Lhasa Apso - Breed Standard

Character:

Gay and assertive, but chary of strangers.

Size:

Variable, but about 10 inches or 11 inches at shoulder for dogs, bitches slightly smaller.

Color:

All colors equally acceptable with or without dark tips to ears and beard.

Body Shape:

The length from point of shoulders to point of buttocks longer than height at withers, well ribbed
up, strong loin, well-developed quarters and thighs.

Coat:

Heavy, straight, hard, not woolly nor silky, of good length, and very dense.

Mouth and Muzzle:

The preferred bite is either level or slightly undershot. Muzzle of medium length; a square muzzle is
objectionable.

Head:

Heavy head furnishings with good fall over eyes, good whiskers and beard; skull narrow, falling
away behind the eyes in a marked degree, not quite flat, but not domed or apple-shaped; straight
foreface of fair length. Nose black, the length from tip of nose to eye to be roughly about one-third
of the total length from nose to back of skull.

Eyes:

Dark brown, neither very large and full, nor very small and sunk.

Ears:

Pendant, heavily feathered.

Legs:

Forelegs straight; both forelegs and hind legs heavily furnished with hair.

Feet:

Well feathered, should be round and catlike, with good pads.

Tail and Carriage:

Well feathered, should be carried well over back in a screw; there may be a kink at the end. A low
carriage of stern is a serious fault.