{"data":{"slug":"tibetan-spaniel","name":"Tibetan Spaniel","url":"https://techtools.cz/tools/dog-atlas/tibetan-spaniel","api_url":"https://techtools.cz/dog-atlas-api/v1/breeds/tibetan-spaniel","also_known_as":["Tibbie","Little Lion Dog"],"kind":"breed","extinct":false,"group":{"key":"companion","label":"Companion \u0026 Toy","fci_group":9,"fci_group_name":"Companion and Toy Dogs"},"size":"Small","origin":"Tibet","countries":["Tibet"],"height_cm":{"min":23.0,"max":25.0},"weight_kg":{"min":4.1,"max":6.8},"life_expectancy_years":{"min":12,"max":15},"temperament":["Assertive","Independent","Alert","Loyal","Aloof with Strangers"],"exercise_level":"Low","wikipedia_views_60d":5642,"summary":"A small, bright and self-assured companion from the Tibetan monasteries. Despite its name it is no spaniel, but a watchful little lookout with a lion-like mane and a strong will of its own.","photo":{"url":"https://techtools.cz/tools/dog-atlas/photos/tibetan-spaniel-b4d9dfd4e2-1280.webp","small_url":"https://techtools.cz/tools/dog-atlas/photos/tibetan-spaniel-b4d9dfd4e2-640.webp","width":550,"height":372,"author":"No machine-readable author provided. Wolfman1 assumed (based on copyright claims).","license":"CC BY-SA 3.0","license_url":"http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/","source_url":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tibetansk_spaniel.jpg"},"updated_at":"2026-10-15T14:54:44Z","ratings":{"energy":3,"exercise":2,"grooming":3,"shedding":3,"trainability":3,"barking":4,"kids":3,"other_dogs":4},"coat":"Silky double coat, medium length with feathering","colors":["Red","Fawn","Gold","White","Cream","Black and tan","Parti-colour","Sable"],"fun_fact":"Tibetan monks reportedly trained these little dogs to turn prayer wheels, and they also slept alongside the monks as living hot-water bottles.","sections":{"overview":"The Tibetan Spaniel is a small companion dog from Tibet. It is not a gun dog at all; the name probably came from a passing likeness to toy-sized hunting spaniels.\n\nIt is a devoted, watchful and independent little dog that bonds closely with its family and likes to keep an eye on the household from a high perch.","history":"Small dogs of this type lived in Tibetan monasteries, where they followed the lamas and were seen as little lions, echoing the sacred Snow Lion. They were exchanged as gifts between monasteries and the courts of China and other Buddhist lands, which probably gave them shared ancestry with the Pekingese and Japanese Chin.\n\nThey also had useful jobs: sitting on monastery walls as lookouts, raising the alarm alongside the Tibetan Mastiffs below, and even turning prayer wheels. The breed reached Britain by the 1890s, and the FCI recognised it in 1987.","appearance":"A small, slightly longer-than-tall dog with a domed head, a short blunt muzzle free of wrinkles, and oval eyes set wide apart. The pendant ears are feathered, and a mane of hair circles the neck, most noticeably in males.\n\nThe high-set, richly feathered tail curls over the back. Front legs are slightly bowed and the feet are hare-like. The silky double coat lies flat and is smooth on the face and front of the legs.","personality":"Tibetan Spaniels are social, affectionate and sensitive to their people, and they do not do well when left alone for long stretches. They are protective of the family and usually reserved with strangers, announcing anything unusual with a loud alarm bark.\n\nThey are also independent and can be stubborn, with a tendency to wander off and explore rather than come when called. Early socialisation helps them become confident, well-mannered companions.","care":"Exercise needs are modest: daily walks and play suit them well, in a securely fenced area, as their independent streak makes recall unreliable. They are happiest as part of the household and need plenty of company.\n\nGrooming is manageable, with brushing a couple of times a week and more attention to the feathering on the ears, toes and tail during shedding periods. Positive, patient training works best.","health":"Generalised progressive retinal atrophy occurs in the breed and a DNA test exists. Portosystemic (liver) shunt is rare but reported. Allergies, cherry eye and weeping eyes can also occur. A 2024 UK study found an average life expectancy of about 15 years."},"recognition":{"fci_number":231,"fci_standard_url":"https://www.fci.be/en/nomenclature/231.html","akc_url":"https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/tibetan-spaniel/"},"sources":{"wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tibetan_spaniel","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q39181","wikipedia_revision":1379333821},"profile":{"written_by":"AI model (Claude Sonnet) from the sources above","written_at":"2026-10-15T13:37:30Z"}}}