In the Himalayan mountains of Tibet, the Tibetan Spaniel has been known for over 2,000 years. Bred and owned by Buddhist monks and lamas, "Tibbies" were never sold.They left the monasteries of Tibet only as treasured gifts to esteemed friends. Legend has it that Tibetan Spaniels were trained to turn the prayer wheels in the monasteries. Although this legend is doubted, they did serve the monks as companions and bed warmers. With their keen sight and hearing, the Tibbies acted as lookouts, lying on the high monastery walls and barking, warning the monks and larger Tibetan Mastiff whenever anything approached.
In addition to the Tibetan Spaniel and the Tibetan Mastiff, Tibet is the home to several other breeds of dogs. Two of best known of the Tibetan breeds are the Lhasa Apso and the Shih-tzu. Other dogs from Tibet include the Kyi-Apso, the Sha-Kyi and the Tibetan Terrier. Personality This is a very intelligent breed which thrives on human companionship. Although they may be aloof with strangers, they are affectionate and devoted to their family and friends. When they are being judged they may well not look straight at you and do not like being swooped down upon. They are very sensitive little dogs; they understand and respond to your moods and feelings. Tibbies are not guard dogs and should never show signs of aggression or bite. True to their ancient duties in the monasteries, Tibbies will vigorously alert you to any unusual event or arrival. Yet, they do not bark unnecessarily. Neither nervous nor hyper, a Tibbie is like a large dog in a small body. In one compact package, they are both excellent watch dogs and very good bed dogs. They enjoy any high lookout such as a window sill from which to survey their territory and at the same time, they will be only too happy to cuddle up and keep you warm or nestle on soft pillows or clean laundry. they have keen sight, acute hearing and good scenting powers, are very long lived and are not given to early aging.
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| General
Appearance*** Should be small, active and alert. The
outline should give a well balanced appearance, slightly longer in body
than the height at withers.
Fault ***
Coarseness of type.
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| Head
*** Small in proportion to body and proudly carried, giving
an impression of quality. Masculine in dogs but free from
coarseness. Eyes - dark brown in color, oval in shape,
bright and expressive, of medium size set fairly well apart but forward
looking, giving an apelike expression. Eye rims black. Faults * Large full eyes; light eyes; mean expression. Ears medium size, pendant, well feathered in the adult and set fairly high. They may have a slight lift from the skull, but should not fly. Large, heavy, low set ears are not typical. Skull - slightly domed, moderate width and length. Faults * Very domed or flat wide skull. Stop slight, but defined. Medium length of muzzle, blunt with cushioning, free from wrinkle. The chin - should show some depth and width. Faults * Accentuated stop; long, plain down face, without stop; broad flat muzzle; pointed, weak or wrinkled muzzle. Black nose preferred. Faults * Liver or putty *colored pigmentation. Mouth * ideally slightly undershot, the upper incisors fitting neatly inside and touching the lower incisors. Teeth * should be evenly placed and the lower jaw wide between the canine tusks. Full dentition desired. A level mouth is permissible, providing there is sufficient width and depth of chin to preserve the blunt appearance of the muzzle. Teeth must not show when mouth is closed. Faults * Overshot mouth; protruding tongue.
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| Neck
- Topline - Body *** Neck * moderately short, strong and well set on.
Level back. Well ribbed with good depth. Tail * set high, richly plumed and carried in a gay curl over the back when
moving. Should not be penalized for dropping tail when
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| Forequarters
*** Shoulder well placed. The bones of the
forelegs slightly bowed but firm at shoulder. Moderate bone. Faults * Very bowed or loose front. Dewclaws may be removed. Feet * hare-footed, small and neat. Fault * Cat feet.
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| Hindquarters
*** Well made and strong. Stifle well developed,
showing moderate angulation. Hocks well let down and
straight when viewed from behind. Faults * Straight stifle; cow hocks. Dewclaws may be removed. Feet * as in front.
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| Coat
*** Double coat, silky in texture, smooth on face and front
of legs, of moderate length on body, but lying rather flat.
Ears and back of forelegs nicely feathered, tail and buttocks well
furnished with longer hair. Neck covered with a mane or
"shawl" of longer hair which is more pronounced in dogs than
bitches. Feathering between toes often extending beyond the
feet. Should not be over-coated and bitches tend to carry
less coat and mane than dogs. Presentation * In the show ring it is essential the Tibetan Spaniel be presented in an unaltered condition with the coat lying naturally with no teasing, parting or stylizing of the hair. Specimens where the coat has been altered by trimming, clipping, or by artificial means shall be so severely penalized as to be effectively eliminated from competition. Dogs with such a long coat that there is no rectangle of daylight showing beneath, or so profuse that it obstructs the natural outline, are to be severely penalized. Whiskers are not to be removed. Hair growing between the pads on the underside of the feet may be trimmed for safety and cleanliness.
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| Color
*** All colors, and mixtures of colors allowed.
Feet * White markings allowed. Gait *** Quick moving, straight, free, positive.
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| Temperament
*** Gay and assertive, highly intelligent, aloof with
strangers. Fault * Nervousness.
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| Faults **
Any departure from the foregoing points should
be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be
regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree.
Note ** Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.
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Tibetan Spaniel 
