Do not misunderstand the description “aloof temperament”, which does not mean a neurotic dog, nor a fear-biter, nor one with a sullen or timid temperament, nor a skulking, cringing character. Tibetan Spaniels are naturally wary, naturally suspicious, they can be aloof and dignified with their owners over any real or imagined slight, they are aristocrats in their own right and consider that they are guardians of their households and owners and are there to warn of impending danger. They are not open to bribes, are very unforgiving and remember enemies. They will seldom bite, which is more in the nature of a “pinch” or “nip”, and they warn by barking if there are strangers approaching or on their premises. They will advance barking only to retreat to a safe vantage point should they consider that any visitor or intruder presents a real threat. They will only bark when there is definitely something to bark at and have very keen hearing. Some will try to talk and their “barking” tones differ. For instance there is the warning bark of the approach of strangers, and there is a welcome bark for their owners, there is also an “asking” bark! But what they are not, is persistent yappers.
They are gay, active and enjoy life to the full. In reality they are big dogs inside a small dog's body! On walks, in all weather, they are tireless, they have good scenting powers and some even work as beaters on shoots, but their inherent lack of obedience is a drawback here! They enjoy above all else being with their own human family and to be included in family activities.
Emotionally they are very devoted, can even physically cry; but in a pack can become aggressive towards their own kind. They are still a very primitive breed in spite of having a high degree of intelligence. They greet visitors outside the house with warning barks, as a threat to the safety of their family, before the door bell rings. Once inside, and obviously welcome, the Tibetan Spaniels of the household graciously extend their own welcome too, often very exuberantly!
The breed is long lived—often to a healthy 12 to 15 years old, and some have lived longer. They are hardy given correct sensible care, and thrive on human affection and companionship.
Judges must learn that this is not a breed one can expect to stand rock steady in the ring while a stranger swoops down on them, perhaps to feel the coat ribs, or whatever, nor should mouths be re-checked in this fashion.
The dog should be put back on the judge's table for re-examination or comparison. It is unfair to penalise a Tibetan Spaniel who objects to inconsiderate handling.
General Appearance:
A quality Tibetan Spaniel looks well balanced all over, without any exaggerations. Although smaller exhibits are preferred, it is important not to sacrifice size for a pretty toy-like appearance. Any unsoundness should be penalised. We do not want essential breed points exaggerated or sacrificed just for the show ring—to catch the judge's eye. Above all else a Tibetan Spaniel must be naturally constructed with correct anatomy: never too short in nose, nor too narrow in skull, nor have an exaggerated length of back that is all too often combined with too-short legs, nor is a glamorous thick long coat required. It is essential that a Tibetan Spaniel destined for the show ring is correctly built, and remember that construction faults are the hardest to breed out. A poorly angulated dog will nearly always have poor muscle structure and less overall substance, as any horse judge and horse breeder knows. The same thing should apply to a dog judge and dog breeder: a good dog is constructed like a good hunter—whatever the breed! The Tibetan Spaniel, is neither grotesque nor exaggerated in construction.
Head And Skull:
The head is one of the most important features of a Tibetan Spaniel, with the correct balance of skull and muzzle, neither one dominating the other. The skull should not be either too domed or too flat between the ears—“just sufficiently rounded to wear an Easter Bonnet”, to quote the late Judy de Casenbrook; a well-known all round judge. The muzzle should not be short and peke-like, nor have any wrinkles. Judges be careful here, as face shadings or a darker muzzle can be misleading. The muzzle should not be long and narrow, lacking cushioning. If you want to know where the cushioning should be, then think of the roots of a cat's whiskers that are embedded in a soft rounded layer of fat padding. The chin should be defined, not with a lot of lower lip jutting out and spoiling the profile, nor should any bottom teeth protrude over the upper lip. It is true that often a Tibetan Spaniel will slacken the muscles of the bottom jaw so that the bottom lip slackens to show just the front of the bottom teeth—especially noticeable if the dog has its head raised and is looking up at its handler. This I would not penalise, provided that it was not exaggerated and very obvious.
The eye rims, the nose and the flews of the mouth should all be black. A Tibetan Spaniel with liver or pink pigmentation has lost out in expression and in quality. Unfortunately some bitches have a tendency to lose the colour in the centre of their otherwise black nose during seasons, pregnancy, or in very cold weather when there is no sun.
A deep stop often accompanies a pronounced domed head. A flat skull also gives an untypical appearance. The stop ought to be slight, avoiding any tendency towards a plain face, which usually accompanies a longer, narrower type muzzle. A big coarse skull is not correct, because this then dominates dog. Although the original 1934 standard required a medium size head, it was unaccountably changed in 1959 to “should be small” and again in 1975 to “small in proportion to the body”. Obviously one would expect a male of the species to be heavier in head than a bitch, but the overall dog should balance. It is not a case for weights and measures as in some breeds. At some European and Scandinavian shows judges have put up exhibits with good mouths regardless of breed type and soundness.
Eyes are a vital part of this dog—there should not be the slightest resemblance to the Pekingese eye, which is round, full and protuberant. A light eye gives a foreign expression. The eye should be oval in shape, almost almond, set well apart but not to the side of the skull. This gives the intelligent, sparkling and often quizzical look we expect from this breed. The eyes should not be set close together giving a mean look, nor have a Japanese Chin type squint that shows plenty of white in either the outer or inner of the eyes. If this does occur in small puppies it can often correct itself by six months old and is possibly due to slack eye muscles.
We must not lose the scowl, that gives the dog an almost frowning expression, which is caused by fine “pencilled” lines in the coat, from the corners of the eyes and meeting in a “V” above the nose inside the stop and then arching over the eyes and eyebrows. It is defined by coat colouring and not by wrinkle, This is something that appears to be ignored by judges and is dying out, but it is very much part-and-parcel of the Tibetan Spaniel breed.
Often the eyes do weep; the tendency to do this is most noticeable during the teething periods. At this time the ear carriage can also be temperamental. Dust at indoor shows, digging in the garden or cigarette smoke can cause this condition temporarily, but if persistent consult a Veterinary Surgeon to see if there is a double row or ingrowing eyelashes or blocked tear ducts. Deal with any kind of conjunctivitis immediately before it can cause any permanent damage.
Tibetan Spaniels will often refuse to look directly at the judge in the show ring—in spite of all blandishments and noises—but this is as it should be. There should be only one person on whom the Tibetan Spaniel fixes its gaze—on its owner-handler! The Tibetan Spaniel is one of the few breeds I have known who can practically look through someone as if they are not there, as if to say “drop dead!” This is what is meant by “aloof”. A china eye, or blue eye, or a “blue window” in a brown eye is caused by lack of pigment and is a fault that ought to be penalised in the ring. However, with care and knowledge, it can be bred out but it must be realised that this fault can reappear in subsequent generations if it is in a strain. It does not affect the eyesight or cause blindness.
The ears should not have a sporting Spaniel look, nor be the same as in the Cavalier or King Charles Spaniel. Unlike some breeds, the Tibetan Spaniel ear fringes do not come from either the bottom of the ear leathers or from half-way down the ear. They start growing high up behind the ear, where it joins the top of the neck, and from the top of the ear they drape down and over to the side and the back of the actual ear itself. You must breed for ear fringes, because they are not profuse in all strains. I can only liken the correct ear shape to that of a small rose petal—the actual leathers are small and made to look much bigger by the ear fringes.
Unfortunately the slight lift to the ears is not seen often today. I consider that this contributes to the oriental look of the breed. I do not mean a Whippet type flying ear carriage, nor erect as in the Sheltie, but the ears should be well set on starting just below the dome at the outer corners of the skull and never so low set as to start just above the eye level.
Mouths:
Here we have a real “hot potato”. No, don't close your eyes because the problem will not go away! Breeders have been working very hard on this for some years and generations. Whether it is due to a deficient diet in the early days of the breed or whether because of pressure to breed the Tibetan Spaniel with an undershot jaw has caused this problem, none of us will really ever know. In the 1934 Breed Standard it says, “Level, otherwise slight under-shot preferable”. Level mouths are deleted from the current breed standard, but if you do find them, or indeed those which may be only very slightly overshot, I will almost guarantee that they will all have good level dentition with the 6 teeth between their bottom canines and in a straight line!
“Undershot” does not mean about one quarter an inch gap between top and bottom jaws when the mouth is closed, even if the teeth do not show. This can be extremely ugly in profile, showing too much bottom lip and in some cases have the bottom lip protruding.
If I could breed my ideal Tibetan Spaniel it would have, for medical reasons, a level bite with a definite chin. The big danger in achieving a level bite is that you may lose the chin—and with lack of chin you just do not have a correct Tibetan Spaniel head in profile.
While we would like to breed stock with perfect mouths in all our litters, and who would not, it is no guarantee to breed from parents with good mouths. In fact I have proved that you are just as likely to get good mouths, such as I have described, from parents who do not have them!
Knowing that the perfect dog, even the perfect Tibetan Spaniel, has not yet been bred, I would never sacrifice good breed points by refusing to breed from any typical good dog or bitch whose mouth was not perfect, and when judging I consider that to find a row of bottom teeth in a slightly undershot jaw is the icing on the cake. Judges should also not penalise an adult with one or two missing bottom front teeth because this breed is unfortunately inclined to lose teeth early and these are usually the first to go. I would personally never breed from anything with a grossly exaggerated mouth, either overshot (such as a parrot jaw), or very undershot (showing the bottom teeth outside the top lip as with a Bulldog). While it is indeed possible to remove such faults with correct breeding, this should only be attempted by knowledgeable breeders who must ensure that they do not breed from these dogs. Temptation will be there, especially in a popular breed. Only someone who knows their breed genetics and the dog’s background for quite a few generations behind a fault, can hope to breed it out. The real danger is that it can come out in future litters and so, perhaps unwittingly, be perpetuated.
We should aim to breed a Tibetan Spaniel with a good bite with all the bottom teeth between the incisors in a straight line, with sufficient chin and a well padded muzzel. What we do not want is wry jaws, nor bare gums with missing teeth that have never come through, both inherited faults. In some cases the tongue will also show to quite a degree when these two conditions occur. Rather than these faults I personally prefer the higgledy- piggledy, scrambled, full set of teeth between the incisors, even if they are out of line, and more often it is four in front and two placed slightly behind (as if in a second row). Narrow bottom jaws will encourage this kind of dentition. I would not fault 5 teeth instead of 6.
The Tibetan Spaniels of the 1920's and 1930's had level bites, coming from the Greig imports from Tibet. Above all else judges must be educated to put breed type and soundness before dentition.
Neck:
Do not forget that the Tibetan Spaniel must have a neck. A short, stuffy neck is useless to a breed in which the standard says, as one of its main characteristics, that it must carry a mane or shawl. Often a lack of length of neck accompanies incorrect shoulder angulation. The neck should be well set on, giving a correct outline with a gentle slope where the neck merges with the withers. If the shoulder angulation is correct, with the angulation of the shoulder blade slanting at an angle of 45 degrees and forming an approximate right angle with the humerus at the shoulder joint, this will not only ensure the correct outline in profile but also good front movement.
Forequarters:
Having just mentioned the importance of the correct shoulder angulation, I would like to say that I do not consider that a dog with a pin-toed walk, a swinging front and loose elbows has good front movement. Dogs who are over bowed in the forearm, between the elbow and pastern join, will also not move correctly and soundly.
A Tibetan Spaniel who weaves in front may have loose elbows or upright shoulders. Weak pasterns can spoil not only the front movement but also encourage the dog to stand with its front feet at “ten to two” in “Charlie Chaplin” fashion.
The shawl is denoted in bitches by a change of coat colour and length forming an almost fan-like “saddle” across the back over the withers and down to the top of the elbows.
In the males it should be a much grander affair, almost like a lion's mane, sometimes black tipped with long fringes of hair falling over the shoulders and to the side of the front legs—ending just below the elbows.
It is very harmful for any Tibetan Spaniel puppy to have complete freedom to jump on and off furniture or run up and down stairs at will. At best a good front can be ruined, at worst a greenstick fracture can occur and remain undetected until one leg twists badly and it is too late for surgical correction.
Body:
The Tibetan Spaniel in outline should never fit into a “square box”. The dog should balance without any exaggerations and yet be slightly longer in body from the base of the neck (where it joins the point of shoulder at the top of the withers) to the root of the tail, than it is from the floor to the top of the withers.
The weight and size have increased from the 1934 breed standard due to a better balanced diet and more scientific rearing. Judging by the photographs of Mrs. A. R. Greig and Dr. Greig's dogs in the early prints there has always been a big variation in size, so it is hardly surprising that we still have this variation in size and weight today.
A good spring of rib is important, and body not too narrow in chest. A Dachshund-type brisket is not desirable. Temptation to breed from anything with an inverted sternum or abnormal rib cage should be resisted.
The topline should be level and the hindquarters should not be higher in the rump when comparing with shoulder level.
Hindquarters:
While we do not want straight stifles, which will encourage the tendency towards Patella Subluxation and unsoundness, we do not want the exaggerated angulation of stifle as in some breeds (such as the German Shepherd).
Although a small breed, the Tibetan Spaniel must be a well-constructed sound little dog with no suspicion of weakness in the hindquarters. Poor hind movement lacking in drive must always be suspect. Tibetan Spaniels should have a pelvis with a thirty degree slant forming a right angle with the femur, as other breeds have. This is essential for good structure and movement.
Cow hocks can cause a strain on stifle ligaments and muscles. This can then cause the dog to move close behind with no drive, giving weak shuffling or a stilted hind movement. The opposite of this, weak hocks, causes the dog to twist its hocks when moving and will place a strain on the stifles. A dog with straight stifles will not move with a Tibetan Spaniel's typical characteristic gait. Any weakness behind should be severely penalised. The rump should not slope down towards the root of the tail. The tail should not be low set but, on a dog with a level top line, it should be in a line with the body.
Feet:
The Tibetan Spaniel is the only one of the Tibetan breeds to have the distinctive elongated hare foot. They should not have round or cat feet. This small dainty foot is just as much one of the main characteristics of the breed as the Mane or Shawl, the Scowl and the Ape-like expression. Just as the Chinese Mandarins had their long finger nails and silver nail guards, these fringes of hair that extend over the toes and claws must never be cut or trimmed. Claws must be kept regularly cut, folding back these gloves of hair when so doing before using the guillotine type of nail cutter.
It is not an essential point when judging to check that the claws have been removed. Claws can also grow very quickly in the breed and even an adult's movement can be restricted by long claws, which may turn under, and if neglected will eventually cripple.
It is permissible however, to cut away the tufts of hair that grow down from in between the toes and under the pads of the feet, which may become matted with ice or tar. They are probably there to act as snow shoes or brakes on the ice in their country of origin.
Gait:
The Tibetan Spaniel is not expected have the driving hind movement of a gun dog but it is expected to move soundly. The Tibetan Spaniel has a definite walk that is all its own. It is a brisk, busy, perky sort of “look at me” distinctive walk, which combined with the arrogant lift of the head, gives the breed an aristocratic air that should have resulted in more Group placings that it has done. One can but think that some judges are blind to the soundness and charm that generates from a really good specimen in the show ring when in among other breeds.
Tail:
So many people are disappointed to find that their Tibetan Spaniel does not have a tight Pug twist or curl when adult. All our breed standards state that the tail is carried in a gay curl over the back—there is nothing to state tight curl! When the tail of an adult is fully feathered, it is indeed a very attractive plume dropping over the hindquarters to one side. Sometimes the judicious use of a hairbrush can encourage a dog to keep its tail up or to flick it to the other side (each dog has a natural fall to one side in particular, which can be a problem if the judge wishes the dogs all turned one way).
A Tibetan Spaniel's tail is its “weather vane”. If the dog is unhappy, cold or off colour, then the tail is not held over the back with the usual gay abandon. While those tails with tighter curls are less likely to droop down in the ring, you must expect a youngster at its first few shows to perhaps not stand for long with its tail up—hence the wording in the 1975 Standard! So it may be necessary to “say your prayers”, and hold up or brush a puppy's tail over its back. Once confidence is gained this should no longer be necessary. I consider exceptions to this are large classes with slow judges, boredom, high winds, excessive heat, all of which can play havoc with tails in the show ring.
When judging I would, if a hard decision had to be made between two exhibits of equal merit, decide to place the one that could hold up its own tail at the top of the line!
Coats:
Please note that there never has been anything in any of the breed standards to denote length of coat. A long Pekingese type coat is not typical nor desirable as a great feature this breed is its easy coat care. A spiky Pom or Chow type coat is also not typical. What is wanted is a double coat (i.e. with undercoat) lying rather flat. Bitches will have a silkier coat than the males in whom it tends to be slightly coarse, especially on the mane. The standard also reads should not be over-coated. If the texture is wrong, perhaps slightly “woolly”, then you will find that it collects balls of ice and snow, whereas those with a typical, correctly textured coat do not get these—usually not even on their feathering. Occasionally one finds an adult Tibetan Spaniel, usually a bitch, who has a short, thick “plush” coat, or a single coat with no undercoat. This can be corrected when the breeding programme is mapped out in future generations. A very wavy or curly coat is not correct.
Colours:
Even nowadays there still seems to be some confusion among breeders, exhibitors and judges over colour description. The fact is that a Tibetan Spaniel can be any colour or any combination of colours with white permitted anywhere, including on the feet.
When it comes to registering young puppies it is always deceptive because they can and do change colour until their first proper coat grows in. It is often noticed that they start to lighten in colour around their eyes, and this continues over their heads and, as the coat comes through, starting here, they usually become paler. Therefore, it is safer to register just as “sable” or particolour, or black and tan, whichever is applicable. Bitches also tend to become lighter with age and successive moults, moulting about four months after they have been in season if they are not mated. A bitch will not be in peak-coat condition for some time after a litter and not ready to go back into the show ring until her puppies are about eight to ten months old. The colours that alter and fade the most are in the sable range, especially silver sables.
Liver and Chocolate coats are not listed as a fault. They are possibly less desirable because of the tendency to have light eyes and liver or pink noses, flews and eye rims.
Sable is nowadays the most usual of all the coat colours but there is a great variation from fawn, pale gold, cream, deep gold, shaded sable, red, bright red, pale reds mahogany and silver sable. The silver sables have a pale fawn undercoat that is barely visible under a mantle of black fringes that cover the body, a black mask and silver tail plume. Many of these assorted sable colours do have a black mask and black coat tips and sometimes white forehead blaze (a “Mark of Buddha”) and white shoulder blaze, white or even black chests (the latter of them in the case of silver sables), and sometimes white toes or socks on one or more legs.
A Particolour is predominantly white with coloured markings. A black and white particolour is the rarest but on the whole the particolour is now considered to be (with the black and tan) the rarest of the coat colours. Deep or bright chestnut red and white particolours are also rare. More often they are sable or pale gold markings on white. Some have black masks or black fringes.
If a dog is all white, or equal quantities of sable and white, then it is not a particolour and would not qualify for entry into a particolour class at a show.
Black and Tan, must be predominantly black with red, fawn, gold or even silver shading down the front of the legs, on muzzle, eyes (eyebrows), down throat on chest, trousers on hind legs, sometimes with a silver tail plume. There have been, rarely, all black Tibetan Spaniels or with only a little white on chest or feet and with no sable or tan. These would, therefore, strictly speaking, not qualify as black and tan—nor is it a true tricolour, which have equal amounts of black, white and tan (or with sable, fawn, red or gold). Rich red “tan” is quite rare.
There was a time when it was very hard to win with certain colours in the show ring but nowadays, with good specimens of all these colours being exhibited, non specialist and specialist breeder judges have been hopefully educated to look beyond coat colour! Nevertheless, one would be less than human not to have personal preferences or dislikes but these should never enter a show ring with the judge who should be utterly impartial. It is only by campaigning good types in all the coat colours that all will have an equal chance to win. Some venues and some lights do not always do justice to the rarer particolours and black and tans. It is undoubtedly true that it is easier to clearly see the faults in these colours than it is in the sable specimens. Some judges incorrectly consider that by placing dogs of similar colour in the first five places they are judging to type!
The fault listed in the standard is a sensible one. For health reasons it is desirable that any male should be entire, even if he is destined to be a pet. If one testicle is retained in the body and not descended into the scrotal sack, it can cause the dog trouble in later life, which might even involve operations and castration. If one testicle only has descended instead of two then the dog is usually, incorrectly, termed a Monorchid. He is, in fact, a unilateral cryptorchid. If neither of the testicles are descended then he is a bilateral cryptorchid and cannot reproduce. It is Unwise to breed from a “Monorchid” as he could reproduce this condition in his offspring or their descendants, and I have always suspected that bitches with a very bad “stricture” come into this relationship.
A Tibetan Spaniel male should be entire by the time he is four months old, even though both testicles are not completely down into the scrotal sac.
