Seven Special Care Tips for Your Lhasa Apso
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Lhasa Apsos are small, sturdy little dogs with long, flowing hair. They are loveable, sweet natured dogs who love a good lap, a good couch, a good hug and lots of love. Although they do require regular grooming, due to their long fur, these are fairly easy dogs to take care of. They are a great dog for those who live in small spaces, because of their size, however, it is due to their small size that this breed tends to fall into what is known as, Small Dog Syndrome. This is a condition where small dogs try to take over as being the pack leader and become aggressive towards other dogs, may become aggressive towards kids and can try to rule the home. Despite their ability to a bit controlling and bossy, Lhasa Apsos are a very popular breed of dog and partly because they make good watch dogs. They are barkers and will always alert you when a stranger approaches. If you are familiar with the breed or considering purchasing a Lhasa Apso, then keep reading to find out seven special tips for caring for a Lhasa Apso.
1. Proper training
Lhasa Apso are intelligent dogs, but have a bit of stubbornness to them. They need a strong pack leader, even though they are small and seem like they would be intimidated by or want to be obedient for their owner, they can easily and quickly take on a different role if rules, boundaries and guidelines are not set early-on with this breed. It is said that a follower is not allowed to leave a pack leader, but a pack leader can leave a follower. You want your Lhasa Apso to be a dedicated follower, so start training early, using motivational training techniques. Make sure you give your pup plenty of mental and physical stimulation starting from puppyhood in order to help grow a mentally stable dog.
2. Healthy diet
Your Lhasa Apso needs a diet that’s rich in protein. A high quality dog food is recommended for your pup and adult Lhasa Apso. It can also be tempting to want to spoil your little dog with table scraps of human food. This can be very unhealthy for your dog, especially because human food is full of things like salt and carbs that are bad for dogs. There are also a lot of human foods that dogs should never eat, and not all people know which foods can be harmful to dogs, which is another reason you should avoid giving them any human food. You will also want to monitor how much your Lhasa Apso is eating and never overfeed him, especially because this breed does not typically get as much exercise as other breeds and can get over weight.
3. House plants
Lhasa Apsos are small dogs, which means they are low to the ground and the perfect height for reaching a lot of potted house plants. There are a number of house plants that are dangerous to dogs, and being that puppies are very curious creatures and big time chewers, they may view a droopy leaf as something to play with or chew on. Even if you know which plants are dangerous to dogs, it is better to keep house plants off the ground until your puppy is well-trained, and you should always be aware of which house plants should never be kept in the home due to their harmful effects to dogs. There are a lot of online sources with lists of harmful plants for dogs, as well as your veterinarian should be able to give you a list of dangerous plants, indoors and out.
4. Grooming
The Lhasa Apso has long, beautiful, flowing hair that can be one of your dog’s best features, however, because it does get long, it can also become easily tangled and hard to manage. You will want to brush your Lhasa often, several times a week, in order to keep his fur smooth, silky and free of tangles, which can be painful for your dog. Regular bathing can be done, but not too often so that their skin becomes dry and irritated. Use dog conditioners to keep their fur soft and manageable, when you do bathe him. Lhasa Apsos will also need their eye grooming on a regular basis. Check their eyes for runny eyes and wipe them regularly to keep them clean and infection-free. Good dental care and nail trimming are also recommended on a regular basis in order to keep your Lhasa happy and healthy.
5. Exercise
Lhasas don’t really require a lot of exercise, since they are small, but should get one long walk every day. Lhasa Apsos are generally house dogs and perfectly content to lay around and get loved on by their owner, which is great, but they do need to get some exercise. One way Lhasa Apsos love to get exercise inside, is with their toys. Spend quality time playing with your Lhasa to help encourage bonding, mental and physical stimulation, as well as to help burn some calories and energy off.
6. Monitor them with children
Lhasa Apso’s can be good with children, however, their general nature is to be nervous around small children and have the ability to get aggressive, especially around very small children and children who are not respectful of dogs or pets. If a Lhasa Apso is raised around children, they will have a better acceptance or tolerance of children, however, children are known to be a bit rough with their play with dogs, especially small dogs. They can hit, pull tails and ears, which will cause a dog to react. This can result in injury to both the dog and child, so playtime with kids should be monitored. Unknown children around a Lhasa Apso should definitely be monitored, especially if your Lhasa Apso is not used to being around children.
7. Regular vet checks
Your Lhasa Apso will need to be kept up-tp-date on its vaccinations to help prevent certain canine diseases. They also need regular vet checks to make sure they are in and stay in good health. All breeds of dogs are prone to getting an illness, and all are prone to specific inherited health conditions. Having regular doctor checks will enable your vet to catch anything that develops, early-on, which means that early treatment can begin. If your Lhasa Apso develops any type of medical problem between visits, you’ll want to take him to get checked as soon as possible to prevent complications or worsening of the situation.