Edited with
permission by Robin Stamm of
Callisto Tibetan Terriers
Q1.What
is the temperament of a Tibetan Terrier?
Q2.Are
Tibetans good with children?
Q3.How
do they get along with other animals?
Q4.How
much exercise does a Tibetan require?
Q5.Are
they easy to train?
Q6.What
health problems do they have?
Q7.How
big do they get?
Q8.Sounds
like Tibetans are for everyone?
Q9.Are
all Tibetans black and white?
Q10.Do
they shed?
Q11.How
much grooming do they require?
Q12.Should
I get a puppy or an adult?
Q13.This
will be my first Tibetan. Should I get a male or a female?
Q14.How
long do they live?
Tibetan
Terriers are not terriers. They do not “go to ground”. They were
not bred to hunt vermin. The first Tibetans were brought to
England in the 1930’s by Dr. Grieg,
a missionary doctor in India. Another Tibetan breed had already
been established in England as a Lhasa
Terrier (today’s Lhasa
Apso).
Hence this new Tibetan breed with longer legs, like many of the
English terrier breeds, was christened the Tibetan
Terrier. Many of us simply call these
“little people in furry suits"... TTs.
TTs, especially the girls, have a
very well developed sense of “self”. Each one is a unique
individual and proud of it. They can be aloof and wary with strangers. You
may not immediately become a Tibetan’s best friend. One has to
earn a Tibetan’s love and respect. Treat them with the love and
respect and you will have a devoted companion for life! With their family and friends
they are loving and affectionate. They are extremely empathetic
and uncannily in tune with their people. They
are charming, perpetual two year olds. Their curiosity is
endless. You have heard the old saying ”Curiosity
killed the cat.”? Well it picked up a TT along the way!!!!!!!
They can be a bit stubborn. If you don’t
want them to do something as an adult; don’t allow them
to do it as an adorable puppy. They require continuing
socialization and firm, loving guidance from the day they walk
into your heart. Early training is a must. Puppy Kindergarten
classes are strongly recommended as a family activity as soon as
possible after acquiring your puppy. Continuing with beginner’s
Obedience classes is a great idea. You will be rewarded with a
charming, well-behaved (well mostly,
they are perpetual two year olds!) companion who will make you
laugh when you are sad; keep you company when you are sick; sing
and dance with you when you are happy and love you
unconditionally!
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Tibetans
are good with good children who are gentle and respect them.
They will not endure unkind treatment stoically as a Golden
Retriever or a Labrador might. Young children and dogs should
always be supervised. Do not get a Tibetan because your child
wants a dog and fell in love with their shaggy cuteness. Bring a
Tibetan into your home only if you want to make him a member of
your family.
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Well-socialized Tibetans get along well with other animals. They
do well with other dogs especially if they are exposed to many
different dogs from an early age. They
do fine with cats when they are raised with
them. That
is not to say that they won’t chase them occasionally just for a
little exercise!
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As much as
you are able to give them! Tibetans are very flexible in their
exercise needs. As puppies they can be very active. They love to
run and jump and climb, but due to their medium size they can
get enough exercise with a couple walks a day and a few laps
around the coffee table in bad weather. A fenced in yard is not
a necessity, but certainly nice to have. Never allow a Tibetan
off leash in an unfenced area! It is a recipe for disaster.
Remember how curious they are! Tibetans are very athletic and
will love to join you in many activities. If you take your TT
swimming, be very watchful. Keep in mind all the hair they
have, once wet it can easily weigh them down making it very
difficult to swim!!!!
However, they adore snow! They will even make puppy snow angels.
You may have a hard time getting them back in the house.
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Tibetans
are smart, very smart; but they don’t always make the best
obedience dogs for AKC Obedience titles. Rally is more suited to
their WIIFM (What’s in it for me?)
mentality. They like the more relaxed and flexible training. You
need to have a good sense of humor to train a Tibetan. They bore
easily with repetition (I did it twice
already now teach me something else!). Positive reinforcement is
the only way to train a TT. Harsh corrections will only make
them more resistant to training.
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Hip
Displaysia may occur in Tibetans as
well as several eye problems such as Juvenile Cataracts, Lens
Luxation and Progressive Retinal
Atrophy. The reputable breeder will have their dogs’ hips
x-rayed to rule out hip displaysia.
A certified veterinary ophthalmologist must examine eyes yearly.
No breeder can guarantee a puppy to be free of hip
displaysia or future eye problems,
but can significantly lessen the odds by performing these
examinations on all their dogs prior to breeding. Overall
Tibetans are a very healthy, hearty breed.
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The
standard calls for a medium size dog; 14 to 17 inches high at
the top of the shoulder and 18 to 30 pounds. Most fall between
20 and 25 pounds. They are a great take anywhere dog that can
easily be picked up and carried by an adult if necessary.
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Tibetans
are NOT for everyone. Tibetans are not push button dogs. Just
because they look like a stuffed animal does not mean you get to
put them on a shelf and then take them out to play whenever you
have time. Tibetans are very social and will not understand why
they are being ignored; it will be viewed as a form of punishment
to them. They need
socialization and training and firm, loving guidence. They
need to be part of the family. They need weekly grooming, and
daily walks or playtime in a fenced yard or safe area. They need some of your
time every day. If this doesn’t sound unreasonable to you then I
have one more drawback of allowing a Tibetan into your heart and
home……. Tibetans are like potato chips. You can’t imagine just
having one!!!!!!
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Absolutely
not! Tibetans come in all colors and all color combinations. All Tibetan colors are beautiful!
Never choose your Tibetan based on the color of their coat.
Their coloring as a puppy may not be the same as their coloring
as an adult. Personality and temperament are much more
important when it comes to your companion!
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All dogs
shed to some degree, but TTs are a
double coated breed with human like hair, not fur. They do not
go through a seasonal shed and they do not have a “doggy” odor.
People with allergies usually do quite well with a Tibetan in
the house. We have placed several puppies in households with
allergy sufferers and all involved are doing well!
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Not as
much as you may think. You do not need any expensive scissors or
fancy clippers or special training to groom a TT. Up to 7 to 9
months old TTs have a soft single
coat. A weekly bath and a few minutes with a soft brush plus
nail cutting and ear cleaning will keep your puppy looking
like a teddy bear. At about 9 months they start to “blow” their
puppy coat as their adult coat and undercoat comes in. This
takes 3 to 6 months. A weekly bath and thorough brushing twice a
week with a slicker brush and/or a pin brush will get you
through this stage. Once your TT is in adult coat, a bath and an
hour of brushing weekly will keep that wonderful shaggy coat
looking great. Not too big a price to pay. After all, that
shaggy coat is part of what attracted you to the Tibetan in the
first place! If the coat transition becomes to tough to handle a
good groomer can put your puppy in an easy care “puppy cut” that
will keep your TT looking like a 7
month old puppy all his life. Even when kept in a puppy cut,
your TT will still require some brushing in order to keep mats
from forming. A badly matted dog will end up being shaved
very close to the skin and may not look like the TT you are
familiar with.
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It depends
on your circumstances and life style. A puppy under 5 or 6
months old is a lot of work. There is housetraining, leash
training, socializing, teething, multiple vet visits and 3 meals
a day. If you have the time to commit; raising a puppy from 10
weeks old is a wonderful experience. If it is more than you
think you can handle an older puppy or an adult may be a better
choice. Breeders sometimes decide to sell a puppy over 6 months
old that they had planned to keep. Expect to pay a little more
for these older puppies that have had all their inoculations and
a good bit of training already. From time to time older dogs
retired from a breeding program may become available.
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In general
I personally have found the males to be more
easy going and affectionate. For someone who has never
trained a dog before I usually recommend a male as they are not
quite as opinionated as a female and are easier to train. Once
you have your Tibetan neutered/spayed around 6 months of age,
the sexual behaviors will not come into play.
More important than the sex of your puppy is
its personality and temperament. Your breeder will know
their puppies’ personality and temperament and will be careful
to make a good match for you. Trust your breeder to make the
decision for you.
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Never, never long enough,
Plan on enjoying your Tibetan for a good 13 - 18 years.
Yearly check-ups, a good quality food and a fair amount of
exercise will help keep your TT in tip top health.
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