Lhasa Apso's - Who they are and where they came from

Who is the Lhasa Apso dog you own, or the cute puppy you saw or are perhaps thinking of getting? What are they like and where do they come from? What makes them so special and why do they worm themselves permanently into the hearts of their owners?  When we first got Lhasa Apso's it was shortly after we read an article about them. I don't think we remember the article but we sure remember our first dog and then we knew why this breed was so special. 

The AKC describes the Lhasa Apso as "Smart, confident, and complex, Lhasa's are family comedians but regally aloof with strangers. Standing less than a foot high at the shoulder, Lhasa's are small but hardy dogs of aristocratic bearing." We found that Yes, our little girl Muffy was all this and more. She was too smart sometimes. At Christmas we had to put her gift high in the tree because she always knew which was hers and would unwrap it way before Christmas. She learned fetch and come very easily. She kept our family in laughter so much of the time.  

The question now is where did they come from? The Lhasa Apso's originate from Tibet and were possibly share ancestry from the Tibetan Spaniel and the Tibetan Terrier. They were revered in villages and monasteries and were known as temple guard dogs which gave rise to the native name of Abso Seng Kye which means bark lion sentinel dog. They were first brought to the United States as gifts from the Dalai Lama. We also heard that they are called llama foot warmers, perhaps they really did warm the feet of the llama or perhaps they warmed the feet of the Dalai Lama and the monks. Where ever that came from it seems to be a true fact as our dogs are all found at our feet, whether it be washing dishes or sitting relaxing in the evening (unless of course they are on our laps.).

What we can tell you is these dogs that have found a place in our hear5s are fiercely loyal, they let us know when there are strangers or visitors, they adore playing and they love us with their whole beings. We wouldn't trade them for the world.