Tibetan spaniel dog characteristics, personality and training tibetan spaniel puppies

The Tibetan spaniel is a small breed that comes from the Himalayas.



The Tibetan spaniel shares its ancestry with the Pekingese, Pug, Shih Tzu, Lhasa Apso and the Japanese Chin, all toy dog breeds. Though this is not a pure spaniel breed, it is known as such because of its similarity in size. Spaniels are essentially gun dogs whereas the Tibetan spaniel is a lapdog.

The coat of a Tibetan spaniel can be of any color. However, for a dog to be pronounced of good show quality, it has to have brown eyes and a black nose. They are usually only ten inches high and have a slightly domed head with a strong muzzle.



Their weight is ideally 9-15 pounds and the tail is plumed, with a medium length coat covering the body.

The Tibetan spaniel dog is a typically intelligent and happy dog, and is quite excitable. It makes for an excellent house pet, especially for families that have young children. These dogs are extremely involved with their human families, enjoying the attention that is showered on them. They are usually quiet, however, they do bark out loud when they sense danger.

There is a characteristic peculiar to this particular breed—the Tibetan spaniel loves to sit at high places, especially in its owners' laps, justifying being called a lapdog. They have an extremely independent personality and can be quite willful if proper training is not imparted right from the start. Tibetan spaniel training is concentrated on making it a more agreeable and obedient house pet since it can become willful if ignored.  

Though Tibetan spaniels are usually healthy, they are often prone to progressive retinal atrophy. This is a genetic disease which is passed on from one generation to another. In this disease, the dog may completely go blind. The initial signs of this disease can be observed right when the dog is about one and a half years old and can continue to appear till the dog is four years old. The onset of the disease is slow and the dogs get affected without any pain. Tibetan spaniels are also prone to developing various types of allergies.

Historically, Tibetan spaniels have been monastery dogs which trail loyally behind their Lamas. They resemble the Chinese Guardian Lions, a mythical creature revered by the Chinese and therefore they are known as little lions and are looked upon with a lot of respect.