The Tibetan Terrier is an ancient breed
that fits our contemporary mode of living. An intelligent dog in touch
with its time, the Tibetan Terrier is the right size (medium), the
right temperament (steady) and the right mind-set (happy). The Tibetan
Terrier suits Today just as it suited Yesterday.
Having recently read the pop culture
adviser Faith Popcorn’s current book The Popcorn Report in
which she describes the ‘90’s as a "cocooning" age,
during which we look inward (for better or worse ) – we can see
where pets in general and the TT in particular fit into this pattern. Cocooning
is, after all, a comforting movement, one in which we select things,
animate and inanimate, to soothe us, to make us feel cozy, wrapped,
enclosed. Once in our homes, we spend our leisure time there with our
chosen things and our dog.
Tibetan Terriers fit right in this
comfortable world. They have always suited families, of course, but in
the age of childless couples and single people, Tibetan Terriers seem
to give great satisfaction.
All canines give – in varying degrees – undiluted affection and
devotion to their owners. When the home door is opened, Dog is there,
welcoming and uncritical in every possible way – a marvelous
reception after a hard day of battering-ram egos in the office and
things gone wrong.
Tibetan Terriers are born welcomers. To
be greeted by a TT waiting not-so-patiently at the front door is
always an experience -- one that, owners tell us, sometimes takes a
bit of getting used to, some adjustment.
First of all, TT owners (especially
those new to the breed) are sometimes startled by the demanding TT
voice: "Where have you been? Why has it taken you so long?"
This cry (you will notice we do not use the word "scream" as
some of the less sensitive might") ascends and descends. The
multi-octave call of the Tibetan Terrier is brought out for special
occasions, such as the return of owners to the fold.
We shall also not mention the jumping
(we want you to love this breed as much as we do). No matter how one
tries to stop Tibetan Terriers from jumping up and down like the
proverbial yo-yo, it does seem to be the breed’s genetic modus
operandi. Their wild ecstasy at seeing you – at last! At last!
-- is punctuated with these acrobatic leaps.
Only in later life does the TT
transpose this free bounding to a slightly more sedate and commonplace
wriggling of the bottom and wagging of the tail. But, we have seen
17-year-olds, given the correct moment, still respond with a few
joyful leaps.
Then there is the Tibetan Terrier conversation. Many who have
experienced TT talk over the years (those who are observant and
sensitive, as all good TT owners should be) will admit to talking with
their dogs. (Note the "with") Most of the chatter comes from
the dog initially. It takes a while to realize that some intelligent
answer is called for on the part of the owner , interposed with the
questions and comments:
. "It was too long a day.
The cat got into trouble again, but what can you expect from a
creature that sits on the mantel where I can’t get at him? That new
natural food is terrible – maybe more garlic? I need another chewie;
this one is really disgusting . You forgot to leave the radio tuned to
my station . I used the paper, what else was I to do? When are we
going O-U-T???"
You may think this foolish, but the
cadence, the octave range and the constancy of TT conversation are
unique. It is reminiscent of a form of Tibetan folk opera
(human-variety) performed several times in our nearby university’s
theater. One finds replies to these conversations are absolutely
necessary. So, before we are even fully aware of it, talking back and
forth in complete sentences with your TT begins to become commonplace.
Another factor that makes the TT so
appropriate to cocooning is its need for creature comforts as opposed
to the active life. Oh, sure, they’ll jog a bit if that is your
thing, but, let’s face it, Tibetan terriers like couches, beds,
Oriental rugs, good stereo systems , gourmet take-out and all the
other delights of the soft world. A few romps up and down the stairs,
once around the park, a run to the condo terrace and back are really
enough. Judges may complain (with every justification) of the lack of
conditioning of some Tibetan terriers in the show ring, but it means
little to the human-dog cocooning unit.
There’s another side, too. It is the
Shangri-La syndrome. These TTs were not created to be catchers of
vermin in British barns, the baiters of bears and bulls in
Shakespeare’s day, not the trackers and rescuers of lost children.
This breed did whatever its family of one or more did, but mostly it
served as companion par excellence in all degrees of condition
and climate.
These are, after all, Eastern dogs,
created and developed out of a strong desire for companionship and
closeness among a people who needed this. There is an air of mystery
about Tibetan Terriers, something elusive.
The long fall of hair over the luminous
dark eyes; the self-sufficient cleaning of the face and paws; the
bear-like, upright stance of "the little people" – all
give an air of mystery to the breed and make it suited to an interior
movement, such as "cocooning". The only fault with this
thought is that TTs weren’t mentioned specifically in Popcorn’s
book. Perhaps next time?
