Welcome back to another week of Wild Facts. The next two animal facts are going to be dedicated to a special canine friend of mine, Picasso, who lost his valiant battle with cancer this past weekend.  He was truly one of the happiest and friendliest dogs I have ever had the pleasure of meeting.  Thanks for always putting a smile on my face, Pica.

Although, I am not entirely certain which breeds this special dog had in him, I figured I would take a guess. So with that said, today’s Wild Fact is going to be about the Lhasa Apso, which incidentally is also the breed of my parent’s dog, Kody. Therefore, I can tell you first hand that this breed is definitely adorable and loving, however, let’s see what else we can learn about them, shall we?

The Lhasa Apso was originally bred over 4000 years ago in Tibet as a guard dog for the Buddhist monasteries. That’s right, this small dog was the breed of choice to alert the monks when intruders entered their place of solitude. This may explain why my parents dog seems to bark at the slightest sound. But if he thinks my parents are monks…..he is way off :). As you might expect from a dog bred as a sentinel, the Lhasa tends to rely on their hearing and actually has a deep bark for their size. Similarly, they tend to be wary of strangers but very loyal to those closest to them.

The nice thing about the Lhasa Apso is you can tell when they are happy. Sure they will wag their tails like other dogs but they will also rub their head on you, roll around or lie at your feet. These are all signs that you are doing an amazing job caring for your little, furry friend and giving him a happy life. Interestingly enough, in a happy home, the Lhasa Apso will do anything to please their owner and as a result are very trainable. So if you are looking for a loyal family member that is eager to please and will provide you with hours of enjoyment then you should consider getting a Lhasa.

Lhasa Apso Fast Fact – This fact is for Kody, my parent’s dog, since he seems to have bad eyesight, which is normal for this breed. In fact, these dogs are prone to several eye conditions that will often leave them blind. Luckily, they don’t rely heavily on their eyesight and as a result are able to carry on with their life, without much disruption.

Thanks for reading the first of the two Wild Facts dedicated to my friend, Picasso. Tomorrow we will look at a second breed that I believe he was mixed with. Enjoy the rest of your day.