The Tibetan Spaniel
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The Tibetans were a deeply religious, pease-loving nation, with their own Lamaist form of the Buddhist religion, in which the symbolic lion played an even more important role than it had in Buddha over violence and aggression. The samll monastery dogs loyally trailed behind their Lama masters and came to be regarded as "little lions," which gave this dogs greater value and prestige.
As the breed became more highly regarded, they were sent as gifts to the palaces of China and other Buddhist countries. This practice continued until as late as 1908. Through the exchange of these dogs with the palaces and monasteries, the breed is likely to have common ancestors with a number of the Oriental breeds, including the Japanese Chin and the Pekingese.
The villages were a primary location for breeding and these village-bred Tibetan Spaniels varied greatly in size and type. The size of these dogs ranged from 4-16 pounds-the smaller puppies were usually given as gifts to the monasteries.
There is no doubt that the Buddhist religion made an impact on the prominence of this breed in the Tibetan society. Not only did Buddhism forbid the killing of animals, but they had great faith in the doctrine of reincarnation. They believed that in previous lives they had been animals and may be so again in the future.
The Tibetan Spaniel was not only a prized pet and companion, they were very useful by all classes of the Tibetans. The dogs would sit on top of the monastery walls keeping a steady watch over the countryside below. Their keen eye and ability to see great distances, as well as their persistent barking, made them exceptionally great watchdogs. They were always quick to respond to the approach of wolves to the flocks grazing below them, in addition to the arrival of a stranger or an intruder. The dogs would let out continuous shrill barking, which alerted a nearby Tibetan Mastiff. The larger Mastiff would then keep watch over the visitors.
The Tibetan Spaniel should be about 10 inches tall and weigh between 9-15 pounds. Their coat is a double coat, silky in texture, and can be all colors or mixtures of colors.
Health concerns in the breed include liver shunt, allergies and Patellar luxation.
