Dog's Name & Age:
Girlie, 3
In a Word, My Lhasa Apso Is...
Cuteness Personified
Best Characteristics of the Breed
Loyalty, Hardiness, and Intelligence
Most Challenging Characteristics of the Breed
Tendency to retaliate when corrected
When, Where and How I Got My Lhasa Apso
We adopted our Lhasa Apso from a breeder who was downsizing. At least that's the reason she gave for getting rid of the dog, soon to be our Girlie, who was two years old. (The young woman had a small kennel and the dogs were cared for well. It was in no way a puppy mill.) We soon realized that she was selling the dog because she was timid and not a good mother. Girlie (we changed her original name which sounded very similar, but we didn't like) was small because she let the other dogs push her away from the food bowls. She was very much a kennel dog, but she took to us immediately.
I'd Describe My Dog As…
She was a challenge, but she has converted me from a cat person into a dog person. She is loyal, well-behaved, and no longer shy. She is definitely a "mama's dog" but interacts well with all members of the household, including two cats that live outside who are her "running buddies" on her adventures.
Advice
When adopting a kennel dog, patience is key. Especially if she has not been housebroken. Girlie only had a few incidents where she went #2 in the house, but she was really bad about tinkling out of spite. I don't care what pros say about not projecting human emotion onto dogs, Lhasas do have a spiteful streak sometimes.
