Tibetan Terrier
Non-Sporting Group

Height at Shoulders
14-17 in
Weight
18-30 lbs
Life Expectancy
15-16 yrs
History
The Tibetan Terrier is a half-misnomer, as it did indeed originate in Tibet but is not a terrier. The breed dates back thousands of years, originally serving at Buddhist monasteries. The Tibetan Terrier found work as a watchdog, companion, herder, and livestock guard. The dogs would even be tasked with fetching objects that fell down mountainsides. Tibetan Terriers were seen as good luck and were never sold, but rather passed around exclusively through gift-giving. In fact, the first Tibetan Terrier found its way to Europe in 1922 after Dr. A.R.H. Greig of England performed an operation on a patient in Tibet and was gifted one of the small dogs. She then started a kennel and began breeding the dogs herself. The "terrier" in the breed's name comes from a westerner mistake that somehow stuck.
Breed Characteristics
While not all Tibetan Terriers share the exact same personality and temperament, there are certain generalizations that can be made about the breed. In addition to genetics, a dog’s environment, training, socialization, and many other factors all contribute to their personality and behavior.
Intelligence
Affection Towards Family
Friendliness Towards Strangers
Friendliness Towards Other Dogs
Exercise Needs
★★★★☆
★★★★★
★★★☆☆
★★★★☆
★★★★★
Energy Level
Sensitivity
Noise Level
Prey Drive
Shedding
★★★★★
★★★★☆
★★☆☆☆
★★☆☆☆
★☆☆☆☆
Intelligence
★★★★☆
Affection Towards Family
★★★★★
Friendliness Towards Strangers
★★★☆☆
Friendliness Towards Other Dogs
★★★★☆
Exercise Needs
★★★★★
Energy Level
★★★★★
Sensitivity
★★★★☆
Noise Level
★★☆☆☆
Prey Drive
★★☆☆☆
Shedding
★☆☆☆☆
Common Traits
Lively, playful, and sweet
Adapt easily to family's lifestyle
Have large, flat, round feet that function like snowshoes
Make great watchdogs, barking at anything unusual, but don't make effective guard dogs
Very affectionate with their people but tend to be reserved with strangers
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