After seeing beautiful Lhasa Apso breed, there is a high possibility you might want to get one yourself! Before you rush to get your new house member, make sure you know how to select the right and best Lhasa Apso puppy for you and your family. After long, detailed research, I have decided to help you out and give you all the information you might need before you adopt a new fluffy member for your family and you.
How to select the right Lhasa Apso puppy for you? When choosing the Lhasa Apso puppy, make sure you evaluate the litter as a group, their behavior together can tell you a lot about their temperament. Lhasa Apso puppies are generally curious, friendly and very trusting. Some, however, they can be noisy, bossy and vigorous. Selecting the right Lhasa Apso puppy for you means knowing and understanding everything about this adorable, but very independent dog breed that is very children friendly and always ready to share a lot of love.
Proud owners of Lhasa Apso dog breed often speak of the fearless behavior and a real watchdog personality. Lhasa Apso dogs love to be loved, they need a lot of patience, and in return, they will give you loyalty, great company, and unconditional love. Lhasa Apso is not a breed that likes to be alone though, they love the company and will do their best to be close to you whenever they can. If you are genuinely interested in getting a Lhasa Apso puppy, there are many things you need to know and look after. I will explain it all as detailed as possible, but it is up to you how careful and wise you will be before you rush and get a Lhasa Apso puppy.
Certain Things You Need to Know Before You Select the Right Lhasa Apso Puppy for You!
Usually, most of the people will tell you to pick the puppy who is the first one to run right up to you when you arrive. This is wrong, and you should never let the puppy choose you, it should be the other way around, especially if you are selecting a Lhasa Apso breed. When picking the puppy who was the first one to run to you, most people choose the pushy, bold puppies, and most gentler puppies end up ignored because they wait politely in the background. This usually results in many families picking vigorous, energic puppies who are known to jump all over the place, grab hold of your pants leg and fiercely tug with all the possible adorable puppy growls and noises. While this is a rather funny thing to have, it might also end up driving you crazy within a day or two. Most energetic puppies are known to be a lot difficult to train, therefore, give a chance to those who seem less active, let’s say, polite. Of course, this all depends on you and your personality, but I will get to that soon as well.
Whenever you are in a situation to choose a puppy, there is most likely a litter of puppies staring at you. It is important you look at their behavior and figure out how well they actually are. In most cases, you should look at the litter as a group, this alone, can help you a lot when it comes to selecting the perfect Lhasa Apso puppy for you.
If there are five puppies and three of them seem to be extremely suspicious of you, they woof and refuse to come near, there is a possibility this litter might be coming from a breeder who is not well informed about the Lhasa Apso breed. In such situations, make sure to ask about these three puppies, get to know why they are so suspicious and ask about how they usually behave. Most puppies who tuck their tail or shrink away from you are most likely not a safe choice for picking. This is extremely important if you have children. If the puppy is timid, it might grow into a very shy adult who is known to be difficult to live with, these dogs can even snap out of fear and might be harder to train as well.
Hopefully, this would not be a case for you, if the litter you are looking at seems to be quite friendly, curious and very trusting, this is the litter you should give all of your attention. Normal Lhasa Apso puppies will mill around your feet, they will tug at your shoelaces, they will nibble on your fingers, and they might even crawl into your lap. Give this litter a good look:
- Which of these Lhasa Apso puppies is the bossy, noisy and a rather strong one?
- Which one of these Lhasa Apso puppies seems to be the quietest and the gentlest one?
- Which one of these Lhasa Apso puppies seems to be the most playful and wins nearly all of the tug wars?
- Which Lhasa Apso puppy seems to be the one who gets picked on, how does he/she react to it?
Taking all these things into consideration, you should be able to see how each of the puppies live as a litter group, which one of them suits you the best from this point of view. But, do not rush, there is still a lot more you need to do before you select the perfect Lhasa Apso for you.
Check Each Lhasa Apso Puppy Individually
At first, these things might not seem as important, but after evaluating each Lhasa Apso puppy individually, you will understand it all even better. Ask the breeder to let you see each of the puppies individually, this way you will also see how each of the puppies reacts to you when he or she is away from his/her littermates. This is an important thing because there will be no littermates around him at your house either.
- Most of the time puppies who are dominated by others will turn out to be very outgoing on their own.
- Sometimes the most energetic puppies will calm down when they are not egged on by other puppies around him.
- That one puppy who seemed so bold when his littermates were ‘’backing him up” will now become a lot less confident on his own.
- That shy puppy in the background might be a very friendly and interesting one when not around others.
Just like us humans, dogs have different personalities, in different situations, they will react differently, sometimes completely different from what we have expected. This is why seeing your potential new family member respond in these two different situations is extremely important.
While you have time to check each of the puppies individually, there are a couple of things you can do to see how their temperament is, hearing and even sociality:
Try dropping keys to test the puppy for the noise sensitivity.The sound sensitivity in Lhasa Apso puppies is a strong physical and emotional response to sudden or unexpectedly loud sounds within the environment, this is important with Lhasa Apso dog breed as they are known to be watchdogs. While testing this, you want your puppy to react and acknowledge that the sound actually occurred, of course, you do not want the puppy to be afraid and losing its mind over it.
Lhasa Apso puppies might react different to strangers, to test their social skills, leave them in a room alone, let a stranger enter the room and watch how the puppy reacts. Does he run and greet the person, or does he cower and cry? This is an important test because it might help you teach your puppy how to socialize with people.
You can also check the independent-mindednessby holding the puppy suspended under his/her armpits with their legs dangling, look them directly in their eyes. The puppies that submit to this are said to have a rather low score in willfulness, those who struggle may be the ones who will want to do things their own way.
After checking each of the puppies individually and doing these tests, you will be even closer to finding and selecting the right Lhasa Apso puppy for you. Before you are completely done and ready to pick the one for you, there are still a couple of other things you will want to consider, one of them is you.
Looking at Your Potential Puppy, The Things You Should Pay Attention To
When you have seen their behavior and individually tested out some of their skills, there are still a couple of things to look at, most of these things are related to the health of your potential Lhasa Apso puppy.
Checking both ends of your potential new family member is essential. There should be no discharge from the ears or nose of your puppy at all. Make sure you also check for a cleft palate in the roof of the mouth of your puppy. Looking at the other end, there should be no signs of fecal material or diarrhea. These things are significant as they could indicate various health problems in Lhasa Apso puppies.
A hernia is dangerous, you need to make sure there is no visible hernia near the puppy’s belly button. If you do not know what a hernia is, it often occurs when an organ pushes right through the muscle or tissue and holds it in place, this can be very dangerous for your potential puppy.
Knowing Lhasa Apso has a genuinely glamorous coat, it is important you check if the puppy’s skin appears to be healthy, are there any noticeable bumps or fleas on your puppy or if there is maybe an area of hair loss.
If your puppy looks healthy overall, only then take it into consideration, it would be a shame if you got a puppy and just a week after you realized he needs immediate medical attention.
Are You the Right Person for A Lhasa Apso Puppy?
You are the one choosing the perfect Lhasa Apso puppy for you, but have you thought about whether you are the right person for a Lhasa Apso puppy? This goes for pretty much any dog breed, but Lhasa Apso is one of the breeds that will require your full attention and a lot of effort to grow into a beautiful, loyal dog. Make sure you are ready to do your best to be the best owner as you can be.
Lhasa Apso puppies will require veterinary care, they will need multiple sets of vaccinations as puppies and also annual vaccinations as an adult. Every Lhasa Apso will need to have a physical exam, routine laboratory work, fecal screening, heartworm test, dental care and possible surgeries in the future. You need to be ready for anything that might happen and do your best to be there for your Lhasa Apso whenever he or she needs your help with healthcare.
You will always need to have basic supplies for your Lhasa Apso, this includes his personal water bowl, quality food, an appropriately sized collar, toys, a leash and grooming tools. His or her water bowl will always need to be filled with fresh, clean water too, keep that in mind.
Lhasa Apso is an active dog, and they also require daily walks and other forms of exercise, this is all done to let out excess energy and have some quality time with you as their owner. Leaving your Lhasa Apso all alone in the apartment for a long time might end up really bad, they might get separation anxiety and even develop psychological issues that will influence their future behavior. Socialization of Lhasa Apso is an incredibly important thing and part of their daily training, otherwise you might find it very hard to train this dog breed. If you are not a person who is ready to do all these things, you should not get a Lhasa Apso puppy.
If you are sure you are able to do all of the things mentioned above, you are a person who truly deserves a perfect Lhasa Apso puppy, and for that, I will give you even more information that will help you know your favorite breed even better!
You will probably pick a puppy that suits your personality, and you should never choose a puppy that doesn’t, why? Simply because you are not meant to change for a puppy, you are expected to be the one to teach him/her how to behave and what is allowed to them. Knowing Lhasa Apso is a rather bossy dog breed, it is important you do not end up heartbroken each time they look at you giving you sad puppy eyes. If you are weak to that, they will easily manipulate that other treat out of you, even when they did not deserve it.
What Are You Getting Yourself Into? Grooming and Healthcare of Lhasa Apso Dog Breed
Now, it is obvious Lhasa Apso is a dog breed that requires a lot of care and love, but do you know anything about grooming and healthcare of this lovely dog breed? Knowing how gorgeous and silky the coat of Lhasa Apso is, it is obvious you will need to be taking care of it. Normally, Lhasa Apso is known for its long, dense and straight coat that comes in a wide range of colors, black, white, parti-color, honey, and slate. To keep their lovely coat as gorgeous as it is typically, Lhasa Apso will require daily combing and brushing, as well as a bath every two to four weeks. Just like most dogs who feature long glamorous coats, Lhasa Apso will also appreciate if you picked foods with Omega fatty acids and Vitamins A and E. Those are very healthy for the dog’s coat, and they will help make it as silky as possible.
For those who are not really great with grooming, it is advised to hire a professional groomer who will know how to manage the coat of Lhasa Apso. If you have never done this, ask someone who had done it before, they might be willing to teach you. To do proper grooming on Lhasa Apso, you are required to have a pin brush, poodle brush, a metal anti-static comb with wide teeth, two kinds of scissors, a toenail clipper, a toothbrush, and a dog-specific toothpaste. The reason Lhasa Apso requires so much brushing is rather simple, brushing helps distribution of natural oils, and they leave Lhasa Apso’s coat shiny and very healthy looking.
Just like their hair, Lhasa Apso nails grow rather quickly, they are required to be trimmed once every two weeks or as soon as you hear the nails clap on the floor. Trimming nails can be a tricky thing to do. Therefore it is advised you ask the groomer to show you how it is done. Usually, this will be done when your Lhasa Apso lays on the side and is completely calm.
Lhasa Apso is also one of the dog breeds who require teeth brushing at least three times a week, this is important to remove the tartar which builds up, even the bacteria that lurk inside. Some Lhasa Apso owners brush their dog’s teeth every day, and this is to prevent bad breath and gum disease. As a breed which requires a lot of dental attention, you are advised to buy dental chews for your Lhasa Apso, these chews are one of the most delicious things for your dog, and they are designed to clean your dog’s teeth, helping scrap off the tartar and terrible plaque.
Lhasa Apso is a breed who enjoys food, always. They will be happy whenever you reward them with a treat and will surely want some more. Knowing how to feed your Lhasa Apso is important. Your Lhasa Apso puppy should be fed at least three, up to four times a day when he turns his first year of age, then you will need to lower his portions to two a day. A Lhasa Apso puppy should be fed with grain free food featuring probiotics to help with digestions. You want to feed your Lhasa Apso with grain free food, this is to avoid common allergens such as wheat and corn. Start by feeding your dog with common foods featuring proteins such as lamb, fish, and chicken. If you notice any signs of food allergies, make sure you switch to an alternative, today there are many dog foods featuring novel proteins.
Do You Want Male or A Female Lhasa Apso Puppy?
Yet again, just like us humans, dogs have specific characteristics that most female and male dogs have. Knowing these characteristics might also help you choose the right Lhasa Apso puppy for you and your family. You might plan to neuter or spay your Lhasa Apso, but this does not matter because even after the procedure is done, your dog will still have the same characteristics, just that they will not be as pronounced as they were before the procedure.
Before I tell you more about the characteristics of male and female Lhasa Apso dogs, please keep in mind that these characteristics will also develop depending on your training and environment your dog is in.
Characteristics of female Lhasa Apso dogs
Female Lhasa Apso dogs tend to be smaller than males, and they are often a little bit less aggressive. When protecting her children, female Lhasa Apso can get very aggressive as this is their way of reacting towards danger. Mother instincts. A female Lhasa Apso should be carefully monitored for first couple weeks.
Female Lhasa Apso comes typically into heat twice a year, this lasts for approximately three weeks, and during this time, you will be able to notice a discharge of fluid, this fluid is designed to attract other male dogs. When this happens, you should try and be very cautious where you go with your dog. Spaying a female Lhasa Apso will prevent this from happening.
Female Lhasa Apso dogs are not as excitable as males, they are a little bit easier to train. However, they are prone to being shy if treated harshly, they get scared very easily, and an angry tone of voice can ruin their training right away.
While female Lhasa Apso seems to bond with people quite quickly, they will always be willing to fight other female dogs. Generally, female Lhasa Apso will get along with any male dog around, but a group of females might have some issues at first.
Characteristics of male Lhasa Apso dogs
Obviously, male Lhasa Apso is larger and eats a little bit more than female Lhasa Apso. Males are known to be taller, stronger and heavier than female ones, but in reality, there is not much of a big difference. The size differences are usually only a few inches only, same goes with weight.
Male Lhasa Apso will be more independent and quite a bit more aggressive than female ones, they will often form a close bond with only one person, while a female Lhasa Apso will be equally close with multiple people.
Sexually, male Lhasa Apso develops quicker, they will display their sexual tendencies even at a young age. Because of this, you should have a concern about whether there are other dogs in the house or even neighborhood. Neutering your male Lhasa Apso will get you rid of these problems.
Different than female Lhasa Apso, male Lhasa Apso might have difficulties socializing with other dogs and animals, they will need to begin their socialization training at a very young age. Otherwise, they will become challenging to train thanks to their independent nature.
Similarities between female and male Lhasa Apso dogs
Both female and male Lhasa Apso dogs require the same amount of training, exercise, feeding, care, and love. They will both require regular veterinary checkups and every year vaccinations.
Both female and male Lhasa Apso will want to spend their time with you, they will want your attention, and your effort will be spent training and socializing with them.
Deciding the gender of your Lhasa Apso puppy is mostly a personal decision unless you are getting a puppy for breeding purposes. You should consider spaying or neutering your Lhasa Apso as soon as your veterinarian recommends it, this is no harm, and it is done to prevent unwanted pregnancies.
Everything You Should Know About Breeders and Adoption of Lhasa Apso Dog Breed!
A good Lhasa Apso breeder will be interested in you just as you are interested in their puppies. Reputable breeders will always do their best to provide you with all the information you might need. They will allow you to see the litter of your puppy and let you try out some of the tests I have mentioned in this article. Some excellent breeders will also allow you see their mother and even a father, this will help you know a lot more about possible health issues and anything else that might occur with your puppy in the future. A good breeder does not hide where the puppies spend their time in, whether it is inside or outside, whether they all have their own water bowls and whether they share them. A good breeder will also give you the guarantees and purchase agreements for your records.
When getting to know the breeder, make sure you have questions ready to ask, some of the questions you should ask are:
- How long has the breeder been breeding Lhasa Apso?
- What do they like about Lhasa Apso and what makes them special to him/her?
- How often do their females have litters? (this is a trick question; the answer should only be once yearly) Beware of those breeders who breed their female Lhasa Apso’s every heat cycle.
- Is there any health guarantee for the puppy?
- Have the puppies been examined by a veterinarian?
- Do their parents have any medical conditions and which?
- Will my puppy receive any vaccinations before I get him/her?
If there are any other questions you have about your puppy, feel free to ask, a good breeder will be happy to see you curious and interested in their dog breed.
A responsible breeder will be interested in where their puppies will end up, you too can expect to get questions about your lifestyle, living situation, your family and even your dog ownership experience.
Avoid breeders who more than two breeds have, those who do not provide any useful information and those who have no answers to your questions, these breeders most likely do this only for the money, and that is not what you are looking for. You should always receive the documentation of any veterinary visits or vaccinations your puppy has ever had, without that, do not even consider.
Adoption of Lhasa Apso should always be put into consideration. Every breed out there has a local or national rescue group, these rescue groups can be found online. Dogs who end up with these rescue groups usually have a good reason to be there. Talk to these people and get the details about the dog who might have taken your attention. Rescue groups are a great place to look for an adult purebred dog, in case a puppy might be too much for you.
There are also local animal shelters, and dogs often find themselves in there. When adopting a dog through a shelter, make sure your potential Lhasa Apso has been thoroughly screened for overall health and temperament. Adoption of a pet usually requires less money right away, and many of these dogs are already neutered or spayed, they are vaccinated and well-behaved dogs. It is important you make several visits to the shelters or rescue groups before you decide about this, this is done, so you get to know your potential dog on an individual basis as I have mentioned before.
Related Questions
Is Lhasa Apso a fragile dog breed? Unlike most small dog breeds, Lhasa Apso is not at all fragile. Lhasa Apso is known to be sturdy, very strong and incredibly protective of his own family. This is why Lhasa Apso is a great pick for families with children!
Does Lhasa Apso bite often? Lhasa Apso has a decent reputation as being biters, but in most cases, this is a misconception. Lhasa Apso dogs are not prone to biting if well trained. Otherwise, biting is just a dog’s reaction to certain events or situations.