It
is difficult to generalize about any particular Lhasa Apso, as
they are all individuals. However, as a breed they are known
to be challenging. They will generally use any opportunity to try and
take over and run a household. They are thus safest in the hands of
those experienced with the breed.
Most of them also do not do well with children (not that you
have that situation - but for the information). That is often because
American children are not well bred and they scream and yell and run
and corner the dog (in which case an Apso would almost surely bite, and
then the dog would get a death sentence. If they themselves do not,
they often find friends who do, and the eventual result is a bite and a
bad outcome for the dog).
I've had Apsos for over 30 years (pet owner) and I can tell
you that they can be difficult. They are very bright dogs; the owner
has to be brighter and more in control (more alpha) than the dog. This
is never accomplished by force or punishment, as these dogs totally do
not take that kind of treatment without fighting back (it doesn't
work!). They need to be out-thought essentially - cleverness and
consistency as opposed to punishment and force.
I have not perhaps gone back to the first post here, but my
question to you would be why a Lhasa Apso as opposed to the many other
breeds out there? I hope it has nothing to do with their looks, as
character, personality, and temperament far outweight whatever a dog
looks like. Grooming is quite a challenge often as well with this breed
(it requires regular baths and grooming them through thoroughly, and
most people find that to be a bit much; it is
significantly more difficult than with other breeds ).
A puppy is especially an unknown. There basically is no way
to know how a relationship will turn out. They are cute, but that is
not relevant. They are little brains that are learning to manipulate at
the same time. When they become adolescents, they learn to test you and
to challenge you, and one can find oneself at their wit's end and you
have a problem that you did not see forming on your hands.
Thinking of them as cute and hairy can be a real downfall, as
they are very much more than that - and the rest of the package can be
quite a handful. If you then end up with a dog who is past adolescence,
and the dog has managed to become a problem dog, the dog's adoptability
has been compromised because of age and the new behaviors they have
acquired, and my concern is always for the dog first...
Generally they do best in experienced hands, with some
exceptions of particularly confident personalities who are excellent
leaders and have some solid experience with dogs. It also helps to have
people who are sensitive and have a good understanding of the behavior
of other species. Dogs are by no means hairy little people equivalents
and people often want to think of them as cute without understanding
their complexity. Then they find themselves bamboozled when the dog
runs the household. This is especially a big risk with Lhasa Apsos, so
my question about would be - why this particular breed?
Ingrid