Tibetan Spaniel
Modified: 30-11--0001 00:00:00
The Tibetan Spaniel is a small, highly intelligent dog originating in the Himalayan mountains of Tibet. Not a true Spaniel; its breeding and role differs quite a bit (Spaniels are gun dogs.) Tibbies, as they are often called, make excellent housepets for all people, including families with small children.
General Appearance
Small, active and alert. The outline should give a well balanced appearance, slightly longer in body than the height at withers.
Size
Height about 10 inches. Body slightly longer from the point of shoulder to root of tail than the height at withers.
Weight 9-15 pounds being ideal.
Temperament
Joyful and assertive, highly intelligent, aloof with strangers
History
Small monastery dogs, thought to be early representatives of the Tibetan Spaniel, loyally trailed behind their Lama masters and came to be regarded as "little Lions", thus giving them great value and prestige. The practice of sending the dogs as gifts to the palaces of China and other Buddhist countries grew significantly, and in reciprocity more "lion dogs" were presented back to Tibet, continuing until as late as 1908. Through exchange of Tibetan Spaniels between palaces and monasteries, the breed is likely to have common ancestors with a number of the Oriental breeds, including the Havanese Chin and the Pekingese.
Village-bred Tibetan Spaniels varied greatly in size and type, and the smaller puppies were usually given as gifts to the monasteries. In turn, these smaller dogs used in the monastery breeding programs were probably combined with the more elegant Tibetan Spaniel-type dogs brought from China. Those bred closer to the Chinese borders were characterized by shorter muzzles,
The Tibetan Spaniel prized as a pet and companion and also considered a very useful animal by all classes of Tibetans. During the day, the dogs would sit on top of the monastery walls keeping a steady watch over the countryside below. Their keen eye and ability to see great distances, as well as their persistent barking, made them exceptionally good watchdogs.
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