About the Tibetan Terrier
Tibetan Terriers are actually NOT terriers, despite the name. They are a herding dog doubling up as a watchdog for traders as they travelled through China. They were also watch dogs for the monasteries in Tibet, known as the "Holy Dogs of Tibet". Tibetan Terriers were never sold, only given as gifts by monks to promote good fortune. Recent DNA analysis has concluded that the Tibetan Terrier is descended from the most ancient dog breeds.
The male dogs are bigger than the girls (boys approx 10-14kgs, girls approx 7-10kgs).
They really are guard dogs along the lines of a miniature Old English Sheepdog. (Fernie tells me if there is someone passing even if it's not for me!)
They are very fit dogs and will surprise you as to how much they can do.
Grooming is very important-, If you decide to grow your dog's hair, you'll need to brush them every day as they get very matted. We keep Fernie short haired (puppy cut) and get her groomed every 8-10 weeks, and she still gets brushed every few days. One of main things people don't realise is, they don't shed!
Training
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 a Tibetan Terrier. Never use negative methods of training, as they will ignore you! 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 behaviour consistent and give your dog achievable objectives every day, your Tibetan Terrier will master the finer points of training.
To find out more about this special breed visit...
http://www.the-tta.org.uk/Tibetan_Terrier_Association/Welcome.html
