Lap Dogs – Pet tip 179

There is enough variety in the hundreds of existing dog breeds to suit almost any type of lifestyle. Some people want dogs that they can exercise with and they can easily choose from many dog breeds that love vigorous exercise. On the opposite side of the spectrum, many dog-loving people have really quiet lifestyles and don’t want a dog that has major exercise requirements. These people prefer shorter walks with a dog that is easy to manage physically. Lap dogs are often perfect for people with these requirements.

When we talk about lap dogs, as the name suggests we are talking about dogs that fit in your lap. These dogs love to be petted and cuddled and will spend many hours in your lap while you are watching T.V., reading, knitting or just taking a snooze. Although there are quite a few breeds from different groups of dog breeds, most lap dogs come from the toy dog group. This makes perfect sense since breeds of dog from this group were bred primarily for human companionship. The three breeds we will feature due to their popularity are the Yorkshire terrier, the Shih-tzu and the Lhasa Apso.

Yorkshire terriers or Yorkies hail from England and are actually members of the toy group despite the terrier part of their name. They have flowing hair that needs daily brushing in order to avoid the hair getting matted and of course a great place to brush them is in your lap. They weigh around 7 pounds and love cuddling. It should be mentioned that they were originally bred to catch rats and other pests (like most terriers) so they are not great with other pets from the rodent family. This breed does better with adults than with children.

The Lhasa Apso as its name suggests comes from Lhasa China (formerly Tibet). It is a member of the non-sporting group and is about twice the weight of the Yorkie with an average weight of 14 pounds. Lhasa Apsos make good guard dogs and will easily alert owners when a stranger approaches its territory. These dogs are adorable and love to be petted and cuddled.

The Shih-Tzu also comes from China and is an extremely popular breed in North America. Like the Yorkie it is part of the toy group of dog breeds. Shih-Tzus do like to play outdoors but they don’t need vigorous exercise. Unlike many dog-breeds from the toy group, Shih-Tzus tend to do pretty well around children. They can often withstand rougher play even though it is not recommended, and it’s never a good idea to leave any dog breed unsupervised with children. Shih-Tzus need daily grooming due to their long flowing coats. Shih-Tzus love to be cuddled and hang out with their owners and weigh on average between 9-15 pounds.

It’s important to know that these breed descriptions are general ones and although the majority of these breeds will follow their general breed characteristics, your particular breed may differ. As always, please research any dog breed before you get one and obedience training for all dog breeds is highly recommended.