Tibetan Spaniel Photo

Tibetan Spaniel Dog Breed Info & Pictures

The Tibetan Spaniel, or Tibby as it is affectionately called, is a small and alert breed, slightly longer than tall. The head is proportionally small, with a dome skull, pendant ears, and oval shaped brown eyes that are set well apart. The muzzle is blunt and the bite undershot. Overall, the face tends to be very expressive. The tail is set high with a rich plume, and is carried over the back when the dog is in motion. The dog has hare feet with long feathering between the toes. The Tibetan Spaniel has a silky double coat of moderate length lying flat on the body, with a mane around the neck that is thicker in dogs than bitches. Tibetan Spaniels can be of any color.

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Tibetan Spaniel Fast Facts

Non-Sporting
12 - 15 years
Tibet
Antiquity
11 - 15 lb
9 - 13 lb
10"
10"
Tibetin Spaniel, Tibeten Spaniel, Tibetan Spanial or Tibettan Spaniel.
None

Photos

Temperament

The Tibetan Spaniel is the quintessential house pet....

These dogs are cheerful, friendly and highly sociable with family members. Clean and respectful of their housemates, Tibbies are mild mannered and tractable inside, and switch adeptly into play mode outside. The breed is friendly toward dogs and other animals, and are known to make fast friends with the family cat. Strangers are another story, however, and while the Tibetan Spaniel is certainly not aggressive toward strangers, it isnt very friendly either. Generally speaking, a Tibetan Spaniel will approach a newcomer with caution after a while, and gradually warm to him overtime. Tibetan Spaniels can sometimes be stubborn.

Caring For a Tibetan Spaniel

The Tibetan Spaniel has modest exercise requirements, which can typically be met in the house....

But dont take this as an invitation to imprison your Tibby in the house, because every dog should get an opportunity to explore the neighborhood at least a few times a week. The Tibetan Spaniel cannot live outside, and should have a doggy bed in the house to call its own, preferably in the living room. Brushing and combing are a biweekly event. Most Tibetan Spaniels live long and healthy lives; some will develop patellar luxation or cataracts.

Tibetan Spaniel History

Breed History

The Tibetan Spaniel hails from high in the Himalayas, where it has been bred by Lamaist monks for centuries....

Buddhists believe that Buddha tamed lions and taught them to follow him, and the Tibetan Spaniel, with its habit of following monks here and there, became known as the Little Lion Dog. Ancient Tibetans treasured these animals, which were often given as gifts to the palaces of China and elsewhere. Though primarily kept as a companion, the Tibetan Spaniel was also a great watch dog; perched atop the monastery walls, this eagle eyed dog would peer far into the night and alert the monks of approaching strangers and wild animals. The monks also put the little dogs to work in treadmills which would spin their prayer wheels.An Indian by the name of Dr. Grieg, who also played an integral part in spreading the Tibetan Terrier beyond Tibet, is credited with beginning the first effort to breed the Tibetan Spaniel in England during the 1920s. Most of these dogs were lost during World War II, however, and renewed importation from Tibet was necessary to repopulate the breed. The Tibetan Spaniel first arrived in the United States in 1965, and was recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1984.

Tibetan Mastiff
Tibetan Terrier