Origin
Tibetan Spaniels are charming dogs that are affectionately known as Tibbies. They hail from the high mountain regions of the Himalayas and since they were first introduced to the UK, they have become a popular choice as companion dogs and family pets thanks to their sweet personalities and their adorable looks. Today, Tibetan Spaniels are just as popular not only here in the UK, but in many other countries of the world and as always, they are a huge hit at dog shows throughout the world too.
Tibetan Spaniels are thought to be one of the most ancient breeds to come out of Tibet where they were revered by monks who lived in monasteries in the high, remote mountain regions of the Himalayas. They were highly prized as guard dogs thanks to their love of sitting up high so they could watch over everything that was happening far below them. However, these little dogs were also prized by the monks for being wonderful companion dogs and they would use them to keep warm during the harsh, winter months. It was the monks of Tibet who named them "Little Lion Dogs" because of their charming manes.
Tibetan Spaniels were among the first of the Tibetan breeds to have been introduced to the UK. The first record of a dog was in 1895 and it was at this time that a number of people took an interest in these little dogs and started breeding them. However, with the advent of World War I, breed numbers fell dangerously low, but luckily a female Tibbie was offered as a gift to Lady Wakefield during a visit to India. She eventually mated her to another Tibetan Spaniel that had been acquired directly from the monks of Tibet. These dogs were to become the foundation stock of all Tibetan Spaniels found in the UK today.
Their numbers and their popular grew over the following years and in 1959, the Tibetan Spaniel was recognised by The Kennel Club as a unique breed in its own right and awarded Challenge Certificate status at Championship Shows which included Crufts.
