^{The lhasapoo is a smart and friendly doodle that comes from a long history of companion dogs. These doodles are both soft and cuddly but also natural watch dogs. They bond well with their families and they will warn them of any visitors with their sharp bark. 🥷 The lhasapoo enjoy playing with other pets and children. These doodles can make a  great smaller doodle that is full of personality and is more than willing to let you know when you have company.} 

^{Let’s take a quick look at the parent breeds of the lhasapoo and how those traits make up this super soft doodle package.} 

^{The American Kennel Club used DNA 🧬 studies to show that the Lhasa Apso is one of 14 ancient dog breeds in the world. This 10 thousand year old dog breed originates from Tibet. They were developed in Tibet using the Tibetan Terrier and similar herding type dogs. This ancient dog breed served as guard dogs at palaces and monasteries high up in the Himalayas ⛰️ . The Lhasa Apso would sound the alarm to announce visitors, this led to the name “Abso Seng Kye” which means “bark lion sentinel dog”.} 

^{Lhasa Apsos have been rumored to be reincarnated Tibetan priests that did not reach Nirvana which has made them revered in the villages and monasteries. The Dalai Lamas not only kept the Lhasa Apso as pets but they also gave them as gifts to guests. Two were given to China 🇨🇳  and were used to create the Shih Tzu and the Pekingese dog breed. There were 2 Lhasa Apsos given to an American by the thirteenth Dalai Lama  in 1933. The AKC officially recognized the breed in 1935 under the Terrier Group and then transferred it to the Non-sporting Group in 1959.}

^{Let’s take a quick look at the other half of the lhasapoo hybrid.}

^{The Poodle is called Pudel in Germany 🇩🇪 and Caniche in France 🇫🇷 . Both of these names are a nod to the Poodles original breeding use as a water retriever. The German Pudel name translates to puddle or splashing water . The French Caniche name translates to duck dog. 🦆}

^{The Standard Poodles were originally bred as hunters of wildfowl to retrieve the game out of the water. The Miniature Poodle was also bred in France as a talented circus performer 🎪 . These Miniature Poodles were trained to walk tightropes and even perform card tricks and skits.} 

^{Both the Lhasa Apso and the Poodle have long histories as companion dogs.} 

^{Sizing it all up}

^{The lhasapoo does not come in as many sizes as some other doodles. They can weigh between 13 to 18 pounds. They can also be between 9 to 11 inches tall. 🐕}

^{Color Coding, Fur Real}

^{The lhasapoo can have straight or curly hair or somewhere in between. Their hair is usually very soft and can come in many different colors to include black, white, grays and different shades of brown. They can be one solid color of a combination of colors.} 

^{They need to be brushed daily or at least every other day to prevent matting. They also require a bath about once per month. 🛁  The lhasapoo will also need to be trimmed about every 4 to 6 weeks. Owners can take them to a groomer or they can learn the grooming skills and do it themselves. Lhasapoos also need to have their ears checked once per week and have any debris removed. Doodles have a tendency to collect dirt and moisture in their floppy ears that can lead to ear infections if not cleaned. 👂}

^{A quick note on hypoallergenic and what that actually means.} 

 ^{The AKC states that “there is no such thing as a completely hypoallergenic dog”. Unfortunately people with dog allergies are usually allergic to the dog dander 🦠, not the dog’s fur. Granted the dog fur can be a carrier for the dog dander it is not the cause of the allergen. The old school of thought was that less dog hair = less allergen. So breeders would attempt to have as many Poodle genes in a dog breed to lessen dog hair shed. Unfortunately, this does not change the level of dander. Please be cautious regarding the labels of “hypoallergenic” if you have dog allergies. If you would like more info on this please read 22 Hypoallergenic Doodles. 🤧}

^{Working it out}

^{The lhasapoo is a moderate energy doodle. They need about 20 to 30 minutes of exercise to stay happy and healthy everyday.🚶 The lhasapoo needs to get their daily energy activities per day because they can be more prone to obesity. Lhasapoos like to participate in various activities to include obedience training and walks. When doing activities with your lhasapoo make sure that if you take them swimming that they are constantly supervised. The lhasapoo also does not enjoy hot weather. 🥵}

^{⚠️ One word of warning, it is not recommended to have your doodle participate in highly strenuous activities prior to the age of 10 months due to underdeveloped joints and bones. ⚠️}

^{Come, Sit, Stay}

^{The lhasapoo is a fairly intelligent doodle that may require more skills regarding training. Both of the parent breeds of the lhasapoo land on different sides of the training scope in regards to easy and challenging. The Lhasa Apso can be an independent and stubborn dog breed, while the Poodle 🐩  is a people pleaser that is easy to train. Your lhasapoo could be anywhere in between. Whichever parent breed your lhasapoo takes after they will need a firm reward based training involving engaging games and treats. 🥓 A trainer that is firm but patient works best. Lhasapoo owners may need to bring in a paid trainer to assist if their lhasapoo is hard headed.} 

^{The Lhasa Apso can also have a couple of traits that may need to be focused on during training including nuisance barking and issues with potty training. 🚽  These training challenges can be improved with proper training. The lhasapoo may also have a suspicious nature and need extra training when interacting with strangers.} 

^{As with all doodles, the lhasapoo needs early socialization and puppy classes in order to develop healthy habits for life. 👍}

^{Quality of Life}

^{The lhasapoo is a very healthy doodle with a longer life span. They live between 10 to 14 years. The parent breed, the Lhasa Apso has a very long life span, oftentimes living into their mid 20s. The oldest recorded Lhasa Apso to have lived was 29 years old. 🤯}

^{So now you want a Lhasapoo….}

^{If you are thinking about getting a lhasapoo you must make sure that you are in love with any combination of traits that a doodle surprise can offer. 🎁 Your doodle may look exactly like a Lhasa Apso but act exactly like a Poodle. Would you be ok with that? What about the other way around? If you can love 💗 ALL of the traits of both parent breeds then DO IT! Doodles are the best!} 

^{I would check at Poodle rescues and also at Lhasa Apso specific rescues, they may have a mixed breed/hybrid there as well. Also check regular rescues. Just realize that if you want to rescue you may have to wait to find your dog or travel to pick it up. But there are great benefits to rescuing instead of buying. 👍👏}

^{If you decide to buy a puppy please do your research on the breeder and don’t be afraid to ask the right questions. And good luck to you! I hope you find your forever puppy! 🥰}