Tibetan Kyi Apso

The Tibetan Kyi Apso is a breed of livestock guardian dog from Tibet.

Tibetan Kyi Apso
OriginTibet (China)
Breed statusNot recognised as a breed by any major kennel club.
Traits
Height 63–71 cm (25–28 in)
Weight 32–41 kg (71–90 lb)
Coat Heavy double coat
Colour Usually black with pale extremities
Life span ≈ 12 years
Dog (domestic dog)

Description

When compared to the Tibetan Mastiff, the Tibetan Kyi Apso has a lighter, shaggier appearance; the breed has a bearded muzzle without sagging dewlaps, no excessive facial wrinkles, long hairy ears, comparatively long legs, a more slender body and a fully curled tail.[1][2][3][4] The breed typically stands between 63 and 71 centimetres (25 and 28 in) tall and weighs between 32 and 41 kilograms (71 and 90 lb), the long double coat is usually black with lighter coloured extremities, although other colours are seen including greys, browns, reds and tans.[1][2][3]

An athletic breed, the Tibetan Kyi Apso has a distinctive rolling, bouncy trot and a deep resonant bark.[3] The breed is considered independent, highly intelligent, alert and energetic; it is particularly stubborn and territorial, is instinctively weary of strangers and aggressive towards intruders.[3]

History

The Tibetan Kyi Apso's traditional range is on the Tibetan Plateau near Mount Kailash, it is said the breed has been present in its home range since antiquity.[1][2][3] In its home range the breed was traditionally kept to protect livestock from predators as well as to guard their master's homes and settlements.[1][2][3] The breed's Pashmina has traditionally been saved and used to weave small carpets.[4]

The breed was unknown to the west before 1937 when an example belonging to the 13th Dalai Lama was photographed by Mrs Eric Bailey, the wife of a British diplomat attached to the British Diplomatic Mission in Lhasa.[3] In the 1970s American field workers operating in North-West Nepal observed some in the possession of traders, in subsequent years different American field workers managed to acquire two puppies in the vicinity of Mount Kailash although it was not until the 1990s when six specimins were smuggled out of Tibet to the United States and a breed club was formed.[2][3]

See also

References
  1. Alderton, David (2008). The encyclopedia of dogs. Bath: Parragon Books Ltd. p. 369. ISBN 978-1-4454-0853-8.
  2. Fogle, Bruce (2009). The encyclopedia of the dog. New York: DK Publishing. p. 255. ISBN 978-0-7566-6004-8.
  3. Morris, Desmond (2001). Dogs: the ultimate guide to over 1,000 dog breeds. North Pomfret, VT: Trafalgar Square Publishing. pp. 625–626. ISBN 1-57076-219-8.
  4. Messerchmidt, Don (2010). Big dogs of Tibet and the Himalayas: a personal journey. Hong Kong: Orchid Press. ISBN 978-974-524-130-5.
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