Size

We decided to name our Lhasa "Moose" for irony's sake because when we got him, he was a 5 pound furball. It seems like we jinxed ourselves... Moose reached his adult weight at 21.5 pounds.

For those interested in getting a Lhasa Apso, this is not typical. A "normal" Lhasa weighs in around 13 pounds for a female, and 16 pounds for a male. Moose is clearly the giant of his litter as his weight is not at all typical. During the first vet visit, we were told that he had had a more muscular build that is normal for a Lhasa. The vet assured us that he was indeed a purebred and might simply be a little bigger than normal. We had no idea what we had gotten ourselves into!

Our Dog Moose

Almost a year ago, my wife and I had been married for about 6 months. We were still getting settled into our new life together when she suggested that we should get a dog. I wasn't prepared for this idea at all. We were renting an apartment at the time, and on the third floor too. I liked our simple life, though at times it was getting a bit boring. Despite my apprehensions, we started looking for a new pet. Unfortunately, Christmas had just passed and dogs were in short supply. We checked the pound and Humane Society and only found dogs that our apartment wouldn't allow. I had given up hope but my wife wouldn't budge and kept looking. We eventually ended up at a local pet shop where they only had two dogs available. A Lhasa Apso and a Pomeranian. We did a quick search on our phones about the breeds and settled on the Lhasa who regardless was irresistibly adorable. We took him home that night. I was still apprehensive. My wife was delighted.

From there began months of training, frustration, online research, and worst of all, housebreaking. Luckily, it took the dog about 3 days to win my heart over. He was nothing but a furry bundle of energy... a tiny little furball. We decided to name him Moose. At the time we were thought it was funny because of his size.

Moose has grown into a proud, healthy dog who can still spend hours each day playing, if only he can find someone who will give him some attention. He is an incredible companion for both of us and started a passion for learning more about his very unique breed. From that passion comes this blog. Check back often for more about the incredible Lhasa Apso, and more about Moose.

Cherry Eye

The Lhasa Apso overall is a healthy breed with few frequent health problems. However, like some other breeds such as the Bulldog, Cocker Spaniel, and Pekingese, the Lhasa is affected by Cherry Eye. Cherry Eye is a prolapsed Nictitans gland in the corner of the eye. The gland is responsible for 30% of tear production and becomes chronically inflamed. It can swell significantly until it resembles a bright red tumor in the corner of the eye. As a general warning, a dog with any eye abnormalities should be promptly taken to the vet. An abnormal eye in a dog may simply be irritated, or could indicate a life-threatening condition.

Luckily, Cherry Eye can be treated by either of two simple surgeries. The gland can either be tucked back into the eye socket with a few stitches, or it can simply be removed. Both methods have drawbacks. A gland which has been replaced can eventually swell back up and pop out just like before. A removed gland in some dogs can lead to dryness of the eye, eventually necessitating daily eye drop use. It is up to the owner to decide which they are more comfortable with.

Welcome to my blog!

This site is dedicated to a very unique dog breed: the Lhasa Apso. I will be covering everything from my insights on housebreaking, to training, and daily care. I'll also be going outside my area of personal expertise to cover the history of the breed, and it's successes today.