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.

Tale of two stories.
The Löwchen is a very old breed. Where it comes from cannot be determined conclusively, but there is much evidence to suggest its history. Currently there are two schools of thought over the breeds history. While the two schools agree that the breed descends from an ancestor tracing to Tibetan type dogs, this is where the agreement ends until the later history resumes during the latter part of the medieval period. The original belief was that the Löwchen was developed in the Mediterranean and made its way from there into the northern regions of Europe, to Germany, France and Holland. If this belief is adhered to, then one would also believe that the Löwchen is also a member of the Bichon family. This was the story of the breed until the late 1980's when extensive research was conducted for a Löwchen book. The research came up with another alternative story, which is supported by a large amount of evidence. Whichever history one chooses to believe in, we all have to agree that it is unlikely that we will know in our life times the true history of the breed. Someday, a canine genome project will probably be able to sort out which breeds trace to what ancestors, hopefully revealing the true ancestors of our beloved breed.
The Löwchen in Art and Folklore.
The earliest evidence of the Lowchen traces to the 1400's in Germany and Holland. We know that the breed has strong roots in Germany and Holland since most of the breed's early evidence stems from these countries. Besides written references, the breed can be found in many artworks dating from the medieval times. Among the best known are the Albrecht Durer Löwchen which abound in several of his important works. The Löwchen he drew in 1500, could be the Löwchen reclining in today's living room.
There are so many illustrations of Löwchen in both well-known masterpieces and obscure works that one could spend a lifetime making incredible discoveries.
The Löwchen enjoyed popularity for many centuries as a companion dog to the ruling classes and average person alike. There are many charming stories of the breed's purposes.
In one, a stone statue of a Löwchen is placed at the foot of a tomb housing a knight's body, if he died of peaceful causes. If he died a war casualty then a mighty lion was positioned signifying the knights' valor. Another tale attempts to explain the haircut by telling of the ladies of the court who take the dog to bed with them since they believed its shaved body served as a hot water bottle.
In 1555 Conrad Gessner wrote of the breed in "Histories Animalium" making this the first written reference to the breed. The Löwchen was included in written classifications of dogs from that time on, under varying names but usually as the "Lion Dog". The other names, depending on the time period were Shoshundle, Gutchen Hund, and Petit Chien de Lion. Löwchen is a German word with a diminutive attached. It means little lion.
The breed was referenced in many dog books or in old encyclopedias. Among the books one can find the Löwchen in, are; Hutchinson's Dog Encyclopedia, Cassell's New Book of the Dog, Das Edlen Hundes, The Animal Kingdom by Professor Gmelin, and The Dog which was published in 1781.
The Löwchen Stands Alone
The Löwchen predates the Poodle and Bichon breeds. It appears in several important dog classifications published in encyclopedias and other works beginning in 1756. The Löwchen can be found listed as the Lion Dog. Also listed with the Löwchen, are the Poodle ancestors; the Barbet and in the earlier classifications, it's predecessor the Waterdog. The Bichons classifications begin to appear in the 1700's. These timelines indicate the Löwchens existence as a separate breed from the beginning, and not as a breed stemming from either the Bichon family or Poodle.
It is a mystery as to why the breed began to disappear. One factor that may have explained it's disappearance is the possibility that the Löwchen may have played a part in the development of the Toy Poodle. About the time that the Löwchen became very rare, the Toy Poodle began to emerge, its very description resembling the Löwchen. By the time the Toy Poodle became established, the Löwchen had become a curiosity no longer taken seriously and thought to be extinct by many. Were the early ancestors of the Toy Poodle Löwchen? There is a reason to believe that the Löwchen was incorporated into the Poodle family, serving as a foundation of the dog that eventually metamorphosed into the Toy Poodle of today.
An interesting tidbit to add here is that the Löwchen had made its way to the United States prior to the Civil War... See more

Toy spaniels were a favourite pet lap dog in Europe, with each family having its favourite. Charles II of England, Scotland and Ireland (1630 – 1685) was very fond of this type of dog, which is why the dogs of today carry his name, although there is no evidence that today's breed descended from his particular dogs. With the expansion of trade in the 17th and 18th centuries, Pugs and other dogs arrived from other parts of the world and became popular pets; this led to breeding with the spaniel lap dogs. The ancestry of the pug is seen in the shorter muzzle of the King Charles Spaniel. In a 19th century book on British dogs, it is described how during the breed as was then was sometimes called "Melitei", which could imply that they came from Malta. However, the book thoroughly rubbishes any such claim and explains that the name didn't stick.
In 1903, The Kennel Club attempted to amalgamate the King James (black and tan), Prince Charle (tricolour), Blenheims and Ruby spaniels into a single breed called the Toy Spaniel. The Toy Spaniel Club which oversaw those separate breeds strongly objected, and the argument was only resolved following the intervention of King Edward VII who made it clear that he preferred the name "King Charles Spaniel".

The legend of the lion that fell in love with a marmoset is at the foundation of Pekingese lore. In order for him to be wedded to his lady-love, the lion begged the patron saint of the animals, Ah Chu, to reduce him to the size of a pigmy, but to let him retain his great lion heart and character. The offspring of this union are said to be the dog of Fu Lin, or the Lion Dog of China.
The earliest known record of the Lion Dog is traceable to the Tang Dynasty of the 8th century. Breeding of these little dogs, now called Pekingese, reached a zenith during the Tao Kuang period (1821-1851). However, the oldest strains were kept amazingly pure. Imperial Dog Books, illustrated with pictures of the most admired dogs, were used as the standards. Though records of pedigrees were not kept, breeding was the subject of much thought and many elaborate theories. Prenatal impression was the method most in vogue: mothers were taken several times daily to see pictures and sculpture of the most beautiful dogs. The desired colors for their coats were hung in their sleeping quarters, where they slept on sheepskins to suggest a profuse coat. The characteristics we seek to retain and perfect today were in evidence in these earliest dogs.
The Dowager Empress is in large part responsible for the appearance of the Pekingese in the United States by giving many of the little dogs as gifts to influential Americans. At one time Americans could probably claim the largest population of authentic palace dogs. The AKC first registered the Pekingese in 1906. This dog has but one purpose in life, to give understanding companionship and loyalty to his owners.