The Tibetan Spaniel originated in Tibet and was bred purely for companionship to people. They are thought to be a mixture of the Japanese chin, Pug and Pekingese which gives them their pushed in face, coiled tail and compact body.

This breed is a loyal, outgoing and devoted dog that needs a large amount of attention from their owners. They are responsive, clever and will be a bit harder to train as they can be stubborn, so will need an owner who is patient and consistent. The Tibetan Spaniel will make great family pets because they interact very well with children and will get along well with other dogs and family pets.

The Tibetan Spaniel is a short, fine boned little dog that is delicate and dainty. They have a pushed in face with a very short muzzle, giving them a high resemblance to the Pekingese. Their legs are short yet toned and they have a coiled tail that touches their lower back. These dogs have medium sized floppy ears and small rounded paws that are stuffed with fur!

The Tibetan Spaniel will be a variety of colours and markings such as red, black & tan, fawn, black, light blonde, and white. Most commonly seen is the red or light blonde but all are accepted in the show ring.

This breed has a fine, silky coat that is soft to the touch. It hangs loosely off the dog and should not be curly or wavy. They will need weekly brushing to remove the dead coat but this will be a very minimal amount to be done.

The Tibetan Spaniel is an excellent companion breed and will be very defensive of their territory and owners. They will be more weary around people they’ve never met but will warm up after a few meetings. These dogs are notoriously good with children as they are light hearted and love to play. The Tibetan Spaniel, despite their size will make a great watchdog because they have a loud, shrill bark that will be sure to alert the household!

This breed will need a firm hand when training because they can have a “my way or the highway” attitude at times. They are a joy to own and will just need more repetition and consistency during training to allow them to grasp the concepts of obedience or little tricks.

The Tibetan Spaniel will need a minimal amount of grooming to upkeep their coat. Brushing once per week and bathing every 1-2 months will be perfect to keep them looking neat and clean. This breed might be prone to breathing difficulties (due to their pushed inwards face) but they are generally a healthy breed not prone to many inherited diseases.

The Tibetan Spaniel is a stubborn little dog that will need an owner who is patient and can be clear with commands. Training lessons that are kept short and are made to be enjoyable will definitely help this breed out and will enable them to understand the commands much quicker. Consistency and repetition are the keys and as long as the owner is firm, they will pick up obedience in no time!

The Tibetan Spaniel will need about a half an hour of exercise per day to tire them out. A trip to an off-leash dog park or a walk will be perfect for this breed. Time spent running around chasing a ball or playing with other dogs will be much more efficient because these dogs love to run and will burn their energy much quicker doing so. The Tibetan Spaniel will do well in an apartment and won’t need a backyard but access to one would be a bonus.