| Tibetan Terriers: the most honest dog breed review you'll ever find. Information about Tibetan Terrier personality and behavior. |
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My book, Your Purebred Puppy: A Buyer's Guide (published by Henry Holt & Co.), includes a full-page profile of the Tibetan Terrier, including these excerpts:
"The good-natured Tibetan Terrier is lively and playful, yet also calm and low-key. He is a moderate dog in all respects and can adapt to any home, city or country, so long as he is given brisk daily walks and occasional romps in a safe enclosed area.
He especially enjoys playing in the snow, his large, flat, snowshoe-like feet providing traction, and his long heavy eyelashes protecting his eyes.
He is athletic and agile, a sure-footed climber, and a clever problem-solver who often uses his paws with great adeptness to open doors and hold toys.
Tibetan Terriers are family-oriented: they love to play games and participate in activities with their own people, but most are conservative with strangers. In some individuals, caution can shade into timidity or suspiciousness, so early socialization is important to develop a confident, outgoing temperament.
Most are amiable with other animals, though perhaps a bit bossy. The Tibetan Terrier is very stubborn and must be shown from Day One that you are in control."
History
Called "Little People" in their native Tibet, these sturdy dogs lived in the monasteries of the isolated Lost Valley and were considered good luck charms. Interestingly, the Tibetan Terrier is not a terrier at all -- he was so named only because of his small size and shaggy coat. Nor is he a guardian or hunter, having always been bred solely for companionship.
Size
14-17 inches and 20-30 lbs |
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Tibetan Terriers
What's good about 'em
What's bad about 'em
- There are energetic Tibetan Terriers, and placid Tibetan Terriers.
- Hard-headed Tibetan Terriers, and sweet-natured Tibetan Terriers.
- Serious Tibetan Terriers, and good-natured goofballs.
- Introverted Tibetan Terriers, and Tibetan Terriers who love everyone.
| If you acquire a Tibetan Terrier puppy, you can't know for sure what he or she will grow up to be like. Because a good number of purebred puppies do NOT grow up to conform to the "norm." |
Now let's look at some common characteristics for this breed...
- Is small to medium-sized, sturdy and shaggy, a natural-looking dog
- Is a moderate dog in all respects, being lively and playful at times, yet also calm and low-key
- Makes a good watchdog but is not aggressive with people
- Is usually amiable with other pets
A Tibetan Terrier may be right for you.
| If you don't want to deal with... |
- "Separation anxiety" (destructiveness and barking) when left alone too much
- Suspiciousness or timidity when not socialized enough
- Stubbornness (mind of his own)
- Regular brushing and combing
- Shedding
- "Shaggy dog syndrome," i.e. debris clinging to the coat, water soaking into the beard and dripping on your floors
- Waiting lists (hard to find) and a high price tag
A Tibetan Terrier may not be right for you.
| If I were considering a Tibetan Terrier... |
My major concerns would be:
- Providing enough exercise and mental stimulation. Tibetan Terriers MUST have regular opportunities to vent their energy and do interesting things.
| I strongly recommend that you get your Tibetan Terrier involved in obedience classes at the intermediate or advanced level, or in agility (an obstacle course for dogs). |
- Separation anxiety. More than most other breeds, Tibetan Terriers need a great deal of companionship and do not like being left alone for more than a few hours. They express their boredom through destructive chewing and barking. If you work all day and cannot provide a canine playmate, this is not the breed for you.
- Providing enough socialization. Standoffish by nature, Tibetan Terriers need extensive exposure to people and to unusual sights and sounds so that their natural caution doesn't become suspiciousness or shyness, which are very difficult to live with.
| Tibetan Terrier puppies are NOT suited to small children, no matter how well-meaning the child. Children cannot help being clumsy, and that a child meant well is little solace to a Tibetan Terrier puppy who has been accidentally stepped on, sat on, rolled on, squeezed, or dropped onto the patio. Even Tibetan Terrier adults may feel overwhelmed by the loud voices and quick movements that children can't help making -- and stress and shyness (even defensive biting) may be the result. Finally, some Tibetan Terriers will not tolerate any nonsense and are quick to react to teasing or rough handling. |
- Stubbornness. Tibetan Terriers are not Golden Retrievers. They have an independent mind of their own and can be very stubborn and manipulative. You must show them, through absolute consistency, that you mean what you say.
| To teach your Tibetan Terrier to listen to you, "Respect Training" is mandatory. My Tibetan Terrier Training Page discusses the program you need. |
- Grooming. Without regular brushing, Tibetan Terriers become a matted mess. If you can't commit to the brushing, you have to commit to frequent trimming to keep the coat short, neat, and healthy.
Clipped Tibetan Terrier:
Ivor the Invincible
- Shedding. Tibetan Terriers definitely shed, though some of the shed hair gets caught in the long coat rather than ending up on your floor. Thus, frequent brushing is essential not only for keeping the coat mat-free, but for removing shed hair.
- "Shaggy dog syndrome." Like all shaggy dogs, the Tibetan Terrier is a messy dog. Leaves, mud, snow, fecal matter, and other debris cling to his coat and ends up all over your house. When he drinks, his beard absorbs water, which drips on your floors when he walks away. When he eats, his beard absorbs food so that when he sniffs your face or presses his head against your leg, YOU end up dirty, too. Shaggy dogs are not suited to fastidious housekeepers.
- Finding one and paying the price. Fewer than 700 new Tibetan Terrier puppies are registered each year. (Compare that to over 60,000 new Golden Retriever puppies.) And many breeders are charging $1000 and up.
| If you're considering an adult Tibetan Terrier... |
There are plenty of adult Tibetan Terriers who have already proven themselves NOT to have negative characteristics. If you find such an adult, don't let "typical breed negatives" worry you.
When you acquire a puppy, you're acquiring potential -- what he one day will be. So "typical breed characteristics" are very important. But when you acquire an adult, you're acquiring what he already IS.
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Copyright © 2000-2006 by Michele Welton. All rights reserved. No part of this website may be reproduced without the permission of the author. |
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