Lhasa Apso
The Lhasa Apso is a small long-coated dog from Tibet, where its standard says many live at high altitudes in a severe climate. Its heavy coat keeps it warm, and the hair over its eyes shields them from wind, dust and glare.
Lhasa Apso, Shih Tzu or Tibetan Terrier?
Dog 1. Lhasa Apso, Shih Tzu or Tibetan Terrier?
Photo: Thomon, CC BY-SA 4.0 Dog 2. Lhasa Apso, Shih Tzu or Tibetan Terrier?
Photo: Mr407SW, Public domain Dog 3. Lhasa Apso, Shih Tzu or Tibetan Terrier?
Photo: Elminjas at Dutch Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 When the first Lhasa Apsos reached Britain in the early 1920s, what were they called?
Where does the Lhasa Apso come from?
Tibet. Its breed standard says it comes from a land where many of these dogs live at high altitudes and the climate can be severe, so it has to be a hardy little dog, and that shaped how it looks. Its long, hard coat with a dense undercoat insulates it in winter, and the fall of hair over its eyes protects them from the wind, dust and glare.
It is one of several Eastern breeds to come to the West. The first Apsos arrived in Britain in the early 1920s and were being shown in London soon after. At first they were confused with other shaggy Oriental dogs, and all were labelled “Lhasa Terriers”. Later a distinction was made, especially from the Tibetan Terrier, which is thought to have been behind the early Apsos. A breed club for the Lhasa Apso was set up in Britain in 1933.
Lhasa Apso, Shih Tzu or Tibetan Terrier?
Three long-coated breeds with Tibetan roots, and the standards’ heights tell them apart best.
| Breed | Height at the shoulder | What else to look for |
|---|---|---|
| Shih Tzu | No more than 27 cm | Hair growing upward on the nose: the “chrysanthemum” face |
| Lhasa Apso | About 25 cm for a male; females slightly smaller | A long, heavy, hard coat falling over the eyes |
| Tibetan Terrier | 36 to 41 cm for a male; females slightly smaller | A sturdy, square, medium-sized herding dog, not a terrier |
More dogs from China and Tibet
All the Chinese and Tibetan breeds are on one page, with a round of their own.
Facts from the Lhasa Apso standard (No. 227), the Shih Tzu standard (No. 208) and the Tibetan Terrier standard (No. 209), all of 8 September 2026.