Tibetan Terrier Dog Breed Characteristic, Daily and Care Facts

Overall Status

Height 14 to 17 inches at the shoulder

Temperament Affectionate, Loyal, Sensitive

Weight 20 to 24 pounds

Life Expectancy 12 to 15 years

Coat Color Black, Gray, Silver, White

Barking Level Medium

Quick Factors

Playfulness
Dog Friendly
Exercise Need
Grooming Needs
Strangers Friendly
Family Affectionate

Daily Care

Grooming Tips

The Tibetan Terrier’s heavy double coat must bebrushedonce or twice a week to keep it in good shape. Tools you’ll need are a high-quality pin brush, a slicker brush for removing small mats, and a stainless steelGreyhoundcomb. Thoroughly brush small sections at a time. Brushing is important because it removes loose hair that would otherwise form mats.

As you brush, spray the coat with a mixture of water and a small amount of coat conditioner to reduce static electricity — you don’t want to shock him — and prevent the hair from breaking. Start at the front feet and work your way up and then back, ending with the tail. Be sure to brush in the same direction the coat grows.

Look formatsor tangles in the area where the leg joins the body and behind the ears. Both are common places for them to form.Combthem out before they get bad, or just trim the hair in the legpits to reduce the chance that they will form (don’t do this if you plan to show your TT).

You can bathe your Tibetan Terrier every seven to 10 days if you want. Brushing and bathing him frequently not only keeps his coat clean, but it also helps it to look nice and grow well.

The rest is basic care. Trim the nails as needed, usually every week or two. Keep the hanging ears clean and dry. Brush the teeth frequently with a vet-approved pet toothpaste for good overall health and fresh breath.

Exercise Tips

No matter where you live, your Tibetan Terrier needs to get some form of daily exercise. One walk a day isn’t sufficient for this breed – it needs to get out at least twice a day.

It really comes in handy if you have a large, secure yard your dog can run around in. the important thing to remember is that your Tibetan Terrier needs to release its pent up energy, otherwise it may become destructive

While walking your Tibetan Terrier, make sure it is always on a leash. Thanks to this dog’s mischievous streak, it may try to escape and explore the great outdoors. And if you chase after it, it’s all a big game to this pooch.

Feeding Tips

The Tibetan Terrier requires a quality diet that is going to provide the nutrition that it needs, whether it’s commercial dog food or a homemade diet. The first ingredient should always be protein, not byproducts. As well, it should include vitamins and minerals, carbohydrates, and fatty acids.These standards are usually met byhigh-quality dry food for dogs, which offers complete nutrition in a convenient form. For a Tibetan Terrier, choose kibble that suits their age (puppy, adult, senior) size, and activity levels.

As long as their diet is based on high-grade ingredients and offers all the nutrients they need, Tibetan Terriers won’t need much food to thrive. For a dog of their size, most manufacturers recommend feeding about 2 cups of kibble, but the exact amount will vary. Stick to the feeding guide from the bag, as these dogs can become obese in no time- and that could influence their health.

Health Tips

The average life span of the Tibetan Terrier is 12 to 15 years. Breed health concerns may include canine neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (NCL),cataracts,diabetes mellitus,glaucoma,hip dysplasia,hypothyroidism, patellar luxation, primary lens luxation, retinal dysplasia andprogressive retinal atrophy.

Trainability

Because it is intelligent, Tibetan Terriers are an ideal breed for training. But make sure you know what you’re doing, as the dog may use its smarts to get the upper hand and train you instead.

There are a few things in mind when training this breed. Never use negative methods of training, as Tibetan Terriers will ignore you or rebel against the negative methods of training without modifying its behavior. You should use positive methods of training, such as treats, affection and play in order to teach obedience.

For training to be successful, you’ll also have to be completely consistent throughout the process. Make sure that your Tibetan Terrier knows what it has to do in order to be rewarded, and don’t let your dog sucker you into giving it a reward without doing the work. When you keep your behavior consistent and give your dog achievable objectives every day, your Tibetan Terrier will master the finer points of training.

History

The Tibetan Terrier might well be called the original high plains drifter. He was raised in monasteries by Tibetan lamas, or monks, and traveled the high plateaus of his mountainous country, guarding the tents and herding the flocks of nomadic people. Known as Holy Dogs because of their origins in the lamaseries, the shaggy dogs were never sold, only given as gifts in return for favors or as a mark of esteem.

One of the lucky people to receive a Tibetan Terrier as a gift was a British doctor practicing in India. Her name was Agnes R. H. Greig, and she was given a female puppy by the grateful family of a patient. Greig named the puppy Bunti, acquired a male, and bred a litter. Thedogsdid not have a breed name as such, so the British decided to call them Tibetan Terriers, despite the fact that they bore no relationship to Terriers at all.

The Kennel Club of India wrote a breed standard for the dogs in 1930. The Kennel Club in England began registering the dogs seven years later. Greig returned to England and established the Lamleh line of Tibetan Terriers. The American Kennel Club recognized the breed in 1973. The TT ranks 90th among the breeds registered by the AKC, the same position it held a decade ago.