The Lhasa Apso originated in Tibet, perhaps as long ago as 800 B.C., which makes it one of the oldest recognized breeds in the world. Recent research has shown the Lhasa as one of the breeds most closely related to the ancestral wolf. (Others are Akita, Shiba Inu, Shar-Pei, Chow, Basenji, Alaskan Malamute, Siberian Husky, Saluki, Afghan, Pekingese, Shih Tzu, and Samoyed).
Referred to in Tibet as Apso Seng Kyi, best translated as "Bearded Lion Dog," the Lhasa's primary function was that of a household sentinel, guarding the homes of Tibetan nobility and Buddhist monasteries, particularly in or near the sacred city of Lhasa. The large Tibetan Mastiffs guarded the monasteries' entrances, but the keen hearing and sharp bark of the Lhasa Apso served to warn residents if an intruder happened to get past the exterior guards. These little guardians were highly prized. It was believed that the bodies of the Lhasa Apsos could be entered by souls of deceased lamas while they awaited reincarnation into a new body. Lhasas in Tibet were never sold. The only way a person could get one was as a gift.
The Lhasa Apso originated in Tibet, where they were bred as sentinels for palaces and monasteries. In the early 1900s, a few of the breed were brought by military men returning from the Indian subcontinent to England, where the breed was referred to as "Lhasa Terriers". Lhasa Apsos would alert outdoor dogs, such as the Tibetan Mastiff, of any danger they perceived their owners, Tibetan Lamas, may be in with their keen sense of hearing and deep bark. In this sense, Lhasa Apsos are used to working with larger dogs and may relate to them more than small "yappy" dogs.

It is very important to keep our dogs clean and neat, not only because of their own health but because of the permanent contact with our children and rest of the family.
We cannot forget the fact that a dog, every dog, is a being requiring permanent care, higiene and maintenance and because he cannot do it all by himself, he will need the attention of a responsible owner in order to stay clean and well kept. the owner.
Frequent brushing with the adequate tools is a must, just like routine baths with ideal products, whenever necessary, to ensure that the dog remains in good health and is perfectly capable of sharing its life with that of Unpleasant doggy smell is solved with a frequent cleaning of the anal glands, that must be perfomed by an expert, if we're talking about a healthy dog in normal condition. Yet it is important to always check-out with the Vet what must be done and make sure that no other health problems may be causing that smell.
Anal glands cleaning if not performed correctly can cause more trouble than wellbeing; thus it is compulsory to be perfectly trained by an expert. Unless the owner is not prepared to care for the hair in a proper way, Apsos should never get a hair cut. Yet in some cases it might be interesting to keep the hair short, making the dog look like a puppy.
Whether you choose to keep the dog with short hair or long hair, it is necessary to make sure that the area around the genitals is clear from hair to avoid it getting dirty.
This will keep the dog safe from unpleasant smells, local irritations and contact infections in the area.
The hair around the paws should be kept short and cut frequently; this will avoid the paws being excessively wet at times and will ensure that the dog does not carry humidity nor dirt around the house, while giving them the "cat-feet" appearance.
A regular check-up is recommended to ensure that the hair between paws is always trimmed, to avoid the tangles that would make the dog uncomfortable when walking around.
If we notice that the dog consistently licks his paws it may be because of the tangle or as a consequence of the formation of fungus colonies, due to excessive and prolonged humidity.
Toe nails need to be kept short at all times; it is important to trimm them frequently in order to avoid hurting the inside "live" part of the nail, which would cause scandalous bleeding.
I'd suggest that whenever nail trimming is performed, the owner keeps a hemostatic product on-hand, just in case it becomes necessary to stop a little hemorrhage.
Another important tip is that eyes are washed each and every day with a cottonpad soaked in a special eyes-formula or in a lukewarm camomille tea. The fact that the hair surrounding the eyes is normally quite long, explains why there is a tendency to permanent watering and blearing build-up and why whenever eyes are not frequently cleaned, there is an unpleasant smell and a change in the colour of the hair that surrounds them. Yet if there is an unusual tearing and the blear discharge changes the usual greyish into a green-yellowish colour, it is important to visit the vet, in order to confirm that there is no infection or further health problem.
Other than this basic care, we must brush the dog's teeth frequently to avoid the building of tartar and the growth of bacterial infections. You can choose to use a good quality specific doggy toothpaste or instead use a mix of hydrogen peroxide and water.
Any extra care with the dogs represents more health for them and also for our own family.
Our sincere thanks to khelangkyi for allowing us to use this.