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Dogs origin
We know well the breed which is raised for years but it
doesn't mean that we can speak about it. This little lion dog with penetrating
eyes, was quiet but attentive witness of many centuries. For a long time it
lived in the country of Budda and became filled up with charm and majesty.
Thanks to it, the sanctity appears in our life, making it less banal. And
this is the quality of these little creatures, the divine origin. Lhasa apso
lets contemporary people living in crazy world, find the legend and the history:
"the lion ghost" of the god shows itself in this "lion dog".
Whenever I speak about the country of Budda, I have Tibet on my mind. When
Dalai Lama visited the empire of Mandchou in 1635, this little dog became so
popular that people saw in it the symbol of buddish religion. This fact had an
impact on the history of the breed and its spread. Since forever, considerating
religion conviction, people from Tibet had a great respect for animals. Lhasa
apso was the object of peculiar attention: whoever killed or harmed it, was
punished.
We cannot talk about lhasa apso without talking about Dalai Lama. Durin
his travels or escapes, the Tibetian spiritual leader always had his faithful
companions by his side. Gordon Enders, XX - century English historian, describes
his first meeting with Lama Pakan and his Lhasa: "these dogs have a graet
religious meaning for Lama they are living legendary symbols. They remind about
a day, when Budda, lost in the forest, was saved by the lions. Because in
Tibet there were no lions, the Tibetian monks created this dog - an animal
similar to the king of the animals. After many centuries of efforts, they
created Fukao ("Budda dog")."
"When they created and consolidated the race they reserved it for grat
Lama These leonine dogs were always accompanying Lama Pankan. Lo, the first
religious minister, was supposed to look after them ".
"...Invited by Lo, I was trying to acquaint myself with Their Heights,
lying on the armchair. Male, white-red-haired, clawed the ear and he expressed
satisfaction moving its tail...But female, whole black, approached me, sniffed
me, and after she went away with the wild glance to her hiding. She didn't want
to get involve with me.Sniffing me was enough"
The Tibetan people are given a great psychological strength. They are brave,
they control emotions, they are independent, fortunate, courteous, disposable
for their friends but they keep distance towards other people. If we assume,
that lhasa apso is Tibetan people's full reflection we will understand better
his features of his character. Lhasa has a lot of skills. The dog for company
also can give a lot of satisfaction during exhibitions. He is capable to do
a lot of tricks, but it also is a wonderful guard dog (in limits of the posibilities
of its height). He loves his master, he is devoted to him, he gives a lot of
happiness to him and he watches over him what isn't very frequent in case of
dogs of this size. Lhasa feels well everywhere. It can live in tight spaces;
its rationally diminished measurements and the distanced character make it
discreet and pleasant companion.
It learns rules of hygiene fast so it is appreciated household member.
Anybody living in the countryside is able to appreciate its resistance and the
temperament, the advantages which aren't possible to underestimate. Lhasa apso
is the good companion during walks in fields or in the mountains because he
endures well both heat, cold and fatigue. Whenever it lives, in the town or
in the countryside, it loves its master. This love will be enough to forget
about possible problems with the acclimatization because its environment is
of secondary importance.
Religious origin
 Lhasa apso is the dog which origin
looses itself in the time of night. It was born in the heart of the mountains
and on uplands of Tibet. Its history is connected with Tibetan people's
mysterious history.
Tibet is the remote Asian country where mountains follow high uplands.
Extreme climatic conditions dominate there: wind and low temperatures in winters,
unbearable heat in summers during the day, but nights are cold. These changes
of temperatures and the height are the reasons for difficulties with breathing
which tourists complain about. It is because the severe Tibetan climate lhasa
is even today resistant and healthy dog, and its organism is able to endure
severe winters, different temperatures, long marches on various routes. So its
psychological strength is comparable with physical. Lhasa apso is given with
great strength of the character, the strong temperament and nerves from steel.
Its race is very old, so there isn't much information about its origin. It
official shows up in 1990 in the United Kingdom, in 1920 in Canada and in 1930
in the United States of America. France had to wait till 1960 when Mlle Violette
Dupon set up The Club of Dogs of the Tibet.
As we know the race comes from Tibet - country isolated for a long time from
neighbours because of its unavailable shaping of the area and the severe climate.
The Anglo-Saxon expeditions were first to reveal secrets of this place. The
geography of Tibet explains partly our little knowledge about lhasa apso. The
Tibetan religion was, like today, Buddhism or rather one of its particular forms.
History of these small dogs with long hair is inseparable from history of this
religion. In order to understand the lhasa nature better, to appreciate more
its advantages, why not stay under its charm; it will be sufficient to acquaint
with the world which it comes from.
Lhasa and the religion
According to the Tibetan Buddhism, souls of the dead people
are subordinated to the reincarnation into animals and lhasa apso is considered
to be the saint animal. Some lhasa lived at homes where they were treated as
members of the family, other lived in temples and were participating in the
religious life. They weren't able to be bought or sold. They were only able
to be offered as talismans of luck for persons of the high rank. It is often
possible to read that some dog's races were given to dignitaries. From the
beginning, in all countries, dogs have always been the gifts from or for ladies
from the aristocracy or members of the mansion. As the proof we have innumerable
certifications from ancient Saluckis from Persia, from the Medicis mansion
or the princes of the East.
Dogs have the soul, according to the Buddhism, so we are able to understand
them and to create the true "spiritual community". Everything is shown in the
doctrine of the reincarnation: at the certain moment of the life, the person's
spirit is able to get into the body of the dog. So it is obvious why Tibetan
people loves lhasa apso. These dogs enjoy freedom because they are considered
to be the kind of the medium between the terrestrial and heavenly world. Precise
bonds linking the race to the religion gave rise to the legend which sketches
the origin of lhasa apso. This dog stayed close to Dalai Lama in the temple.
It also was the guard and for the smallest noise, with its resounding voice,
it was waking the ones who were supposed to defend the sanctum up.
Like other Asian races lhasa apso links sacrum with profanum, being the symbol
- the talisman of luck. The Tibetian people make attention to these dogs like
they did in the past. At homes and in the streets, in the capital and small
mountain villages, lhasa apso wander without a hitch. Even respect is shown to
them.
Lhasa was also known under the name "apso seng kyi" (the guard dog with the
roar of the lion), because it was signalling the intruder's coming with
resounding barking. This definition characterises perfectly lhasa apso, from
the morphological and psychological point of view.
The dog is an animal most devoted to the men and lhasa isn't the exception
here. The lion , with a great head and mane, stands out in the realm of animals.
From all dogs, lhasa is the one most reminding " the king of animals", because
its energy, the lofty position of the head and long, glittering hair. The
comparison to the guard isn't random also: vigilant look and the resounding
warning in case of the smallest noise. It is the best guard because of its
eagerness and careful observations.
Englishmen were the first importer of Lhasa apso to Europe. Lhasa showed up
on exhibitions from 1908. Englishmen were first who really bred this race so
English Kennel Club is the caring club today. This club determines standards
and possible modifications (ancient or future) dictated with the evolution of
the race.
The official history of the race has been introduced so far. However in Venice
there is an image of the dog called "lion" and it is very similar to lhasa apso.
This image is produced by people who deliver forms to themselves from the
generation to generation. It is necessary to point out that it is the only dog
represented by Venetian artists. It isn't possible to confirm that it is the
symbol of the town but it is funny that it isn't the coincidence as the lion
is the symbol of the Venice. Having considered that lhasa apso (as the dog)
is produced by Venetian artists, there has to be an association between these
two symbols. It is possible to imagine, that Marco Polo brought from the East
a few of these dogs with so long hair, that the Venetians decided to rais them
because they were pleasing and original. These small dogs became so popular,
that it was decided to make small dog statuettes. However it is only a beautiful
story, told by Venetian artists. There are no documents confirming that Italians
were the first who introduced lhasa apso to Europe and it is the great damage
to them because they would be happy if it was truth..
The evolution of the race
Originally "lhasa-terrier" was the name for all dogs born
and raised in the region between India, China, Siberia, Mongolia and Sinkiang.
Because of severe winters in Tibet, dogs from this region have got long, thick
hair what is an ideal protection from changes of weather. So various Tibetan
races had one, but how important, common feature: hair. However they did not
live in the same places and they weren't fulfilling the same functions. Under
the influence of foreign people (e.g. Englishmen) and the natural selection,
the one ancestor gradually gave the birth to how many races: lhasa apso,
shih-tzu, the Tibetan terrier. The geographical position and climatic conditions
certainly had main influence for showing up the other race but we cannot
underestimate the influence of Tibetan people. The Himalayas create the
impassable barrier responsible for isolation of the country. Not many lhasa
were bred during ages and their characteristic features were able to be kept.
As soon as the communication with high Tibetan uplands was possible, the
exchanges between people started and the extension of Tibetan dogs was also
possible. Various races with various features appeared. Lhasa apso and
shih-tzu have different character and morphology. The first one have thick
structure of the bonesand the flat skull. Because of the skill of utilizing
oxygen at the big heights, they were able to adapt themselves to unfriendly
conditions. The other one have lighter bones and the convex skull, because they
were livingin more friendly areas. Let us not forget about their various
characters: lhasa is more distanced, shih-tzu is more social. It is necessary
in the end to mark dissimilarities in the stature between four Tibetan races
with small sizes (Tibetan mastif is a separate case because of its height and
function). One of them, the Tibetan terrier, characterized itself with long
paws. It must be the reason for choosing these dogs for convoying caravans of
nomads who were moving without break over hostile and comprehensive
territories.
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