The Tibetan Spaniel

Appearance

A small moderately coated dog with ear fringes and a well furnished plumed tail. They come in all colours and mixture of colours. Height about 25cm/10 inches.

History

The Tibetan Spaniel was bred in the monastery and villages of Tibet. Their role in life was as a house pet/bed warmer and a watch dog. They would sit on the monastery walls or some high advantage point near their homes and warn of approaching strangers or of anything unusual. The Tibetan Spaniel arrived in Australia in 1974.

Temperament

The Tibetan Spaniel is an intelligent and happy out going dog that loves to be included in the family’s activities. It is a sensitive breed and should never be treated harshly. It is not a constant barker and it is always a good idea to investigate when it is barking. It is naturally wary of strangers.

Care / Grooming

The Tibetan Spaniel should never be allowed off lead when outside your garden, they are not very obedient and will run off to explore and may not come back. It is also essential that they have an escape proof garden because some Tibetan Spaniels will dig or climb their way out of a garden.
The Tibetan Spaniel is a natural breed and needs no trimming. A good grooming once a week should keep the Tibetan Spaniels coat in good condition. The Tibetan Spaniel sheds it’s coat once and sometimes twice a year, during the shedding it would be a good idea to brush the dog every day before your furniture and clothing are overwhelmed with hair. It should not be bathed too much because it will lose the natural oils which helps to repel dirt, if bathing have the water temperature a bit cooler than that of a human baby’s bath water, and give the dog a good brush before hand to loosen up any dead undercoat. A healthy Tibetan Spaniel does not have a doggy odour.

Health

The Tibetan Spaniel is a very hardy breed, coming from a very harsh climate it was survival of the fittest for hundreds of years and does not have many health problems, one concern is Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA), but there have not been any reported cases in Australia yet.

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