Lhasa Apso

The Lhasa Apso dog breed is originally from Tibet, where they were highly regarded watchdogs in the palaces and monasteries of their mountainous homeland. Today’s Lhasa is no longer a palace guard but primarily a family companion who loyally protects their family from danger.

The Lhasa Apso is a non-sporting dog breed. It was bred as an interior sentinel in the Buddhist monasteries, to alert the monks to any intruders who entered. Lhasa is the capital city of Tibet, and apso is a word from the Tibetan language.

Temperament: Confident, Smart, Comical

The lavishly coated Lhasa Apso is a thousand-year-old breed who served as sentinels at palaces and monasteries isolated high in the Himalayas. Smart, confident, and complex, Lhasas are family comedians but regally aloof with strangers.

Even though these are purebred dogs, you may find them in the care of shelters or rescue groups.