10 things you need to know about the Tibetan terrier before you buy one

The Tibetan terrier is a longhaired and quit shaggy-looking dog that is not, as the name implies, a breed from within the terrier grouping, and which is in many ways misunderstood as a result of this.

Tibetan terriers are small, personable and very cuddly, and also have a distant working history in a variety of working roles, including watchdog duties, herding dogs, companions and even as good luck charms!

This is a breed that has a lot of appeal to people looking for a small dog to join their families, and it is quite a versatile breed too which can be a good fit for a wide variety of different types of homes and owners. However, as is the case for all breeds, it is really important to know what you’re letting yourself in for before you buy a dog of any type, and the Tibetan terrier is no exception.

With this in mind, this article will tell you ten things you need to know about the Tibetan terrier dog breed, to give you some ideas of where to focus your research into the breed with a view to prospective ownership.

Read on to learn more about the Tibetan terrier.

The Tibetan terrier is a little larger than many people expect

The Tibetan terrier is often thought of as being a small or even toy dog breed, but this is not the case – they are classed within the utility dog group and are a little larger than many people expect, standing up to around 41cm tall at the withers and weighing up to 14kg.

Whilst they are still widely classified as a small dog breed, they are towards the upper limits of the “small” spectrum!

Tibetan terriers are not heavy shedding dogs

The Tibetan terrier has a long, thick and prolific coat, but contrary to many people’s expectations, they are not actually heavy shedding dogs. Hair that is lost isn’t usually dropped around the home, but remains tangled in the rest of the coat until it is brushed out.

However, their coats need daily grooming and a lot of attention

The low-shedding trait of the breed coupled with those very thick and long coats that are sometimes slightly rough to the touch means that the Tibetan terrier is very time consuming to groom.

They need daily attention to be paid to their coat an require it to be brushed and combed out to remove lost hair and avoid knots, and bathing and drying such dogs is not a fast process either!

Care needs to be taken to keep Tibetan terriers cool in hot weather

The very thick and long coat of the Tibetan terrier means that care needs to be taken to ensure that dogs of this type stay cool enough in hot weather, and that they do not overexert themselves when the weather is very hot.

They need free access to cool water and shade, and careful monitoring to ensure they are comfortable. Some owners have their dogs’ coats clipped or trimmed in the summer months too.

Tibetan terriers are very person-centric dogs

The Tibetan terrier is a very person-centric breed, and they form strong bonds with every member of the family and are very loyal to them. They are affectionate and demonstrative and tend to be fairly laid back and open with people they don’t know too, and they need plenty of company and won’t be happy if left on their own at home for too long at a time.

Tibetan terriers are natural watchdogs

The Tibetan terrier is a good natural watchdog, and they will often keep a lookout when at home and bark to let you know if someone is approaching the home. They are not usually good guard dogs, however!

Tibetan terriers are moderately active dogs with a lot of endurance

The Tibetan terrier is not one of the fastest dog breeds although they do like to play and run around with other dogs, but they do have a reasonable amount of endurance. Dogs of the breed need at least an hour a day of steady exercise to keep them happy, and they will generally be up for much longer walks too when fully fit.

Tibetan terriers are not hugely intelligent

The Tibetan terrier breed is ranked in 117th position out of 138 different dog breeds on the Coren scale of canine intelligence, so they’re not one of the most highly intelligent of breeds and may take a while longer than most to train.

However, this is no barrier to their being great companions and pets!

The Tibetan terrier is a little expensive to buy

According to our own Pets4Homes statistics, the average asking price of pedigree Tibetan terriers for sale at the time of writing (September 2019) is £882, which is a little higher than the average across the board for all breeds of a similar size.

However, as a reasonably small breed, Tibetan terriers are not hugely costly to keep, as a rule.

This is generally a good choice of breed for a first-time dog owner

The Tibetan terrier is a small, personable dog breed that needs a lot of grooming, but that doesn’t tend to be hugely challenging in other respects and as such, they are generally considered to be a good choice of pet for even a first-time dog owner.

However, you should of course ensure that you know what you’re getting into when it comes to choosing a dog of the breed, and do plenty of research before committing to a purchase.