Lhasa Apso Training Guide
To understand better the Lhasa Apso, a cute and energetic breed from Tibet, we wanted to address some of the more common questions.
Without doubt, this beautiful breed makes a wonderful companion pet. In addition, the Lhasa Apso is good with children and other pets, but he must be socialized young.
How to Train Lhasa Apso
For Many people, the Lhasa Apso is regarded as difficult to train for obedience. However, may of the staf at MyDogBreed.com have lived with many Lhasas, and haven’t found this to be the case. In our experience, these wonderful dogs are generally smart, trainable and quite capable of working with both style and precision.
Most people prefer to take a traditional approach in their lhasa apso training based on praise and corrections. I think you’ll find that just about any obedience class will treat your lhasa apso no differently than any of the other dogs and at the end of the course most lhasas are consistently at or near the top of the class.
Even though some of usual dog training methods have changed somewhat over the years, we have always applied the same techniques to the Lhasas that are used with any other breed.
Lhasa Apsos work best in the presence of strong and consistent leadership, expectations that are based on clear direction, and definite well-timed consequences. Regardless of the training techniques one uses, Lhasas (as with all other breeds) need to clearly know when their behavior is right and when they are wrong.
Using a balanced approach that includes both positive reinforcement and correction usually yields the best results with these beautiful dogs. Very early in your training efforts the reinforcement should be small treats, but this should quickly be replaced with praise and affection. The aversive element should mostly be in the form of collar and leash corrections.
The truth is, most often the greatest obstacle to successfully training Lhasas, is their size coupled with the romantic notions held by some of their owners (which Hollywood has helped to instill). Although they are a relatively small dog, lhasa apsos tend to have very big hearts and they (unlike many of their owners) seem to have no trouble seeing past their own small size.
If you are able to See the Lhasa for who he really is – a dog that is eager to please as any other – then, he or she will happily work for you. However, if you fail to see past the “teddy bear” and he’ll simply work you.
Read More About Lhasa Apso
- Lhasa Apso Breed Information
- Lhasa Apso : 10 Most Common Questions
- Lhasa Apso Health Guide
- Owning a Lhasa Apso : Breeder Recommendations
