Tibetan Spaniels anyone have one?

[kezz86]

I'm hoping to have one eventually (not yet as I already have three dogs, a cat and a horse!)

But I met a couple at Badminton a few years ago and have desperately for one ever since!

They are super adorable any information on people experiences of being owned by one would be great.

Thanks in advance.

P.S. would love to see any pictures...

 

[jrp204]

My sister has one, he is enough to totally put me off EVER having one. He is sooo needy, hates not being included to the extent he will jump up at windows, doors etc and scream, literally. He has been through all the correct training, loads of walks and is quite happy being left in the house when they go to work. It is only when they are around he is a complete pain. He has improved by slightly with age but not enough to make me like him. I suppose it is wrong to judge a breed on one dog but god forbid there are more like him!

Oops, just realised you like spaniels, he is a terrier, sorry. Really should read things properly. Lol

 

[JillA]

I used to know one belonging to a friend many many years ago. She was a superstar, lived in a multidog household (yorkies, collies, a GSD) and just was, no demands or tempers, just a permanent even keel. Those dogs were expected to fit in though, no pampering. Oh, she did find out how to climb over an 8ft weldmesh dog run though!

 

[Superhot]

Haha, my brain also read Tibetan Terrier too, as I've got one sitting here. Sorry, I don't know anything about the Spaniel, except there is now a health test available to check for PRA, so worth knowing when looking for good breeders.

 

[kezz86]

Haha, my brain also read Tibetan Terrier too, as I've got one sitting here. Sorry, I don't know anything about the Spaniel, except there is now a health test available to check for PRA, so worth knowing when looking for good breeders.

Handy to know about the PRA test thank you!

 

[kezz86]

My sister has one, he is enough to totally put me off EVER having one. He is sooo needy, hates not being included to the extent he will jump up at windows, doors etc and scream, literally. He has been through all the correct training, loads of walks and is quite happy being left in the house when they go to work. It is only when they are around he is a complete pain. He has improved by slightly with age but not enough to make me like him. I suppose it is wrong to judge a breed on one dog but god forbid there are more like him!

Oops, just realised you like spaniels, he is a terrier, sorry. Really should read things properly. Lol

Ha ha I was reading this and thought it was odd for the tibetan spaniel from what I've heard so far!

 

[FinnishLapphund]

I had Tibetan Spaniel on my short list of breeds 2005, but the Finnish Lapphund "won", as I recall the things I had listed on the minus side for Tibetan Spaniels was that they're a little smaller than what I prefer, and that I also prefer standing ears, because it makes it easier for me to read the part of their body language which they express with their ears. So basically I could only find some personal preferences to put on their minus side .

Things I recall hearing and reading about Tibetan Spaniels: That they like to have a lookout post at home, if it is indoors, it is an extra plus if it has a window, which makes sense considering their background, in the monasteries in Tibet, they often use the walls surrounding their monastery as lookout posts. Also that they're often good "bedwarmers", confident in themselves but without need to prove it to others, lively but also calm, a little bit reserved around strangers, and that they respond better to short training sessions without too many repetitions per session.

From what I've read, it is relatively rare that they have health problems and that they have an expected life length on 13 to 16 years. Although rare, their breed related health problems include "weeping eyes", cherry eye, a prolapsed third eyelid, PRA, a liver shunt problem and allergies.


As far as I understand it, they've only very recently identified PRA-3, which causes about 60% of the PRA cases in Tibetan Spaniels, however, 40% of their PRA is caused by a yet unidentified gene. The gene test for PRA-3 only became available July 8th, 2013, so don't expect breeders to be able to show generations of okay test results. And remember that as it is now, the test will only tell whether the dog carries PRA-3 or not, it can't say whether it carries the yet unidentified PRA or not.
According to what I know about PRA mutations, most of them have a simple recessive inheritance, in general that means that a dog needs two copies of the same gene for the dog to be affected and have a high risk of developing PRA, but there is one known exception, the Bullmastiff and Mastiffs (Old English) have a dominant PRA that only requires one copy of the dominant gene to have a high risk of developing PRA.

If it wasn't for the unidentified PRA, then I would have been able to say that the important part to look for would be that 1 parent have a Normal (non carrier) test result, for that your potential puppy would have a low risk of developing PRA, because the Normal (non carrier) parent doesn't have the gene to pass on to their puppies, and it has to be doubled to cause Affected dogs. Note, with the exception of dominant PRA, in general a puppy that is Normal (non carrier) and a puppy that is Carrier (have only one copy of the PRA gene) have the same low risk of developing PRA.
But the risk is never zero, even if it wasn't for the unidentified PRA, because to complicate it further, there is also an "old age" caused PRA, that any old dog (or human) can develop, regardless of genes.

Be aware about that gene tests only answers whether a dog carries so or so specific gene or not, that a clear result is only for the tested disease, and that a tested dog can carry other unknown/unidentified problem genes/mutations. If we limit breeding to only dogs with Normal (non carrier) results for so and so disease, in general, there is a risk for that it can lead to a smaller gene pool, and with a smaller gene pool comes an increased risk for that other previously unknown new diseases comes up.

Anyhow, since the situation is the way it is with PRA-3 + an unidentified PRA gene, I would expect a Swedish breeder of Tibetan Spaniels to be able to show me papers from ophthalmological exams done by specialised veterinarians (and the latest should be from within the last 1 year).

 

[ibot]

I am another fan of the Tibetan Terrier I use to have one called Sammy totally useless I am afraid but it was nice to think about him he was a lovely dog naughty puppy.
Sorry OP but please anyone share a photo of there TT so I can remember my boy
xxx

 

[FinnishLapphund]

I forgot in my first reply to say that I've read that some breeders recommends that Tibetan Spaniels are not fed a high-protein food and only little meat, because there isn't much meat available in Tibet, so they've been bred to thrive on a low-protein diet. Would be interesting to hear if anyone else have heard anything about that?

Showing a Tibetan Spaniel's talent as adorable "bedwarmer"

Being used as "catwarmer"...

In snow...

On the lookout...

Also on the lookout...

Occupying garden furniture...

Doing agility...

ibot I haven't owned a Tibetan Terrier, but I found some photos that I hope you will like.

In snow...

In water...

On the run...

Just sitting...

Lying down...

Sleeping...

 

[ibot]

Finnish thank you so much mine looked a little like the one on the right in the lying down photo. Love your photos how cute but then I have never met an ugly dog even the ugly ones are so ugly they are cute

 

[GeeGeeboy]

Aww, Tibetan Spaniels are gorgeous. Tibetan breeds rock!

 

[kezz86]

I had Tibetan Spaniel on my short list of breeds 2005, but the Finnish Lapphund "won", as
..................................................
to be able to show me papers from ophthalmological exams done by specialised veterinarians (and the latest should be from within the last 1 year).

Wow thank you for that FinnishLapphund!

Really interesting and useful stuff there!

I'm really won over by the Tibetan Spaniel and am pretty convinced that it is the next breed for me I currently have a lab, and two chihuahuas but I'm looking for something inbetween size-wise next time around and something I can still have fun with but less demanding than a hyper lab! Also still wanting the lap-warming abilities of the chihuahuas (I have two since one only fills half a lap! lol!)

The litters I've seen so far all have had various eye tests although not sure if any have been the PRA tests.

Do you know of any "good" breeders you could recommend? I'd be willing to travel the UK when the time comes, it also might be worth me being added to some of the waiting lists as many breeders seem to hang onto their pups!

 

[FinnishLapphund]

First of all, I maybe should say I'm only an amateur with a big interest in dogs, and that the reason for why I know about, and are interested in PRA, is that Finnish Lapphunds also have PRA, but their's is almost only caused by the gene called prcd-PRA.

Anyhow, the PRA-3 gene test is so new, that it isn't yet a breeding requirement in e.g. neither the UK or Sweden, and as an example, according to their internet info, it seems as if the Swedish breed club plan to recommend that breeder uses the gene test only as a complement to the usual methods. Usual methods for Tibetan Spaniel means that either the parents have passed an ophthalmological exam/eye test or an electroretinography (ERG) test, both is done by a veterinarian specialised on eye diseases.
For the eye test the veterinarian "only" uses an ophthalmoscope, but the ERG test needs some sort of lens and electrodes attached to the forehead and nose, which makes me presume that the later test is a little bit more complicated to do. The eye test should be done within a year before breeding (I think this is the most used test in Sweden), but the ERG test only needs to be done one time after that the dog is over 18 months old.

As an example, the link shows a UK version of a paper from an "ordinary" eye test, found through a Google search https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd....0x480/936329_523665981026681_1637870260_n.jpg


I don't know that much more about Tibetan Spaniels than what I've written about in this thread, so I don't know enough to recommend any breeder, but in general, I recommend looking for a breeder that knows what inbreeding percentage the mating has, and personally I wouldn't buy a dog with an inbreeding percentage above 6,25 %. You can get perfectly healthy dogs with an high inbreeding percentage, but if the parents carries some unknown and unwanted genes, then the higher inbreeding percentage, the bigger risk for that unwanted genes are duplicated. There is no guarantee that dogs with low inbreeding percentage is healthy, but the odds are much better.

But if you think I can help, you can always PM me, and I'll do my best to help.

 

[tibbieluv]

yes I live with 8 of the little darlings. they are a very intelligent breed and are full of fun, fit into a busy household well. They are a healthy and long lived breed. in respect of pra there is now a DNA test for the PRA3 which only became available in July 2013. this will indicate if the dog is clear, carrier or affected and is a one of test. the eye test is an annual test. there are very few affected dogs or carriers in this country due to the very proactive approach taken by reputable breeders. Best place to look for information is via the internet and look for a breed club. including the Tibetan Spaniel Association (TSA). it will list information in respect of shows and it would be a good place to start as there are a lot of shows up and down the country. meet breed people and lots and lots of tibbies. always a great source of information on the breed. Please please please do not entertain ANY puppies advertised on websites for sale as these are almost invariably not from a reputable source and you will not get the same support or comeback.

 

[tibbieluv]

a person with good taste

 

[Booboos]

I have a tibetan terrier and she's a very difficult, stressy dog. Mind you I know nothing about the T spaniels!

One way of finding out what a breed is like is to join their FB group. The TT group is full of dogs that chew everything, poo in the house, go bonkers when left alone, etc.!!!

 

[Cinnamontoast]

I am another fan of the Tibetan Terrier I use to have one called Sammy totally useless I am afraid but it was nice to think about him he was a lovely dog naughty puppy.
Sorry OP but please anyone share a photo of there TT so I can remember my boy
xxx

Big difference between Tibetan terriers and Tibetan spaniels!

 

[ester]

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