Tibetan Spaniel

AKC Group: Non-Sporting

Club: Tibetan Spaniel Club of America

Corresponding Secretary : Chuck John
Address: Po Box 3023, Wenatchee, WA , 98807-3023
Website: www.tsca.ws
Club Type: Specialty

General Apperance:

Should be small, active and alert. The outline should give a well balanced appearance, slightly longer in body than the height at withers. Fault Coarseness of type.

Size:

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.

Coat:

Double coat, silky in texture, smooth on face and front of legs, of moderate length on body, but lying rather flat. Ears and back of forelegs nicely feathered, tail and buttocks well furnished with longer hair. Neck covered with a mane or "shawl" of longer hair which is more pronounced in dogs than bitches. Feathering between toes often extending beyond the feet. Should not be over-coated and bitches tend to carry less coat and mane than dogs.

Temperament:

Gay 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,

Not only was the Tibetan Spaniel prized as a pet and companion, it was 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.

The first authenticated reference we find to Tibetan Spaniels in this country is a litter born out of two imported dogs from a Tibetan monastery in 1965. In January 1971, the Tibetan Spaniel Club of America was formed with 14 charter members. After a period in the Miscellaneous classes, the Tibetan Spaniel was accepted for AKC registration and became eligible to compete as a Non-Sporting breed effective January 1, 1984.

Fun Facts:

• The Tibetan Spaniel originated in Tibet.
  
  
• The Tibetan Spaniel, along with the Lhasa Apso and the Tibetan Terrier, is one of three native Tibetan breeds in the Non-Sporting group.
  
  
• The ancestors of the Tibetan Spaniel lived in the monstaries with Buddhist monks and were called "little lions", giving them great value and prestige (lions were sacred).
  
  
• As the Tibetan Spaniel breed became more highly regarded, 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.
  
  
• The Tibetan Spaniel can be found in early Eastern art, dating as early as 1100 BC and on some carved Jade pieces from 1644 AD.
  
  
• The Tibetan Spaniel was prized not only as pet and companion, but as a useful animal by all classes, acting as guard and alert dog.