All dogs have a natural instinct to keep their fur clean, rolling around on their backs, licking or chewing at matted hair, etc., etc. However, for the best possible cleaning, your Lhasa Apso will need some additional human assistance.

When you perform regular grooming for your dog, you help them stay clean and assist them in staying healthy. Ignoring matted hair in the coat can be a breeding ground for yeast infections, and neglected teeth can cause periodontal diseases; dirty ears can lead to a build up of wax that can keep dirt trapped and lead to ear infections due to the build-up of bacteria.

Regular grooming is a serious commitment and it should be approached as being an enjoyable, bonding experience for you and your dog. It can and will be, if you keep the follow information in mind:

If you do not have the amount of time needed to completely groom your Lhasa Aspo, do not feel bad, simply take them to a professional dog groomer.

If you intend on doing the grooming yourself, establish a ritual and schedule, and if the animal is young, make sure you do everything you can to relax the dog. Begin by keeping the initial sessions short and easy, approximately 5-10 minutes is sufficient. Gradually increase the duration of each session so that your dog can become accustomed to being handled and touched. Then gently extend the areas you groom, gradually moving into the sensitive areas such as the ears, feet, stomach and around the mouth and eyes.

Brushing is important because the dogs coat can be quite long. It is best to begin brushing the undercoat first and work towards the top. Train the dog to lay on its side and this will allow grooming to be carried out as easily as possible. Use a warm anti-static solution, a detangler or crème rinse with water and spray on the area before you start to groom. Begin with the tail, proceed to the back legs and then the front, ending with the stomach area.

Turn the dog over and repeat these steps again. Finish up the grooming session with the neck, face, ears and top of the head. Once you have concluded the brushing session, you can bathe the dog. First completely wet the dog down and apply shampoo in a downward motion, never in circles, because it may result in tangling of the coat.

When you are finished shampooing, remove the extra water and squeeze and press the coat between towels, never using a rubbing motion. Once the extra water has been removed, end the session by completely drying the dog by hand or using a hair dryer set at a warm temperature.

Other areas that require extra attention would be the toenails, ears, teeth and gums. These areas are a bit tricky and require you and the dog to remain calm. Use only specially designed dog nail clippers and clip off only the very tips of the nail and be careful to avoid any veins. Brush the dogs teeth and gums using specially designed dog toothpaste. Use a Q-tip to clean the inner flap of the ear and never insert it into the ear canal. If you are not confident enough to do this part of grooming, or you do not have the time, use the services of a professional dog groomer.

Body, Information, Lhasa Apso, Training Hide

Because a Lhasa Apso was bred for use as a sentinel, the dog is alert, smart and highly self-sufficient. All of these traits combined can have a negative affect of your life with a Lhasa Apso, however, being knowledgeable will help you to understand and know your Lhasa Apso. You will also be better able to help your family adjust to life with a Lhasa Apso.

It is important to note that a Lhasa Apso is an extremely independent dog, it is not that the animal is anti-social, it does seek human companionship and will love being petted and groomed, both activities that will bond you and your dog. Remember, however, the dog does not live to please you, which is common in other dog breeds. This breed is driven to be a protector and guardian, and this is how the dog will behave.

Being more independent than other dog breeds, a Lhasa Apso may also be less obedient. Being so alert and responsive will prove to be a training challenge, because a Lhasa Apso will interpret any type of attention as a reward. Most new owners will give a Lhasa negative attention when the dog disobeys, to a Lhasa Apso, any attention is better than none at all, as a result, new owners might accidentally reward and reinforce the very type of behavior they are trying to prevent. This is one of the main reasons why a lot of Lhasa owners do not have a well-behaved dog.

The basic rule for training a Lhasa Apso is to focus on what you DO want and not on what you do NOT want. Author Amy Sutherland has another spin on this thought, reward the behavior you desire and simply do not acknowledged the behavior you do not.

What makes a Lhasa Apso so fiercely independent is their high level of intelligence, which is needed to be a good watchdog. This may lead to the dog have a stronger temperament, and a new owner is likely to report the dog is willful, obstinate and dominant. On the alternate side of this situation is that a Lhasa Apso will respond well to positive, firm, loving obedience training methods, but you have to be consistent and follow through with your commands. You have to establish yourself as an “alpha leader,” if you do not, the dog will. It takes time and work to train a Lhasa Apso successfully, but the results are worth the effort.

Breeders and other owners do not recommend a Lhasa Apso for a household with small children. Because of the extremely dominant, intelligent nature, a Lhasa while calm and sedate, is not an “easy going” dog breed that will interact well with young children. They do not tolerate hair pulling, tail tugging or teasing that is common behavior in young children. If you have small children, it is wise to encourage them to participate in the training, this will allow them to get a better understanding of a Lhasa Apso. The results of which will be a great pet everyone in the family will surely enjoy.

Body, Information, Lhasa Apso, Training Hide