoy the praise and a hug, but Lhasa Apso is a little bit different. Lhasa Apso will appreciate food rewards more than anything and this is one of the methods owners use to train them. Of course, your Lhasa Apso will love your hugs, kind words and a big smile on your face, but they will love to get a treat even more.
Lhasa Apso is also a very picky eater, you might find it difficult finding their favorite food right away, but once you do, they will do everything to get a bite! Make sure you do not overfeed your Lhasa Apso, then food rewards will no longer have a strong impact on the training. A grown-up Lhasa Apso should be fed twice a day, puppies, however, they require up to four meals a day in order to develop into a beautiful dog.
Lhasa Apso Has A Bossy Personality
Lhasa Apso owners often speak of how bossy and important their dogs are. Lhasa Apso is known to take over the role of a leader and they will often go ahead and be the important ones in a group of dogs.
They want all of your attention and will use it to get something they want out of you. This is most probably going to be their favorite treat, or they will just refuse to train with you until you give them a treat.
Lhasa Apso will also be the king of their territory, make sure you do not bring unknown dogs, cats or animals in their territory. If this happens, your Lhasa Apso might react very defensive and might get aggressive. They are an old watchdog, keep that in mind!
Lhasa Apso Loves All Kinds of Activities
While Lhasa Apso does not require a lot of exercises and long walks, they can and will keep up with it if you want them to. No matter what you do, your Lhasa Apso will be able to be around.
If you are an active person and you want to take your Lhasa Apso to the beach, you can, there should be no issues as long as there is enough food and water to keep him/her hydrated and well fed. You can also take your Lhasa Apso on a trip with you, they seem to like driving in the car, especially if there is their entire family around them! With a lot of activities, you do, your Lhasa Apso will become a lot more active as well, make sure you balance their meals properly if this is the case.
If your Lhasa Apso is an active dog, he/she will require more food, more proteins
Lhasa Apso Loves Attention
Lhasa Apso might be an independent and very intelligent dog breed, but they crave for all of the attention they can possibly get.
Lhasa Apso is known for making funny faces, barking and doing hilarious things just to get your attention, they want to see you laugh at them, they want you to pet them and let them know how awesome they truly are. Of course, if you got a treat, they will love your attention even more. Lhasa Apso is often a dog breed that gets trained to be even cuter than they are, they know how to get under people’s skin, and this is why we all love them so much!
Lhasa Apso Is A Fearless Dog Breed
Just like many Lhasa Apso owners claim, they really are a fearless dog breed. Lhasa Apso is not even aware of their size, they will often act as a large dog which can get them in trouble. You need to make sure to keep an eye on your Lhasa Apso in such situations. Many Lhasa Apso’s have no problems barking and being mean to the larger dogs, and this is bad. Larger dogs can cause serious injuries to your Lhasa Apso; therefore, it is important to prevent any kind of conflict between them.
Lhasa Apso Can Live Up To 20 Years
While they are prone to some dental diseases, cherry eye and issues with kidneys, a healthy Lhasa Apso can live up to twenty long years. Lhasa Apso requires a lot of effort, patience, and care, and if you do it properly, your Lhasa Apso will live for a long time as well. This means you should prepare yourself to have a Lhasa Apso for a long time and that might mean 20 long years of grooming and a lot of care.
People who are not willing to do this, or can’t do this, should never even consider getting Lhasa Apso. Your Lhasa Apso will always want to be with you, throughout all of the twenty years, you should think and be the same way with him/her.
See also: LHASA APSO LIFESPAN
Lhasa Apso Is Easily Adopted
Today there are many dog shelters and rescue centers that will happily help you out in your search for a Lhasa Apso dog for yourself and your family. Before you start going to all of the breeders out there, make sure you check out some of the dog shelters, there are many Lhasa Apso’s out there who are healthy, well behaved and still have no one to call their own.
Getting a Lhasa Apso puppy from a breeder might be tricky considering no one will guarantee you that the puppy is completely healthy and to be true, puppies can be a lot more demanding. It is advised you to do not get a Lhasa Apso puppy before you know exactly what to do, many breeders will just try to get the money out of your pocket, and they will probably not bother to give you all the answers you need. Getting a Lhasa Apso from a shelter means you will have a dog who is already taught some things, you will have a dog who knows what grooming means and you will not have to do it all from the scratch.
See also: HOW TO ADOPT A LHASA APSO
Lhasa Apso Is Not an Aggressive Dog Breed
Lhasa Apso is known to be a stubborn, strong-minded dog breed, they are not very fond of rules and they can snap and bite when they feel pressured or bullied. While they are not an aggressive breed by default, wrong environment, and bad people can turn them to be very aggressive. Make sure you are always calm and peaceful when you train your Lhasa Apso.
The atmosphere around your Lhasa Apso should always be friendly and not intense. Just like most dogs, they will get aggressive if they feel disrespected, hated or in fear. Lhasa Apso, just like many other dogs react with their instincts, they usually get aggressive when they are feeling endangered.
See also: ARE LHASA APSO’S AGGRESSIVE?
Lhasa Apso Can Be Trained
Most people claim small dogs are hard to train, well Lhasa Apso can prove them wrong! With the right owner, Lhasa Apso can be trained in all kinds of things. People who do not have any experience training the dogs should probably not consider training Lhasa Apso. People who did train dogs before will not find it hard to train Lhasa Apso.
As bossy and stubborn as they are, Lhasa Apso will easily adapt to the training around the right person. For those living in a house, there are many methods of training your Lhasa Apso, one of the most popular
See also: ARE LHASA APSO’S EASY TO TRAIN
Lhasa Apso Does Not Shed
It might be surprising to say, but Lhasa Apso is not a breed who sheds a lot. They are low shedding dogs. Lhasa Apso has long hair, as it grows, the hair becomes heavier – this length makes it hard for them to shed hair in large quantities.
They shed very slowly, and this is just so that they can keep themselves clean and avoid tangling of the lower hair. This is one of the reasons why Lhasa Apso requires so much grooming, their hair grows so quickly that it is pretty much hard for them to shed at all, this is why your help is required.
See also: DO LHASA APSO’S SHED HAIR?
Lhasa Apso Does Not Like to Be Alone
Just like all of us, Lhasa Apso does not enjoy being alone and leaving them alone for a long time might result in behavior problems. If you need to travel somewhere for a long time, make sure your Lhasa Apso stays with someone they trust to and someone they can relax with. Your Lhasa Apso will miss you, he/she will bark endlessly, and this might result in bad behavior development.
If you are a person who travels a lot and you are unable to take your dog with you, you should not consider getting Lhasa Apso. Busy Lhasa Apso owners mention leaving their television on, today there are certain channels designed just to entertain your dog!
Lhasa Apso Does Not Have A Lot of Behavior Problems
Lhasa Apso is not prone to any behavior problems, they are not a common concern for most Lhasa Apso owners and many claims they have never experienced any behavior problems at all. Lhasa Apso might be breed known for frequent barking, but this is also something you can train them not to do. Lhasa Apso might develop behavior problems, but this will happen only if they lack social interaction or they live in an awful environment.
Just like people, dogs too require a kind word and a bit of attention, especially Lhasa Apso’s.
Lhasa Apso Has A Long-Lasting Puppy Behavior
Certain owners of Lhasa Apso often point out at the fact that Lhasa Apso remains to have a puppy behavior even after they get older. They will often give you that same look as they did when they were puppies, they are always curious and playful.
Some owners claim their Lhasa Apso tends to look at them as their mother or a father, they look for protection and will protect no matter what. Lhasa Apso will always react with their instincts, they will do it as puppies, but also when older, they will bark when scared, they will bite your shoes and make a mess, unless you teach them not to.
Lhasa Apso Is Suspicious of Strangers
Lhasa Apso will always be suspicious of strangers, they will be cautious and sometimes they might even snap at the strangers. It is important you teach your Lhasa Apso how to behave in front of the strangers, make sure you let the strangers know if your Lhasa Apso is still not ready to be around them. It is fine at the start, but training should teach them well enough.
A watchdog such as Lhasa Apso should and is supposed to be suspicious of strangers, it is in their genes and they were guards back in the days after all.
Lhasa Apso Gets Along with Other Dog Breeds
Certain people might find it hard to believe, but Lhasa Apso can actually get along with many other dog breeds, even if they are a breed with a bossy attitude. If your Lhasa Apso gets used to the daily walks and dog park visits, he/she will surely have an easier time getting along with other dogs on the street. Make sure you never panic and yell around when your Lhasa Apso is getting to meet a new dog, this might make him panic as well and it might turn really bad. Remember, your behavior will often influence the behavior of your dog.
See also: LHASA APSO VS. MALTESE
Grooming of Lhasa Apso Can Be Extremely Fun
If you are well informed about grooming, grooming of Lhasa Apso can be a real blast. If your Lhasa Apso gets used to the grooming chores, it will be something you both will be looking forward to. Your Lhasa Apso will remember all the times you trimmed his nails, he will remember all the patience you had with him when he refused to cooperate.
Just like humans, the bond between you and your Lhasa Apso will grow the more care you give him/her. Grooming of Lhasa Apso might seem a little bit tricky at first, but after a while, it will become a daily routine.
See also: 5 SIMPLE WAYS TO GROOM YOUR LHASA APSO
Related Questions
Can Lhasa Apso join activities such as hiking, cross-country skiing?
Yes! Lhasa Apso can and will happily join activities such as hiking or cross-country skiing. Lhasa Apso might be a rather small dog breed, but with enough training and preparation, your Lhasa Apso will be able to do it all!
Is Lhasa Apso an expensive dog breed?
Depends, Lhasa Apso prices go from $500 up to $900 USD. The price depends on the breeder and this is where you should be careful, cheaper does not always mean healthy. Do not get Lhasa Apso just because it is expensive and beautiful, get it because you are certain you want to take care of it.
See Also: HOW MUCH DOES A LHASA APSO COST PER YEAR?
Is Lhasa Apso able to travel on airplanes?
Of course! Lhasa Apso is listed as a smaller dog breed, it is easy taking them along with you on a trip. Before you pack your bags, make sure you check airline policies, because these are all different depending on where you are at.
See Also: CAN LHASA APSO’S TRAVEL ON AIRPLANES?