Tibetan Spaniel

About the breed

The Tibetan Spaniel is a small, lively companion dog from Tibet: the FCI standard gives about 25.4 cm at the withers and an ideal weight of 4.1–6.8 kg. Despite the name it is not a gundog. The FCI places it in Group 9 (companion and toy dogs), Section 5 (Tibetan breeds), with the utilisation "companion dog" and no working trial.

Breed-club sources describe a dog that still likes to keep watch from a high spot and barks to announce anything unusual, while staying independent and aloof with strangers. Each claim below names its source: the FCI, the UK Kennel Club (KC), the American Kennel Club (AKC) or a breed club.

A spaniel that is not a spaniel

The Tibetan Spaniel is not a gundog, whatever its name suggests. FCI Standard No. 231 lists the utilisation as companion dog and places the breed in Group 9 without a working trial. The Kennel Club explains that early European visitors to Tibet likened the dogs to a toy spaniel, and the club later adopted the name. The AKC says it is not a spaniel in the Western sense of a Cocker or a Cavalier.

From Tibetan monasteries to British show rings

The Kennel Club writes that the breed was favoured by Tibetan monks as companions and watchdogs and was often found alongside Lhasa Apsos in the monasteries. The AKC adds that the monks kept the dogs mainly for company and also as watchdogs alongside the sturdier Tibetan Mastiff, scanning the horizon from monastery walls. The UK Tibetan Spaniel Association (TSA) notes that the dogs could not be bought from the monks but were given as valued gifts to esteemed friends. These are accounts from kennel organisations, not archive-verified history.

According to the Kennel Club the first Tibetan Spaniels reached Britain in late Victorian times, but the breed became numerous only after the Second World War; the Tibetan Spaniel Association was formed in 1957. The FCI gives the country of origin as Tibet (China).

Size under the FCI standard: 25 cm and up to 6.8 kg

The FCI standard gives the height at the withers as about 25.4 cm (10 in) and the ideal weight as 4.1–6.8 kg (9–15 lb). The British standard says about 25 cm and an ideal 4–7 kg, and the KC adds that an individual dog may differ from these measurements. The body is slightly longer than the height at the withers.

Mane, plume and hare feet

The standard describes a silky topcoat of moderate length lying rather flat, a fine, dense undercoat, smooth hair on the face and front legs, and a mane or "shawl" of longer hair on the neck, more pronounced in dogs than in bitches. The ears are pendant and well feathered, and the tail is set high, richly plumed and carried in a curl over the back on the move. The muzzle is medium in length, blunt and free from wrinkle, with the lower jaw slightly forward. The feet are hare feet, small and neat, with feathering between the toes that often extends beyond the foot; round cat feet are undesirable.

Colour: the FCI allows all colours and mixtures, while the British standard expressly excludes merle. The KC lists black, black and tan, cream, gold, red, sable and white among the accepted colours, so dogs can look quite different.

Temperament: sociable but not obedient

The FCI standard calls the breed cheerful and assertive, highly intelligent, aloof with strangers, alert, loyal but independent. The TSA fills in the picture: the dog is aloof at first but accepts people once familiar, has a strong streak of individuality and cooperates when it chooses to. The club adds that the breed flourishes with constant human contact; the standard lists aggressive or overly shy dogs as disqualifying faults.

The window-sill sentry: watching and barking

The Tibetan Spaniel is a lookout with an alarm bark, not a security guard. The TSA writes that in the monasteries it warned of visitors by barking, that the breed keeps this trait and often climbs to a window sill or other lookout. It is not a guard dog and must never show aggression or bite. The same club says it barks at an unusual noise or the post arriving, sometimes in play, but is not a yappy dog; the AKC rates barking 3 and watchdog nature 4 on a five-point scale.

Flat, garden and hours alone

Living in a flat is workable if the dog gets company and exercise. The Kennel Club lists a flat or apartment for the size of home and a small to medium garden. The limits are barking neighbours can hear and time alone: the TSA writes that the dog should not be left alone for long, though it can manage a few hours once used to it. A garden must be securely fenced, because according to the TSA the dog can and will climb or dig its way out of an average fence, and it also likes to dig.

Children, other dogs and first-time owners

The Tibetan Spaniel can be a good companion for children, but with conditions. The TSA writes that the breed loves children, adding that no young child should be left unattended with a dog and that the dog must always have a place to retire to. With a dog this small, rules for children matter even more. The TSA describes it as generally good natured with other friendly dogs; for cats and small animals the sources used give no data, so introduce them carefully.

As a first dog the breed makes sense only if the owner accepts an independent character: the TSA advises against it for anyone who wants instant obedience.

Exercise: up to an hour a day, but on a lead

The Kennel Club gives up to one hour of exercise a day for the Tibetan Spaniel, and the AKC rates energy 3 out of 5. The TSA is more flexible: an adult dog is happy with a 30-minute run around the block or a 5-mile (about 8 km) hike, while a puppy should not be over-exercised until about 12 months old. Being independent and inquisitive, some dogs according to the TSA cannot be trusted to return when off the lead; the club recommends a flexi lead.

Training without pressure

Gentle, consistent guidance suits this breed, not dominance: the AKC writes that puppies are very trainable and respond well to gentle discipline, while the TSA says the dog cannot be dominated and instant obedience should never be expected. Our own practical advice, not a source statement: short, rewarded sessions and recall built on a long line until it is reliable; early socialisation matters because the standard calls the breed aloof with strangers.

Coat care: brushing two to three times a week

The coat is fairly undemanding but not care-free. The TSA recommends grooming about two to three times a week, and the KC lists grooming more than once a week. Trimming is unnecessary and the club calls it a bad idea; only fur under the pads may need shortening so the dog does not slip or pick up dirt. Knots can form behind the ears, on the tail and under the armpits. The dog moults its undercoat a little most of the time, and bitches, according to the TSA, have a heavier moult twice a year. Because it sheds it is not hypoallergenic; the TSA notes that no dog is 100% hypoallergenic.

Health: eyes, knees and the tests clubs mention

The breed is regarded as generally healthy, and the UK club (TSA) names progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) as the inherited condition identified in the breed. The TSA describes it as late-onset: clinical signs may not show before the age of 6 or 7 years, but an eye specialist may see changes from about 3 years. A study by Downs and Mellersh (PLOS ONE, 2014) linked a SINE insertion in the FAM161A gene (locus PRA3) to PRA: it segregated with the disease in 22 of 35 cases tested (63%), and the authors call PRA in the breed genetically heterogeneous. The TSA adds that the DNA test should not replace an eye examination. The KC breed page lists the PRA3 DNA test and eye testing under the BVA/KC/ISDS scheme; the TSA describes the incidence of PRA as rare.

The AKC mentions eye disease and patellar luxation among possible problems. After patella luxation was first raised in its member health survey, the TSA carried out testing at its open shows, free to members: 59 dogs were tested in 2022 and 2023 (up to April 2023), all with healthy scores, and the vet saw no obvious problem in the breed and suggested a couple more years of testing. This is a self-selected sample. The Tibetan Spaniel Club of America (TSCA) recommends for the CHIC scheme an eye examination by a specialist and patellar luxation results, PRA3 as an optional test, and a baseline bile acid test as "highly recommended" (though not definitive). A Finnish referral-clinic series of 192 dogs with cysts around unerupted teeth included 58 Tibetan Spaniels; such a series does not show how common the problem is in the whole breed. A vet assesses each individual dog.

How long does a Tibetan Spaniel live

Sources differ, so an honest range is 12–16 years. The AKC gives 12–15, the KC "over 12 years", and the TSA 14–16 as usual, calling 15 or 16 quite normal. The UK study by McMillan and colleagues (Scientific Reports, 2024) of 584,734 dogs estimated a median survival of 15.2 years for the Tibetan Spaniel. That estimate applies to the British population, and club statements are not registry data.

Tibetan Spaniel or Tibetan Terrier, Lhasa Apso and Shih Tzu

The Tibetan Terrier differs in size and build: under the FCI it stands 36–41 cm in males, with a square outline, a long double coat and large round feet, and the FCI writes that despite the name it is a herding dog, not a terrier. The spaniel, at 25.4 cm, is much smaller, slightly longer than tall, with a silky coat of moderate length and hare feet. The Lhasa Apso has a similar ideal height for males under the FCI (25 cm), but a long, heavy, straight, hard coat and round, cat-like hind feet. The Shih Tzu stands up to 27 cm and weighs 4.5–8 kg, with a chrysanthemum-like face. Under the FCI the Shih Tzu has a broad, round head with a short, square muzzle and a long, dense outer coat, while the spaniel has a medium-length muzzle and a coat of moderate length.

What to ask a breeder

Ask for the results of both parents before buying. The TSA code of ethics for members says that all breeding stock should hold clear KC/BVA PRA certificates; it also makes sense to ask about the PRA3 DNA test, patella results and, following the TSCA guidelines, a bile acid test. The FCI standard says only functionally and clinically healthy dogs should be used for breeding. Visit the litter at the breeder's home, meet the dam, and ask about the pedigree, microchip and contract; the TSA code says no puppy should leave the dam before 7–8 weeks. The club says litters are few, so expect a wait. Look for a checked breeder in the directory.

Who it suits and who it suits less

It suits people who are at home a lot, enjoy brushing, tolerate an alarm bark and accept that the dog does not obey on command, such as families with older children. It suits less those who are away for hours, want a guard or a kennel dog, expect instant obedience, or would leave the dog with small children unsupervised. Conditions: a securely fenced garden or lead walking, a plan for time alone, and a breeder with results from both parents.

Pros & cons