Lhasa Apso
| Size at withers | 25–28 cm |
|---|---|
| Weight range | 5–8 kg |
| Life expectancy | 12–15 years |
| Size class | Toy (< 10 kg) |
| Normal resting vitals | Heart rate 90–140 bpm · Respiration 15–30/min · Temperature 38.3–39.2 °C |
| Coat | Long, heavy, dense coat |
| Temperament | Confident, aloof with strangers, affectionate with family |
| Common health issues | Progressive retinal atrophy; hip dysplasia; kidney disease (hereditary); dry eye; skin allergies |
| Exercise needs | Low — 20–30 min/day |
| Climate & housing suitability | Good for apartments; grooming-intensive, with moderate heat tolerance. |
| Owner notes | A temple-guardian ancestry means a historical wariness of strangers. |
Origin and purpose
Non-sporting (AKC). Origin: Tibet.
A temple-guardian ancestry means a historical wariness of strangers.
What a breed was built to do explains most of what it will do in your home. A dog selected for hundreds of years to run, guard, herd, or hunt does not stop wanting to because it now lives in an apartment — the drive is the breed, and the owner's job is to give it somewhere to go.
Temperament and training
Stated temperament: Confident, aloof with strangers, affectionate with family
A guarding breed: it is naturally suspicious of strangers, and that is what it was bred for. Early, broad, positive socialisation — many people, many places, many situations, before sixteen weeks — is not optional for this breed; it is the difference between a discriminating guardian and a dangerous liability. A guarding dog that has not been socialised is a problem you have created, not a temperament you have discovered.
Conditions this breed is predisposed to
Chronic kidney disease (CKD)
Atopic dermatitis (canine atopy)
Dry eye (keratoconjunctivitis sicca)
Hip dysplasia
Progressive retinal atrophy
Health screening — what to test, and when
| Screen for | Test | When |
|---|---|---|
| Atopic dermatitis (canine atopy) | No screening test; allergy testing once disease is established | On recurrent itching, ear disease, or paw licking |
| Chronic kidney disease (CKD) | Blood (creatinine, SDMA) with urine concentration | Annually from 7 years; sooner in predisposed breeds |
| Dry eye (keratoconjunctivitis sicca) | Schirmer tear test | Annually in predisposed breeds; on any sticky discharge or dull eye |
| Hip dysplasia | Radiographic hip evaluation (hip scoring) | Once at 12–24 months; earlier if lame |
| Progressive retinal atrophy | Ophthalmologist eye examination, plus DNA test where one exists for the breed | DNA once; eye examination annually |
Every dog, every breed: an annual health examination (twice yearly from seven years), body-condition scoring at each visit, dental assessment, year-round parasite control, and the core vaccinations.
For breeders — test before you mate
- Atopic dermatitis (canine atopy) — No screening test; allergy testing once disease is established
- Chronic kidney disease (CKD) — Blood (creatinine, SDMA) with urine concentration
- Dry eye (keratoconjunctivitis sicca) — Schirmer tear test
- Hip dysplasia — Radiographic hip evaluation (hip scoring)
- Progressive retinal atrophy — Ophthalmologist eye examination, plus DNA test where one exists for the breed
Feeding
Small stomachs, fast metabolisms. Feed a diet formulated for small breeds, split across three or four meals a day as a puppy and two as an adult; toy puppies can become dangerously hypoglycaemic if a meal is missed. Portions are tiny, which means treats and table scraps overwhelm the daily allowance startlingly fast — a single biscuit can be a meaningful share of a 4 kg dog's intake. Dental disease is near-universal in small breeds, so ask your vet about diet texture and dental care from the start.
Exercise and enrichment
Stated requirement: Low — 20–30 min/day
Modest exercise needs, but 'low exercise' is not 'no exercise' — this dog still needs daily walks and enrichment, and is prone to obesity if it does not get them.
Coat and grooming
Long, heavy, dense coat. Brush daily if long; a short clip is far more practical in hot climates.
Climate and living conditions
Stated suitability: Good for apartments; grooming-intensive, with moderate heat tolerance.
Ageing and senior care
Life expectancy: 12–15 years. This dog is a senior from around 9–10 years, at which point wellness examinations should move to twice a year and senior blood and urine screening begins. Small dogs age slowly and often live into their mid-teens. Dental disease and heart-valve disease are the two things that most often shorten a small dog's life, and both are catchable early. Senior care →
Before you take one home
- Ask the breeder for the health-test results listed above — for BOTH parents, on paper, before you pay a deposit. A breeder who has done the tests will be proud to show you; one who deflects, or who tells you the tests are unnecessary in this line, is telling you what you need to know.
- This is a short-skulled breed. Choose the puppy with the most open nostrils and the longest muzzle you can find, and reject any that snores, snorts, or struggles for breath at rest — those are not endearing breed traits, they are signs of a dog that cannot breathe properly. Ask whether the parents have been BOAS-graded. In a hot climate this decision has consequences you will live with daily.
- Consider adoption. Shelters and rescues have dogs of every kind, including purebreds, and the local native or landrace dog is often healthier, better adapted to its climate, and more in need of a home than almost anything you can buy. See Part XII.
