The
First official litter in the United States was born at the Kennels of
the author, Mrs. Henry S. Murphy, on March 31, 1957. Owner of the
first of this breed on the continent, Mrs. Murphy is founder and
president of The Tibetan Terrier Club of America.
Tibetan
Terriers are not for sale. They are raised in Tibet by the Lamas in
the monasteries, and are considered to be holy dogs. One may be given
as a gift to a visiting dignitary, or presented to some one as a token
of gratitude for a favour received by a Tibetan, but never sold.
Until recently most people had never
heard of Tibetan dogs. There are four: the Tibetan Terrier, the
Tibetan Spaniel, which looks like a very poor Pekingese, and the Lhasa
Apso, formerly the Lhasa Terrier. This breed was evolved about 800
years ago by some enterprising Tibetans in order to sell travellers a
little shaggy dog that somewhat resembled the Tibetan Terrier and at
the same time not part with one of the holy dogs.
The Lhasa Apso was evolved by crossing a
Tibetan Terrier with a Tibetan Spaniel. The fourth breed is the huge
and fierce Tibetan Mastiff, which are used as guard dogs in Tibet.
These may be trained to be gentle, it is understood, but they are not
pets in Tibet.
Tibetan Terriers were introduced into
England by a Mrs. Greig and her daughter, Dr. A. R. H. Greig, and in
the l930's the Kennel Club of London recognized the Tibetan Terrier.
Prior to this, due to the efforts of Dr.
Greig, who practised medicine in India for a number of years, they
were recognized by the Kennel Club of India. She received her first
Tibetan Terrier as a gift from a Tibetan for whose wife she had
performed a signal medical service. The little Terriers, the Tibetan's
wife told Dr. Greig, are supposed to have come originally from
"The Lost Valley of Tibet". The way to the Valley was only
passable a few weeks each year, so that anyone there could not return
the same year. To prove the visitor had been in the Valley, and to
help make a safe return journey, he was given a Tibetan Terrier, and
thus it was introduced into certain monasteries. They continued to
come out of the Valley with visitors until an earth quake closed the
road some 100 years ago, and the Valley be came known as "The
Lost Valley". The last pass on the known road that led to the
Valley is the Shangri La. Beyond it the road was blocked and no one
knows how it went. Even today Tibetan Terriers have not been overbred.
Dr. Greig is their only serious breeder
in England. It was at the request of our daughter, who two years ago
fell in love with a picture of a Tibetan Terrier in "The Book of
the Dog" that we imported our first, from Dr. Greig. This was the
first Tibetan Terrier to come into the United States in many, many
years. At the date of writing, because of our efforts, there are now
15 Tibetan Terriers in the United States.
Characteristics
Un-Terrier
The
characteristics of the Tibetan Terrier are not by any means those of a
true terrier. The breed, thousands and thousands of years old, is a
pure breed, evidenced by the good nature, intelligence, and the way in
which even the puppies conduct themselves. They are not sissies, but
neither are they fighters. They are not aggressive, and they are not
yappers. Their bark is most distinctive. It starts on a low note and
rises like a siren. They bark if anyone approaches, but they do not
keep up a constant barking.
The term terrier became attached because
when travellers into Tibet first saw these little dogs, only three
types of dogs were known to people; gun dogs or hunting dogs, terriers
and mongrels, and terrier was the category they best suited.
Despite the long profuse coat, the
grooming is comparatively easy. Moderate brushing several times a week
keeps them from mats, and their coat remains in good condition. They
are odorless and shed very little. There are some marked
characteristics. For instance, it is not uncommon for a puppy to reach
the age of four to six months before all the first teeth are in
evidence. Hence, a dog may be a year old before all the permanent
teeth have appeared.
It is not uncommon for the puppies at
the age of two or three months to put themselves on only two meals a
day instead of the usual four. They will not overfeed at any time. In
their habits they are unusually clean. They will not misbehave in the
house, and the kennel dogs will not mess in the inside kennels. If
they can possibly be let out of the runs adjoining the inside kennels
they will wait until they are put in the larger enclosed runs.
Unfortunately, living as far South as we do, it is unwise to let dogs
run as they choose on grass, owing to tapeworm being so prevalent, but
where there is a lack of this parasite, long daily romps are of course
recommended.
Reserved but
Adaptable
Tibetan
Terriers are not roamers. They have a wonderfully well-developed home
attachment and devotion. They don't make up readily with strangers.
This is unfortunate, because anyone who is attracted to a dog is drawn
to a Tibetan Terrier as though by a magnet. One who loves dogs feels a
rebuff, and may misinterpret this action of the dog as lack of
gentleness. This is not the case, but rather shows aloofness and love
for the one a dog considers its master and owner. The restraint is
never accompanied by a snarl or growl and they never snap at a
greeting.
Tibetan Terriers make delightful
companions, having many engaging ways. Speaking roughly, they might be
likened to small Bobtail Sheepdogs. The weight may be from 16 to 30
pounds. An Indian description says that the shortness of back in
relation to length of leg, and foreface in proportion to the rest of
skull, the heavy furnishing of head, body and legs, the gaily-carried
curled tail, and the general expression combine to give them a merry
bouncing appearance. The skull, of medium length, is neither broad nor
coarse, narrowing slightly from ear to eye, not domed, though not
absolutely flat between the ears. A marked stop in front of the eyes,
but this should not be exaggerated or dishy. The length from eye to
tip of nose is equal to that from eye to back of skull. Muzzle not
broad or massive, but of fair substance. Nose black. Eyes large and
rather round, neither prominent nor sunken, dark hazel in colour, set
fairly wide apart. Ears pendent, hanging close to the side of cheek,
slightly rounded at the tip, not large or coarse. Forelegs straight,
length of leg from withers to ground should equal length of back from
withers to root of tail. Feet large and round, well furnished with
hair between the toes. The dog stands well down on his pads, not up on
his toes. Body compact and powerful, but not cloddy. Back short and
straight. Tail of medium length, carried in a gay curl over back or
slightly to one side, well feathered. Double coated, the outer long,
profuse and fine, but not silky or woolly; long, straight or waved,
not curled. Head well covered with long hair, falling forward over the
eyes, and a beard on lower jaw. Color white, cream, grey or smoke,
black and particolor golden and tricolours. In fact, any colour except
chocolate. Weight and size; Height at shoulders, dogs 14 to 16 inches
females slightly smaller. Weight from 16 to 30 pounds.
It was the writer's good fortune to
bring back from England a three-month-old puppy, Shanak of Lamleh. In
the course of less than 24 hours this wee mite, weighing less than
five pounds, rode in a train, a bus, a taxi and a plane, all of which
he took in stride. He was put on a lead in Hyde Park for the first
time after we returned to London from the country where he was raised.
Within three minutes he was walking along as well as any of the most
"experienced" dogs in the park. He literally stopped traffic
everywhere we went.
As one who has known dogs all her life,
and has had the pleasure of raising a number of different breeds for
over 25 years, I can say in all sincerity that Tibetan Terriers are in
a world apart. Although during the past two years I have literally
worked day and night in connection with these little dogs, they
continue to amaze me. I must confess that this is in part somewhat of
an experiment. I must find out from first hand experience all I can
about them. Dr. Greig is without fear of contradiction the world's
outstanding authority on Tibetan Terriers outside of the Lamas of
Tibet. She has imported and exported dogs from her kennels directly to
and from the monasteries of Tibet where the Lamas know and trust her.
Other facts and understanding must be gleaned by observance and
association here.
The Tibetan Terrier Club of America has
been formed, and through this organization records will be kept of all
purebred Tibetan Terriers in the United States. All births will be
registered and all dogs and puppies numbered, and pedigrees recorded.
Anyone wishing further information may write to the
Secretary-Treasurer, Mrs. Nell Hudson, "Penzance Kennel",
Holiday Acres, Vienna, Virginia. Mrs. Hudson, breeder and owner of the
well-known 'Penzance' Kennels of Welsh Terriers of Vienna, Virginia,
imported a female puppy from Dr. Greig in February of 1958. In March
of this year Miss Ruth Roberts of Connecticut also imported a female
puppy from Dr. Greig. I would like to take advantage of this
opportunity to thank Dr. Greig publicly for the help, advice and
co-operation she has so gladly given at all times. Without her
assistance, understanding and encouragement I could not have succeeded
in my desire to introduce Tibetan Terriers into the United States. I
also wish to thank all persons in Canada and in the States who have
assisted me in this regard.
While it is the hope of those of us in
the United States that it will not be too long before they attain the
popular place they so well deserve, we at the same time do not want
any sensational publicity that would cause them to become an overnight
sensation.
It is better to build the breed on solid
ground and have not only better specimens but also have the breed
established with dignity and in good taste. This approach should have
the approval of all good breeders. This does not mean, however, that
enquiries and more enthusiasts are not welcomed. They are!
Alice Murphy
