Fun Lhasa Apso Facts For Kids

‘Abso Seng Kye’ or Lhasa Apso belongs to the non-sporting terrier group and has an origin in Tibet. It is believed that the name ‘Lhasa’ is derived from the name of the capital of this country where they used to reside with the Buddhist monks.

Studying the Lhasa Apso shows findings that their definite lineage started back in the seventh century AD with much of Tibet converting to Buddhism. Lhasas, due to their physical appearance, were also referred to as ‘The Lion Dog’.

Their Tibetan name means bark lion sentinel dog and may have developed from the Tibetan terrier group. It is a famous breed as they were kept as the only pet of the Dalai Lama. In the late 19th century they were well-known all over the world and were recognized by the American Kennel Club as a prominent breed.

Want to know more intriguing Lhasa Apso dog facts? Then keep reading. You may also like to check our content on Shiba Inu and Shih Poo facts.

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Lhasa Apso Interesting Facts

What type of animal is a Lhasa Apso?

Lhasa Apsos are a dog breed.

What class of animal does a Lhasa Apso belong to?

Lhasa Apsos belongs to the class of Mammalia.

How many Lhasa Apsos are there in the world?

Lhasa Apsos are domesticated and found in abundance. Therefore, no definite number of this breed has been found.

Where does a Lhasa Apso live?

Lhasa Apsos are home pets and therefore they can be found in homes and apartments or in any household.

What is a Lhasa Apso's habitat?

Lhasa Apsos have their origin in Tibet which is near the Himalayan mountains. Therefore, this dog breed has a thick coat to adapt to the cold environment.

The summers in these areas are usually warm but only for a brief period of time, hence this breed of dog is more adaptive to cold weather. Nowadays, they are found all over the world.

Who do Lhasa Apsos live with?

This breed of dog lives with people and they are very comfortable with the presence of humans around them. They are very protective about their family and get along with children very well. Also, they get along with other dogs of the same or of a different breed.

How long does a Lhasa Apso live?

This breed of dog, Lhasa Apso, is also known for their longevity and have an average life span of 12-14 years. However, various health complications and diseases may affect the longevity of Lhasa Apsos. Therefore periodical health check-ups are recommended. Contact the vet as soon as they show any unusual symptoms.

How do they reproduce?

A female Lhasa Apso goes into the heat cycle usually by the time she is about six months old, but breeding dogs during this age is not recommended as the Lhasas are still very young. By the time she is around 18-24 months old, the female can copulate with the male counterpart.

Sometimes it is crossbred with other breeds of dog as well.

What is their conservation status?

Lhasas falls under the category of the oldest dogs in the world that can be traced back to thousands of years. Their origin is in Tibet where they are associated with sanctity and reincarnation. They have now started getting more Western exposure. Since they are domesticated, they are not under any threatened list of the IUCN.

Lhasa Apso Fun Facts

What do Lhasa Apsos look like?

Lhasa Apso dog breed is generally short and sturdily built, they are small and compact. They are not tall but they are long which gives them a rectangular body structure that's similar to the non-sporting terrier group.

Abso Seng Kye, which is the original name of this breed of the dog, means bark lion sentinel dog. They have dense and long fur coat which is very shiny and their ears hang down along with their hair.

The cherry eye, small nose, and small muzzle enhance their cuteness. The hair often falls on their face and hides their eyes.

Also, they have a tail curled up completely covered in fur. They need proper grooming as their coat needs to be brushed and clipped short.

They have tiny legs so they cannot run very quickly although they are very energetic. They come in myriad colors ranging from black to white to grizzle to slate to golden brown and others. Lhasa Apso mix like Shih Tzu and Yorkie Apso may resemble the other breeds, but they share different peculiarities.

Lhasas may or may not have dark tips towards the end of their ears. Also, they have a beard! On 11 July 1978, the American Kennel Club ratified the standard of the breed.

How cute are they?

Lhasas have their body completely covered in a fur coat with a middle parting. They have small feet and small rectangular bodies with cherry eyes and a small nose.

As with most dogs, they are pretty cute. We see many people tying up their hair into small braids to keep them off the eyes which makes them even more adorable.

How do they communicate?

Dogs have their unique ways of communicating through various physical gestures, noises like barking, growling, and howling. Lhasas develop this bond with their dog parent which makes communication easier non-verbally.

The constant barking may associate with warning or nervousness because of a stranger, growling is generally associated with intolerance, and howling is associated with a large number of emotions. Hence the dog parent has to be intuitive enough to understand them.

How big is a Lhasa Apso?

Lhasas are small dogs with an average height of 10-11 in (25-28 cm) hence they do not need a lot of space. However, the male is slightly bigger than the female. This breed is half the size of a golden retriever.

How fast can a Lhasa Apso run?

Lhasas may be highly active but due to their small legs, they cannot run very fast. They may run around and play as they are quite high on energy levels.

How much does a Lhasa Apso weigh?

Lhasa Apso dog breed belongs to the non-sporting category and is relatively small. A male dog would weigh around 13-15 lb (5.8-8.2 kg) while a female dog weighs around 13-15 lb (5.8-8.2kg) as well.

What are their male and female names of the species?

Male Lhasa dogs are called dog and the female Lhasa dogs are referred to as bitch.

What would you call a baby Lhasa Apso?

Like all the babies of dogs, babies of Lhasa Apsos are called Lhasa Apso puppies.

What do they eat?

Dogs are carnivores hence they need protein-based food to survive. Lhasa Apso dogs are no exception.

The food they need is widely available. They can be fed a semi-moist home-cooked meal which consists of meat and fish rich in protein or else the dry / semi-moist dog food available in the market which is rich in protein content and grain-free to provide them with all the essential nutrients required for bones and muscle development.

Are they slobbery?

Almost all dogs are slobbery. The only difference is that few dogs slobber more while few dogs slobber less.

Dogs like Lhasa and Shih Tzu do not slobber much. However, drooling in dogs is sometimes involuntary for example they start drooling automatically when they smell food. In case of abnormal and unusual drooling you should consider contacting the vet as soon as possible.

Would they make a good pet?

Lhasa Apsos are small dogs, sturdy in nature and rectangular in shape. They are an ancient breed and have played the role of guard dog since time immemorial in Tibet.

Lhasas mostly lived in Buddhist monasteries in Tibet but now after being discovered, they are found in many countries including the United States of America. Because of their adaptive nature they can survive in almost all kinds of climate.

Lhasas are naturally robust and have a high energy level and hence you may find them always active in a house. Lhasas are always guarding the house and are very protective of the family members.

This dog gets along with children very well and if trained properly they do not have any problem living with other pets. Sometimes they might show little suspicion about strangers because of their protective nature.

A Lhasa Apso dog is adaptable in an apartment or a house but there are few things you need to take care of as they are high maintenance.

For example, their long coat needs to be brushed every day otherwise they will tangle. You may find them barking because of their temperament but it is not high-pitched.

Feeding them is easy as they thrive on meat and fish or you can give them the dry dog food that is widely available in the market. All in all, this breed of dog is a good pet to keep.

Did you know...

Here are few fascinating facts about Lhasa Apso dogs. The existence of Lhasa has been traced back to the year 800 AD. It is considered as one of the oldest breeds who lived in isolation with the Buddhists of Tibet in the Himalayan mountains.

Although they have an average life span of 12-13 years, the oldest of them lived till the age of 29.

Lhasas are often given as gifts in Tibet as they are associated with good fortune. Thubten Gyatso the 13th Dalai Lama presented Charles Suydam Cutting who was renowned explorer and philanthropist two Lhasa when he and his wife visited Tibet from the United States as a gift from the Dalai Lama.

Elizabeth Taylor had a Lhasa as her pet.

It is said that if a Buddhist monk does not reach Nirvana, they are reincarnated as a Lhasa. Hence, Dalai Llama prefers Lhasas as pets.

Characteristics and health issues

Every breed of dog has its very own unique set of characteristics as well as health issues which may vary from one breed of dog to the other. Lhasa Apsos are no different.

Lhasa Apsos are very playful and energetic and because of their compact size, they are even more active and they do have decent longevity.

Yet they are vulnerable to certain health conditions and some of them are even genetically transmitted, for example, musculoskeletal problems are very common in this breed of dog. Hip dysplasia which leads to arthritis is inherited by Lhasa Apsos.

There is also the health issue of patellar luxation which is caused due to the displacement of the kneecap or patella.

They are also susceptible to dry eye, keratoconjunctivitis sicca, and progressive retinal atrophy which is also very common among this dog breed. Some health issues may have bad odor as a symptom so it's important to be aware of and recognize this.

Getting your own Lhasa Apso

Lhasas are great to live with but you must always remember that getting any kind of pet is a responsibility. A Lhasa Apso puppy may cost around $900-$1300 USD which is quite expensive and the puppy needs extensive care too, but then you can always adopt one instead of purchasing it.

The puppy needs to be taken care of properly. Grooming and brushing their coat is very essential as they have long hair.

Fortunately, they are only moderate shedders but without proper grooming their long coat could start to smell. Proper training is also required for the puppy as they are smart dogs but can be fairly stubborn too.

They have a very high energy level and because they are small dogs, it’s very convenient to keep them in a house or apartment but as they grow old, they may develop certain health conditions.

You can also get Lhasa Apso mixes like a Shih Tzu which is a cross between Lhasa Apso dog and Pekingese. They fall under the category of moderate to high maintenance which is worth keeping in mind before getting a Lhasa Apso.

Also, the Lhasa Apso does not like cuddles and can get annoyed. So, you should give them their space.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other mammals including Papillon Chihuahua Mix, or English Cocker Spaniel.

You can even occupy yourself at home by drawing one on our Lhasa Apso dog coloring pages.