Tibet Dogs

The very first show for Tibetan breeds with Tibetan judges, was held the 11th of april 1970 in New Delhi.
The five judges, who all has breed and owned Tibetan dogs in Tibet, made definitions and comments on the breeds, and a booklet, "A brief account on Tibetan dogs", was given out on the show by the Apso Committee, Tibet House, New Delhi.

There are 3 types of Tibetan Dogs * companiondogs  * mastiffs  * shakhis
Apso=longhaired

Companiondogs
There are 5 different classes

Apso - a softhaired fluffy breed

Jemtse Apso - "jemtse" means "cut". Known by us as the Tibetan Spaniel

Ursu apso - wirehaired dog with a thick, short coat and a great amount of  beard

Goh-Khi - that small so it could be in a chinese bowl. This dog is also known as the sleevedog, when it was kept in the long sleeves. The word "goh" means eagle, when there were people who believed that these very small dogs could be found in eagle's nests.

Gyakhi - the pekingese.

The Shih Tzu shall be included in the apsoclass. They descend from apsos given as a gift to Yuan and the Manchurian emperors. "Shih" is the Chinese word for "Tibetan", and "Tzu" means class.

There are no praydog.
These companiondogs was teached different tricks like sitting on backlegs and waving with frontlegs

Tibetan Spaniel in Tibet, in late 1920
Together with the living God in the Beliamiao monastry

Apso in New Delhi 1970

Mastiffs
There were 3 different types

Dhokhi - a "sleek" type. Known by us as Tibetan Mastiff

Dhokhi Apso - a softhaired, fluffy mastiff. Known by us as Tibetan Terrier

Jemtse Apso Dhokhi - with a shorter coat. I think this is what we call Kyi Apso

Dhokhi means "outdoordog". Symbolic they were also called "Gosung Dhokhi - the guardian at the gate".
They should be unfeared by their hearts and have a terrifying bark. They were just as popular among the artistocracy as among nomads. Often they had to fight wild animals that tried to steal sheeps. They can sleep under the snow and keep warm.

Tibetan Mastiffs in Tibet, late 1920

Caravan-Tibetan Terrier bitch, with her puppy
The litter was borned in Tibet at Christmasday 1927. There were 7 puppies in the litter. The first was borned outdoors in the snow, but the others inside in the tent.

Khyi Apso (USA), with a yakcollar
Do you want to see more of this rare breed go to here

Shakhi, also called Congkhi

The hunting-, guard- and herdingdog.
They are smoothhaired, has a lighter and longer body, are high on legs and has a wellcurled tail. The white ones are prefered.

There are two different types of shakhi. The only thing that part them is the ears, one has standing ears when the other has hanging ears.

The Shakhi was a guarddog that was used as a sheepdog like the Dhokhi. They were intelligent and sensitive, and could manage travelling with caravans etc.
The herdsmen were very dependent on their dogs in many ways. They took the sheeps out in the morning, guarded them during the days and warned for slightest danger from wild animals, which were scared away. Then they took the sheeps back home in the evening.
A Shakhi could seprate the sheeps of the owner from other sheeps.

The Shakhi was not that much used for hunting. Only some nomadtribes were due to the religion allowed to hunt. The religion, Lamaism (Buddhism) do not allow any killing.

Shakhis in Tibet, late 1920

Gallery

   
Boat made of yak skins, travelling on the
Tsang-Po in 1956

Tibetans traveling, 1956

Monks in the monastry of Tashilumpo, 1956
Dogs in the left corner