Tibetian Spaniels or Tibbies as they are known by dog lovers were originally bred by the monks of the mountainous regions of Tibet as companion dogs, and they used to help keep the monks warm during the cold winters. It was these monks that gave them the nickname “Little Lion Dogs”.
They are happy, friendly dogs who are very sociable and make excellent family pets. They bond strongly to their family members but can be wary of strangers, although not in an aggressive fashion. They prefer to keep their distance until they are happy that the newcomer is a friend and can be trusted. Very playful in nature they are fun loving little dogs who love to spend time entertaining their family.
The Tibetian Spaniel is not really a spaniel in athe true sense being that they are not gundogs. They are very alert and make good watchdogs as they like to position themselves at high vantage point so that they can keep a lookout. They also like the sound of their own voices and are sure to alert their owners if anything is trespassing.
However like other spaniels they are intelligent little dogs who can be easy to train in the right hands as they are very eager to please and they pick up new things quickly. They have a high prey drive and will happily chase anything that runs away from them, so care should be taken around other small pets or wildlife. They are also very inquisitive and like to explore their surroundings, enjoying a decent amount of exercise even off the beaten track. They can also suffer from separation anxiety if left alone for long periods as they love the company of their humans. They can be quite headstrong and stubborn at times and should not be allowed to rule the roost as they can develop a dominant nature if allowed to go unchecked.