We Lhasa breeders may be contributing to the Lhasa’s decline in popularity by the information we provide about the breed in our advertisements and on our websites. In an attempt to protect our dogs, we often end up giving the breed a bad image, especially when it comes to Lhasas and children.
It is true that many breeders in Lhasa refuse to sell puppies to people who have small children. I find that interesting because most of us are parents and now grandparents. Our own children grew up with our Lhasas, and now our grandchildren can visit and play with the dogs. In our case, we owned, showed and bred Lhasas for 5.5 years before our first child was born. The dogs and children were raised together and were expected to get along! They did it.
Despite my good experiences with Lhasas and children, I am often wary of letting people with young children buy a puppy, and it is No because I distrust Lhasas as a breed or my own pups as individuals for not “being good with children”. It’s more that I don’t trust other people’s children to “be nice to the puppy.”
For example, we once adopted a female from Lhasa whose breeder had given her back to the people she was sold to because the breeder heard reports that the pup was being abused. As it turned out, the rumors were true. Chrissy was being poked and teased when she was in her cage. Children would also put her on a leash and drag her face down on the sidewalk when she refused to walk. Now, the truth about Lhasas is that they have long memories, they hold grudges, and like any other dog or person who has been bullied, they reach a saturation point where they will retaliate. So yes, her Chrissy growled and yelled at the kids, and even when she came to our house where she was safe, she was always sensitive and protective of her cage. Other than that, she was happy and affectionate with the children. Some memories are hard to erase. I’m sure other breeders have had similar experiences that have resulted in the statement “not available for households with young children” in their ads.
A Lhasa Apso does well in a home with children whose parents teach them respect for animals and other people. When people tell me they have children, I usually ask their ages. I ask that they be honest with me and themselves about how the children behave and if they, as parents, can honestly attest to how the children would interact with the puppy. Sometimes we agree that the situation is good for a puppy. At other times, potential buyers choose to wait a few more years until the child is ready to properly interact with a puppy.
Some Lhasas, like some people, just don’t like children. The unexpected movements of the children, the shrieks, the general exuberance and the unconscious disregard for others are annoying.
Other Lhasas, like most people, love children so much! I once sold a young adult female to a single person living in a big city. The dog was born after our children grew up and before the grandchildren were born, so he had never seen a child. However, her owner tells me that the dog loves children and when she goes for a walk and sees a child, she cries until her owner allows her to greet the child. Like or dislike children is a personal preference, not a characteristic of race.
My life has truly been blessed with an abundance of Lhasa Apso’s since that happy day in 1973 when we purchased our first Lhasa puppy. To be adored by such large and loving hearts is indeed a humbling experience.
