Quick Links: Table of Contents
- Lhasa Apso Breed Overview
- History of the Lhasa Apso Breed. Where Lhasa Apsos came from
- What the Lhasa Apso Looks Like
- How Much is the Lhasa Apso Puppy?
- Best Lhasa Apso Breeders
- Adopting or Rescuing the Lhasa Apso
- Lhasa Apso Growth
- The Temperament of the Lhasa Apso
- How Long Lhasa Apsos Live
- Lhasa Apso Litter Size
- How Fast Lhasa Apsos Can Run
- Good Names for Lhasa Apsos
- How Intelligent are Lhasa Apsos?
- How Popular are Lhasa Apsos with New Dog Owners?
- Health Problems in Lhasa Apsos and How to Prevent Them
- How to Take Care of Lhasa Apso
- Dog Breeds That Are Similar to Lhasa Apsos
- Other Things to Know About Lhasa Apsos
Lhasa Apso Breed Overview
The Lhasa Apso is a tiny-sized dog.
The adult Lhasa Apso stands 9 to 11 inches tall at the shoulder.
The Lhasa Apso belongs to the Companion Dogs group.
Dogs in the Companion Dogs group, like the Lhasa Apso, were bred to be companions for humans. Their main goal in life is to be with people, and they will be very sad if left to themselves for long hours day after day.
The fact that the Lhasa Apso belongs to the Companion Dogs group is one of the reasons why Lhasa Apsos have the personality and temperament that they have.
The temperament of the Lhasa Apso is generally described as:
- Alert
- Assertive
- Devoted
- Energetic
- Fearless
- Friendly
- Intelligent
- Lively
- Obedient
- Playful
- Spirited
- Ready
History of the Lhasa Apso Breed. Where Lhasa Apsos came from
The Lhasa Apso breed was developed thousands of years ago by Buddhist monks in the mountains of Tibet to serve as sentinels for temples and monasteries, and their original lineage is most likely lost to history.
Some experts believe they are descended from larger Tibetan Terriers, while others believe the breed may have a northern component.
Recent DNA studies show that this little dog is one of the breeds most closely related to their wolf-like ancestors, leading some to speculate that the Lhasa Apso was bred from a mountain wolf variety.
The monks bred these dogs solely for their ability to withstand cold, their keen sense of hearing, and their good judgment.
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What the Lhasa Apso Looks Like
With a narrow, domed skull and a medium to short muzzle that ends in a small black nose, the Lhasa Apso is longer than it is tall.
The fur drapes over their faces, frequently concealing their small, alert eyes.
Their ears hang down like pendants and are often heavily feathered, and their tail is held in a screw shape over the middle of their back and covered in long fur that spills over their hindquarters.
The traditional show coat seen on Lhasa Apso dogs is long, heavy, and straight, and it hangs down, covering their face and frequently reaching all the way to the ground.
They are available in a variety of colors, ranging from black to white and everything in between, and they have a variety of markings.
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How Much is the Lhasa Apso Puppy?
The average price of a Lhasa Apso puppy is $1780. The price of a Lhasa Apso puppy ranges from $1500 to $1996.
A lot of factors determine the price of the Lhasa Apso. These factors include what health records the Lhasa Apso puppy has, the lineage of the Lhasa Apso puppy, the US state the breeder is located in, etc.
To estimate how much you can expect to pay for a puppy Lhasa Apso based on the many factors that determine the price of the Lhasa Apso puppy, check out our calculator that lets you estimate how much you should expect to pay for the Lhasa Apso puppy based on what you want in the puppy.
When looking to buy a puppy, look at buying a puppy only from well-established breeders that breed puppies primarily for the love of the Lhasa Apso breed, and secondarily for profit. Do not buy a puppy from a puppy mill. Puppy mills mass-produce puppies in bad living conditions for maximum profit.
You may also consider adopting instead of buying a puppy. Adoption costs are very low compared to the price of a puppy.
Best Lhasa Apso Breeders
We have researched reputable Lhasa Apso breeders that you can buy a puppy.
Go to this page for our complete list of reputable Lhasa Apso breeders in various states in the United States.
On this page, you will see how much these breeders sell their puppies for, and how many puppies they have available.
A few of these breeders are listed below.
Clarku2019s Lhasas
Puppy Price: $3500
Chic Choix Lhasa Apsos
Puppy Price: Check with breeder
LeAnn Morell
Puppy Price: $2500
Absolutelhasalove
Puppy Price: Check with breeder
Golden Tu Lhasa Apso
Puppy Price: $2000.00
Adopting or Rescuing the Lhasa Apso
You may consider adopting a dog instead of buying a puppy. Many dogs, Lhasa Apsos included, are currently available for adoption in your local dog shelters.
These helpless but adorable dogs are waiting in dog shelters hoping that someday someone will rescue them. Dog adoption costs are lesser than the cost of a new puppy. Dog adoption costs are usually around $300 or even less.
In addition to your local dog shelter, another good place to find dogs that are available for adoption is petfinder.com.
Below is an adorable Male Lhasa Apso named Vincent that is currently available for adoption on Petfinder.com. You can find other lovely Lhasa Apsos like Vincent on pefinder.com.
Max is the name of another Lhasa Apso (Male) on petfinder.com that is looking for a new forever home.
You can find more Lhasa Apsos that are available for adoption on petfinder.
Lhasa Apso Growth
New Lhasa Apso owners need to know about the growth of their Lhasa Apsos. This will help them plan their living spaces accordingly.
Also, knowing the typical growth pattern of the Lhasa Apso will help new owners catch the abnormal growth of their Lhasa Apso early.
See our calculator for predicting how big your Lhasa Apso puppy will get. You will also learn about the typical weight of the Lhasa Apso at different ages and how to catch abnormal growth in your Lhasa Apso
The Temperament of the Lhasa Apso
The temperament of the Lhasa Apso based can be summarized as in the table below.
The table shows the scores of the Lhasa Apso for 13 important dog behavioral factors.
We obtained these scores by analyzing raw data from the C-BARQ dog personality survey tool. The higher the score of a dog for a factor, the worse the temperament of the dog regarding that factor.
The C-BARQ tool was developed by researchers from the University of Pennsylvania, and it is a scientific tool that is used worldwide for reliably measuring the temperament of dog breeds.
See our complete analysis of the temperament of the Lhasa Apso here.
| Factor | Score |
|---|---|
| Dog Rivalry | 85.6 percent |
| Dog Directed Fear | 77.9 percent |
| Separation Related Behavior | 65.5 percent |
| Owner Directed Aggression | 64.0 percent |
| Dog Directed Aggression | 59.6 percent |
| Attachment Attention Seeking | 54.4 percent |
| Nonsocial Fear | 53.5 percent |
| Stubbornness | 52.2 percent |
| Stranger Directed Fear | 51.6 percent |
| Stranger Directed Aggression | 50.6 percent |
| Touch Sensitivity | 39.0 percent |
| Prey Drive | 33.8 percent |
| Excitability | 27.4 percent |
| Energy Level | 23.7 percent |
How Long Lhasa Apsos Live
The lifespan of the Lhasa Apso is typically from 12 to 15 years.
Moreover, a few years back, veterinarian researchers performed a scientific study to determine the lifespan of the Lhasa Apso. In this study, the scientists collected data on how long 84 pet Lhasa Apsos lived.
From the study, it was found that Lhasa Apsos have an average lifespan of 14.3 years. Furthermore, the study found that it is not uncommon for Lhasa Apsos to live as long as 18.4 years.
Note that you need to put in some effort if you want your Lhasa Apso to live long.
Lhasa Apsos live long if they eat well, drink well, exercise well, and visit the veterinarian regularly.
There are also dog supplements that you can give your Lhasa Apso to improve your Lhasa Apso`s quality of their life.
Click here to learn more about how to make your Lhasa Apso live long.
Lhasa Apso Litter Size
Researchers from the Norwegian School of Veterinary Science did a study where they counted the numbers of puppies in 34 different Lhasa Apso birth litters.
From this study, the researchers found that the average number of puppies that Lhasa Apsos can have is 4 puppies. Also, the Lhasa Apso can have as few as 1 puppies per litter and as many as 9 puppies per litter.
The number of puppies that the Lhasa Apso will have depends on factors such as the age of the Lhasa Apso, the method of pregnancy, etc.
Click here to see our calculator for predicting how many puppies your Lhasa Apso will have and how the litter size of the Lhasa Apso compares to the litter size of other dog breeds.
How Fast Lhasa Apsos Can Run
How fast a dog breed can run is a good measure of how athletic the dog breed is.
The American Kennel Club (AKC) regularly conducts dog running competitions. The AKC records the running speed of competing dogs in these competitions. These competitions are open to all dog breeds.
Based on our analysis of the speeds of 4 different Lhasa Apsos, the average speed of the Lhasa Apso is 12.8 mph (20.5 kmph).
The fastest speed on AKC record that the Lhasa Apso ran in a race is 16.01 mph (25.8 kmph) and the minimum speed on record in a race for a Lhasa Apso is 4.52 mph (7.3 kmph).
Click here to see how the speed of the Lhasa Apso compares to the speed of other dogs and other mammals such as cats, horses, humans, etc.
Good Names for Lhasa Apsos
Here are some really good names that are typical for the Lhasa Apso ranked by popularity:
- Rocky
- Oscar
- Charlie
- Simba
- Angel
- Dagwood
- Tramp
- Max
- Evan
- Rodney
How Intelligent are Lhasa Apsos?
| Lhasa Apso | |
|---|---|
| Intelligence Rank | 68 out of 130 dog breeds |
| Trainability | Tend To Learn New Commands After 40 To 80 Repetitions! |
According to Prof. Stanley Coren, a Canadian psychology professor/dog trainer, the total intelligence that a dog demonstrates is the addition of three types of intelligence. These intelligence types are:
- Instinctive Intelligence: This is the natural intelligence that comes from instinct. For example, dog breeds that have been historically bred to be guard dogs will have a high `guarding` intelligence compared to dogs that were not bred for guarding.
- Adaptive Intelligence (learning and problem-solving ability): This indicates what a dog can learn to do for himself or herself. Adaptive intelligence is specific to each dog, and not breed specific. You can improve your dog`s adaptive intelligence by investing time to train your dog.
- Working/Obedience Intelligence: This type of intelligence is breed-specific. Certain dog breeds tend to have higher working/obedience intelligence than some other breeds. This intelligence is the closest to what we might call school-learning ability and it is based upon what the dog can learn to do when instructed by humans. This type of intelligence can be measured for each dog breed and compared to that of other dog breeds.
Professor Stanley Coren measured and ranked the working intelligence of about 130 different dog breeds.
Prof. Coren found that the Lhasa Apso has an obedience intelligence rank of 68 out of 130 dog breeds. Thus, Prof. Coren put Lhasa Apsos in the `Fair Working/Obedience Intelligence Dogs` category.
This means that Lhasa Apsos tend to learn new commands after 40 to 80 repetitions!.
However, we should mention that a dog should not be judged based on its intelligence alone. There are other important factors you need to consider when deciding on which dog breed to get. These other factors include sociability, adorability, and compatibility of the dog breed with your lifestyle.
See the intelligence ranking of some other dog breeds below:
| Breed | Intelligence Rank |
|---|---|
| German Shepherd Dog | 3 |
| Australian Cattle Dog | 10 |
| English Springer Spaniel | 13 |
| Belgian Tervuren | 14 |
| Belgian Malinois | 22 |
| Giant Schnauzer | 28 |
| Cairn Terrier | 35 |
| Dalmatian | 39 |
| Bichon Frise | 45 |
| American Foxhound | 46 |
| Scottish Deerhound | 47 |
| Boxer | 48 |
| Alaskan Malamute | 50 |
| Chinese Shar-Pei | 51 |
| Skye Terrier | 55 |
| French Bulldog | 58 |
| Chinese Crested | 61 |
| Great Pyrenees | 64 |
| Borzoi | 75 |
| Chow Chow | 76 |
How Popular are Lhasa Apsos with New Dog Owners?
Every year, the American Kennel Club (AKC) publishes information on how popular a dog breed is in that particular year. The AKC gets the popularity information of a breed from how many dogs of that breed the owners register with the AKC every year. The AKC collects this data for about 200 dog breeds.
The graph below shows the popularity trend of the Lhasa Apso.
The popularity of the Lhasa Apso averaged over the years is Number 72 out of about 200 dog breeds.
Do not get a dog breed just because it is a popular dog breed. And do not reject a dog breed just because it is an unpopular breed.
Health Problems in Lhasa Apsos and How to Prevent Them
Every dog breed has its own set of health problems that it tends to develop. There is nothing like a perfect dog breed.
The Lhasa Apso is prone to certain genetic health conditions. The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) is an organization that keeps track of genetic health problems in dog breeds.
From the extensive records that the OFA keeps, the OFA knows what health problems each dog breed is naturally prone to develop.
Hence, the OFA recommends which health screening breeders should perform on a dog breed to make sure that the breeders won`t breed `defective` dog parents that can pass down defective genes to their puppy offspring.
If you want a Lhasa Apso puppy that will grow up to be healthy, make sure that your Lhasa Apso breeder screens your puppy or your puppy`s parents for the health problems that the OFA recommends for your puppy`s breed. This will increase the chances that your puppy is free from genetic defects.
The following are the health tests that Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) recommends that breeders should screen Lhasa Apsos for:
You can find out more about OFA`s recommended tests for Lhasa Apsos here.
How to Take Care of Lhasa Apso
To take good care of your Lhasa Apso, you need to make sure that you groom your Lhasa Apso regularly.
Secondly, you need to find a veterinarian in your area that will routinely check the health status of your Lhasa Apso regularly, and give you appropriate recommendations on your Lhasa Apso`s preventative care.
Thirdly, you need to commit some time to exercise your Lhasa Apso daily. Regular exercise helps improve the health and quality of life of your Lhasa Apso.
Also, you need to feed your Lhasa Apso high-quality dog food, and the food should be of the right amount to prevent your Lhasa Apso from getting overweight or underweight.
See our recommendations on what to feed the Lhasa Apso and how much food to feed the Lhasa Apso at different life stages.
Finally, you need to make sure that your Lhasa Apso has access to clean water all the time. See our recommendations on how much water your Lhasa Apso needs to drink at different ages.
Dog Breeds That Are Similar to Lhasa Apsos
If you have not made up your mind on which dog breed to get, you may also want to consider some other dogs similar to the Lhasa Apso.
We crunched the numbers and found that the following dog breeds that have similar behavior and temperament as the Lhasa Apso:
- Cardigan Welsh Corgi (77 percent match with Lhasa Apso). Learn more about the Cardigan Welsh Corgi here.
- Peek A Poo (79 percent match with Lhasa Apso). Learn more about the Peek A Poo here.
Other Things to Know About Lhasa Apsos
Here are some of the very important characteristics of the Lhasa Apso that you need to know about the Lhasa Apso breed: