Tibetan Spaniels, Terrific Pets Quiz

Answer: Alert, protective, friendly and a bit stubborn.

Tibetan Spaniels have minds of their own! They can be a bit difficult to train as a result. They will master quickly anything THEY want to learn, but may be slow to achieve YOUR training goals. For the most part, you can forget about your Tibbie's coming when you call, unless it fits in with his plans anyway.

He'll come when he gets good and ready. Unless you have an enclosed outdoor area, you should keep him on a leash if you want him to stay close by. Tibbies are very friendly with familiar people, but do not always warm toward strangers.

They're pretty adaptable to most types of living environments, from apartments to country living. They usually get along with other pets very well.

Answer: About 12 pounds. Portable!

The desired weight range is 9 to 15 pounds. This is a good thing! If she decides not to come when you call, you can pick her up and carry her--instant obedience! Don't worry, she won't bear you a grudge.

Answer: Protective and friendly.

Most Tibbies can be trusted with children of all ages (but of course, you should observe your dog's reactions to children before making that assumption!) I've seen a Tibetan "stand guard" for hours over a baby who was sleeping peacefully on a blanket in the safety of the living room.

But a Tibbie isn't Lassie--she does her own thing. If your kid wants to follow her around, great, but don't expect reciprocation!

Answer: They come in a wide variety of colors.

You can get a Tibbie in red, black, tan, black and tan, cream, white, silver sable, sable, or gold. They may or may not have white markings on the face, chest, underbelly and paws. A Tibbie's coat has long fringe on the legs and tail; the tail curls up over the back.

The ears are silky-feeling and at times take on the appearance of having been crimped--the hair ripples down over the ear. Eye color, to meet AKC standard, should be brown, and the nose should be black.

Answer: They aren't "gun dogs".

Spaniels are "gun dogs"--those who accompany hunters. Tibbies aren't particularly associated with hunting.

Answer: Yes.

Tibbies are considered to be good watchdogs. They are very vigilant and will be alert at all times for intruders. I have seen a Tibbie growl, bark at, and attempt to pursue a tractor-trailer truck that was a mile distant. They will bark steadily in short bursts for long intervals if they think something is amiss.

They are not attack dogs, but they will reliably alert you to the presence of a stranger.

Answer: They're generally very healthy.

While no breed is entrely free of health issues, Tibbies as a breed are very healthy and long-lived. It's not unusual for a Tibbie to live 15 years or more. Some things that might trouble your Tibbie are respiratory problems (due to the slightly pushed-in nose), overheating due to overexertion in warmer months, and late-onset progressive retinal atrophy.

Some Tibbies may also have allergies.

Answer: Yes.

They are from Tibet. The breed has been in existence a long time--there are representations of Tibetan Spaniels in early Eastern art from around 1100 BC.

Answer: False

In fact, in the Non-Sporting group alone, there are three breeds from Tibet. The other two are the Lhasa Apso and the Tibetan Terrier.

Answer: Little Lions

Lions were considered sacred in Tibet, so the name "little lion" was high praise. They are somewhat leonine, being proud and brave. They were both pets and watchdogs for the monks. A Tibbie would find a place from which to survey the area surrounding the monastery, and would remain motionless for hours guarding it. If the Tibbie saw anything amiss, its bark would cue a larger dog, the Tibetan Mastiff, that danger was present--sort of a chain of command of monastic security!