The Lhasa Apso is a Tibetan breed developed by the Dalai Lamas that takes its name from the capital city of Tibet, Lhasa. Originally they were only bred by holy men and nobles.

The Lhasa Apso has a long, heavy, double coat, draping over his entire body to the floor. Their long coat serves as an insulation barrier, keeping them warm in the winter and cool in the summer.

The coat grows to floor length, even covering the eyes, which are protected by long eyelashes. This shaggy little dog looks like a small version of the Old English Sheepdog.

The Lhasa Apso loves to play indoor games and is quite rambunctious, which largely meets their exercise needs. They are not suited for outdoor life, so even a small yard is unnecessary. However, they benefit from outdoor excursions such as a daily walk.

Older Lhasas are generally good with well behaved children, but not 2 and under. They can act dominant and aggressive if they don't feel someone is in charge. Affectionate, fun, easy to train, love to just be with someone

The Lhasa is an excellent apartment and condominium dweller. He is a guardian by nature, having an acute sense of hearing to assist him in guarding the temples and alerting his masters of anything irregular. They are well known for their longevity; dogs of 18 are not uncommon and one champion of this breed lived to be 29!

The normal height is 10-12 inches and weight runs 12-15 pounds.