Tibetan Spaniel - breed description and dog character

The breed of dogs of the Tibetan Spaniel, unfortunately, has not kept enough information about itself, which leads to the generation of various kinds of conjectures. Due to the fact that China and Tibet traded dogs, there is an assumption that the ancestors of the Tibetan dog could be both Pekingese and Shih Tzu dogs. Some also suggest that this spaniel appeared as a result of crossing a pug with a Pekingese.

Breed history

The present Tibetan spaniels for a long time lived in the mountains of Tibet at monasteries where monks lived and special religious rituals were held. In such conditions, starting from the 8th century AD, these dogs lived. They occupied a special place at the monastery, and no one even thought about how to cross them with other breeds.

It is the 8th century that researchers associate with the first mention of this type of dog. Many watched a famous film called The Golden Boy, in which Eddie Murphy starred. This film tells about how he ended up in one of the Tibetan temples, which had a certain peculiarity. It was allowed to talk here while the golden drum was spinning. And according to Tibetan legends, it was believed that this drum was played by Tibetan spaniels.

But soon the laws changed, and this tradition remained in the past. These dogs were allowed to be selected only on the territory of the temple, but when choosing individuals for breeding, a rather strict selection was made. Therefore, this representative of the species appeared on European lands only in the 19th century.

Despite the facts presented above, there is still controversy about the origin of the breed. About how the dogs looked earlier, and who exactly was their ancestors, is unknown. And all this happened due to the fact that Tibet and China, as already noted, were actively engaged in the sale of certain types of dogs, which could be the ancestors of modern Tibetan.

Anyone who is not very familiar with this breed, probably seeing a representative of this species on the street, will think that it is a Pekingese. Nobody argues that these two wonderful breeds are very similar to each other. But still, if you look closely, the Tibetan representative has significant differences.

This dog is slightly higher than its relative, and also noticeably larger. And his features of the face are more correct and easier to distinguish.

Description of Standards

The representative of this breed has its own standards that distinguish it from other dogs:

1. These pets are quite small in stature, and their average height does not exceed 24-26 cm.
2. The average weight of an adult Tibetan spaniel reaches 4-7 kilograms.
3. If you look at the dog as a whole, you will notice that its body is slightly elongated.
4. The head is small, but it is proportional to the body.
5. The skull of the animal is slightly convex, and the muzzle itself is shortish, but despite this flattening, there are no folds on it.
6. The bend from the muzzle to the forehead is not at all expressive.
7. The eyes of a Tibetan dog are quite expressive, oval in shape. If you look in full view, you can see that they are set far away. The eyes themselves are dark in color, often dark brown. Despite the fact that the eyes are expressive, but they should not be convex, because by the standard such representatives are not accepted.
8. The lower jaw is slightly extended, but fangs should not be visible, the mouth is closed.
9. By standard, the spaniel’s nose should be dark, but ideally black.
10. Ears are on the top of the head, and are completely covered with wool, and their ends are saggy.
11. Despite the fact that the limbs, both hind and anterior, are quite short, they look strong, and their muscles are well developed.
12. The legs themselves are like rabbits.
13. The body is a little stretched, and the back is even.
14. The tail is fluffy and has the shape of a ring, and is located quite high.
15. The coat is silky to the touch, and its length is medium.
16. If we talk about the color of the animal, then there is no single standard, it can be different.

I consider the greatest dignity of the representative of this breed to be smooth and silky hair. But, besides this, the coat of the Tibetan spaniel has a rather thick undercoat. In the area of ​​the pet’s neck you can see that the coat is a little longer, and because of this, it creates the impression of a collar that gives the dog a solid look. By this collar you can understand whether it is a female or a male. In the latter, the coat is much thicker and longer. And the legs are covered with shorter hair, which is adjacent to the body of the animal.

Tibetan Spaniel Character

Dogs of this breed are designed to live in a loving family in a house or apartment. These animals are very faithful and devoted, so they can become a good companion for many years.

These small animals are often perceived as decorative, but in fact spaniels are pretty smart and smart dogs.

Despite their attitude to the owners, they do not really trust strangers. For this, they are very attentive to their owners and to the protection of their home. Of course, given the size of this pet, it cannot do much harm if an attacker enters an apartment or house, but the Tibetan spaniel will notify his family loudly.

These animals are completely devoid of any aggression, they are very loving when it comes to family members. In addition, these pets are always full of energy, so they need constant activity.

If we talk about training, then these dogs are quite malleable and easily learn commands. But still, they are not as simple as they seem, because between the teams they can decide independently what is the best way for them to act in a given situation. To make the owner’s relationship with the pet wonderful, you need to give him love and understanding. Because the spaniel is quite a wayward dog who does not like conversations in a commanding tone. He prefers freedom of choice, so they quite often demonstrate their opinion, their attitude.

In addition to these characteristics, the pet has a need for personal space and freedom. If you start to limit them in space, then this can affect not only their mood, but also health in general.

These pets are physically weak when compared with other dogs. And therefore they are not at all intended to arrange fights. Although when they are in danger, they will be able to at least scare the enemy with their barking. It is also worth noting that this breed is different in that its representatives do not bark for no reason.

Pet care

Spaniels from Tibet need special care. And all this because their health is not as good as we would like. Therefore, it is worth periodically taking your pet to the vet for an examination. Most often, the dog suffers from the musculoskeletal system, so it is worth paying more attention to it. And besides this, it is worth checking the cardiovascular and respiratory systems.

But, and if we talk about the care that can be provided without the help of specialists, then this includes the care of wool, claws, ears and eyes. Unfortunately, this breed suffers from ear diseases. To minimize the appearance of problems, it is worth taking care of them and removing sulfur with a cotton swab.These actions need to be done once a week, and it will not be worse if this process occurs more often. In the same way, it is worth watching the pet's eyes.

If the spaniel lives in the city, then when walking its claws are ground on the asphalt, and if the pet lives outside the city, then the claws should be cut independently.

The coat of a Tibetan dog is its greatest advantage, and in order for it to maintain its pristine beautiful appearance, it is necessary to monitor it: comb it and feed it with good quality food.

These dogs are quite active, so you should make sure that they splash out their energy, especially if the dog lives in an apartment. So that pets are always healthy and happy, their needs must be taken into account:

1. Tibetan spaniels need daily active walks.
2. Active walks should include running and playing with the pet.
3. It is not worth releasing your pet from the leash, because he, having felt freedom, can begin to bark at passers-by and block their passage.

Power Features

As in the life of other pets, nutrition in the life of a Tibetan spaniel plays an important role. The general condition of the animal depends on the correctness of the diet.

The first thing to exclude from the dog’s diet is fried foods, smoked foods, and sweets. The same applies to the use of salt, as well as vegetables and other products that contain a high percentage of starch. The use of pasta and pasta is contraindicated for the spaniel.

The basis of the diet of the animal should be meat. And it must be non-greasy. For the Tibetan spaniel, veal with chicken and beef is suitable.

Spaniels are advised to eat cottage cheese, as well as kefir or natural yogurt. Sometimes, in infectious periods, you can add a spoonful of honey to the cottage cheese, because this ingredient will help strengthen the immune system.

Training

But if the owner is not very experienced, and uses methods of training that are unacceptable for this type, then training will not bear fruit. In order to win the favor of a dog, a person will have to work hard. It is better if this does not happen in adulthood, because then it is almost impossible to do.

Training can begin when the spaniel is a puppy. Then he will be able to master the program in a very short time. But learning new things is always necessary so that the pet does not lose its abilities. Although they have high intelligence, but their skills can come to naught.

It is not worth worrying about the socialization of the Tibetan spaniel, because they get along with people so easily and simply.

Video: Tibetan Spaniel dog breed