underside and topside of the foot. Please note this hair may not grow to its full beauty until the Tibbie is four or so years old. Th e surface the Tibbie is kept on can contribute to the breakage or loss of toe hair. Tibbies also have a unique front assemble with its strong prosternum. Th is breed feature is easily lost if attention to this detail is not speci fi cally sought after. When this is lost you may lose true Tibbie movement. One head factor that is impor- tant to uphold is the slightly undershot mouth or bite. Th e standard does allow a level bite provided there is enough width and depth of chin as to preserve the blunt appearance of the muzzle. Anyone can put two dogs together but that doesn’t necessarily mean the end result will be a dog that looks like its breed. Genetic testing must be done, prior to breeding, to better insure the con- tinued quality of the breed. Of course, breeding dogs is not an exact science but most national breed clubs require its club members to do this testing for the health and welfare of the breed the organization is there to protect and defend. We are the caretakers of the breed and if we fail in our task the breed fails as well. It is gratifying to hear newcomers to the breed say that this is a welcoming breed. One that aides new exhibitors in how to show and care for the breed. With little basic grooming a new exhibi- tor can have a Tibbie ready for the ring. Most show them free baiting which adds to the ease of showing. Th ankfully we are a breed where class animals are mostly owner handled. Tibbies are enjoyable
little characters to have fun with and have a big dog attitude! Th is is not a breed with just a pretty face and coat. Tibbies and their devotion to family and companionship have lent themselves well to therapy work. A ther- apy dog has an outstanding temperament, tolerates other animals well, loves adults as and children and enjoys being with their owners. Whether it’s visiting nursing homes, libraries (as nonjudgmental read- ing listeners) pediatric wards in hospitals or sitting on the lap of someone in a wheel chair therapy Tibbies are unique to the job at hand. Being involved with pet therapy is rewarding and therapeutic for both the dog and the handler. Th e breed is also used in the junior showmanship ring. We have enjoyed both watching and supporting our juniors with Tibbies. Having children involved with the breed helps insure the next generation of dog show enthusiasts. If you feel performance events might be what tickles your fancy you may be interested in agility or obedience. Tibbies are very intelligent and intuitive little dogs. While Tibbies love being with their people and having fun, they also have an independent nature described as “cat like” in our standard. Th is independence often means they do not see a purpose in doing something over and over again since… they just did it. Th is combina- tion makes training a Tibetan Spaniel for performance events a challenge but often a very fun adventure. With a sense of humor, use of positive training tech- niques and short fun practice sessions
Tibetan Spaniels can excel in many dif- ferent performance events. Tibetan Span- iels are sturdy and athletic little dogs (not diminutive toy-like dogs) that enjoy agili- ty, but may want to pause at the top of the A-Frame or Dog Walk to check out their domain. Th ey also can excel in obedience and Rally obedience if “their person” remembers short, fun practice sessions. Some other activities Tibbies have par- ticipated in include tricks, tracking, and musical freestyle. Just remember train- ing a Tibbie can be entertaining because of Tibbie antics. Maintain a good sense of humor and accept that a Tibbie will make you laugh! As you can see there are many facets of the Tibetan Spaniel. Whether it’s the fun loving Tibbie antics that attract you to this breed or the challenge of training an independent cat-like thinker; peel back the multitude of layers that make up a Tibetan Spaniel and you will fi nd the unique four legged creature we lovingly call “Tibbies.”
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