Breeds / Toy
Tibetan Spaniel puppies
Self possessed, clever and affectionate with their own household, the Tibetan Spaniel is a small Himalayan watchdog that keeps a habit of finding a high place to sit and observe.
The facts
- Size class Toy
- Country of origin Tibet (China)
- Adult weight 4.1 to 6.8 kg
- Adult weight in pounds 9 to 15 lb
- Adult height 25 cm
- Energy level Moderate
- Grooming Moderate
- Coat type Medium double
- Shedding Moderate
- Typical lifespan 12 to 15 years
- Good with children Reliably good
- Good with other dogs Fine with supervision
About the Tibetan Spaniel
The Tibetan Spaniel was kept in Himalayan monasteries as a companion and a lookout, sitting up on the walls to watch the approaches and alert the larger guarding dogs. Despite the name, they have no spaniel ancestry. This is a small, slightly long bodied dog of about 25 cm and 4.1 to 6.8 kg, with a silky medium coat, a mane around the neck and a plumed tail. Tibbies are self possessed and clever, warm with their own people and politely uninterested in strangers.
A daily walk plus play covers the exercise, and they manage longer outings than their size suggests. Grooming is a regular brush with particular attention behind the ears, where the coat mats, and they can shed at any time of year. Training works through persuasion, since a Tibbie decides for themselves whether cooperating is worthwhile. They still want a high vantage point and will bark at what they see from it. Owners often let them leap down from furniture, which is hard on a small, long backed dog.
What to expect at eight weeks
At eight weeks a Tibetan Spaniel puppy is sleeping around 18 to 20 hours a day, is not house trained, and cannot hold on for more than an hour or two at a stretch. A toy breed puppy at eight weeks is small enough to be genuinely fragile. They can be hurt by a jump off a sofa and by being stepped on, and toy breeds are prone to low blood sugar, so they need frequent small meals rather than two big ones. Expect moderate energy, in short bursts separated by long naps. Grooming needs are moderate, so build the brushing habit now while the coat is still short and easy. The socialisation window is open and closing: everything they meet calmly now, from vacuum cleaners to men in hats, is easier for the rest of their life.
Health worth knowing about
Conditions this breed is reported to be predisposed to. Predisposed does not mean inevitable, it means ask about it.
- Progressive retinal atrophy, detectable by DNA test on both parents
- Cherry eye, a prolapsed third eyelid gland, usually corrected surgically
- Patellar luxation, graded by a veterinary orthopaedic exam
- Portosystemic liver shunt, which puppies should be blood tested for before leaving the breeder
Your Tibetan Spaniel puppy's first six months
- Vaccination schedule, dated for your country.
- Worming and parasite schedule.
- Feeding calculator. Set expected adult size to Toy for a Tibetan Spaniel.
- Adult size predictor, to check growth against the 4.1 to 6.8 kg adult range.
- Puppy names and the first week checklist.
Kit sizes: crate 24 inch (24 x 18 x 20 in, 61 x 46 x 51 cm) for an adult of up to 6.8 kg; chew toys made for small breeds. Worked out the same way as the crate size calculator. PetMD bases a crate on the dog's own measurements, not weight or breed alone, so measure once the puppy is home.
Buying guides for this
Other toy breeds
More on the Tibetan Spaniel
Previous: Tibetan Mastiff · Next: Tibetan Terrier
Not veterinary advice. Breed information is general. Your own dog, and your own vet, always win.
Sources
- akc.org for adult weight and height, life expectancy, energy, grooming, shedding and the temperament ratings, coat type and health notes
- fci.be for country of origin
- Health notes from Tibetan Spaniel breed information at https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/tibetan-spaniel/. Discuss any of these with your own vet.
Photo: MBOE3, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped. All photographers are listed on the photo credits page.