Tibetan Terrier or Cavalier?

[kag2007]

I have spent month researching dog breeds for our first family pet and have narrowed it down to these two. I found 2 great breeders but am struggling to decide which breed to go for. I have a 4yr old and a 6 yr old, so not tinies but still young. I've spent time with both breeds and am very prepared for training, puppy classes and all the practical things. Can anyone who has owned either breed please give me their views. My main cons are TTs seem to mouth lots and this might frighten kids, cavs are big shedders and have health issues (breeder does all the screening though). I did attempt the rehoming route but there was nothing in my area that was appropriate. Please help me decide :)

No doggy expert but TTs are about a million times cuter!

cavalier, the TT are strong (athletic and temperament) and quite hard for littler children to deal with.

so one vote either way then!!

I'd say Cavs. They are SO sweet in temperament, and perfect for a family situation. The shedding is not bad, IME.

I do love the look of the TTs but my research has been really conflicting, from gentle and affectionate to stubborn and independent?? The 5 I met nearly bowled me over!!! The cavs on the other hand are so gentle but maybe too docile as they age. I do want a cuddly dog which the cavs sound like, but TTs seem to be so much more than just a pet to their owners! Thanks for replys

I'm on my third Cavalier. The first was a beautiful Ruby. She was a lovely dog and really great with the DC and their friends. She was overbread (I didn't do my research) and developed a slight heart murmur at 6 which I decided not to go to deep into investigation. She lived a happy full life till 12. The second overlapped with the first and was a rescue again a lovely dog if a little timid again was around 12. The third we have now shes again a lovely nature. She has spent an hour with my two year old this afternoon playing football and having a tea party. She's been lying on the sofa with my Autistic 9 year old head on his lap listening to his woes and wagged her tail frantically trying to catch snowballs with DS2 (7) in the garden. I've been baking so she has also managed to spend a fair bit of time sidling up to me as my long lost best friend.

I had persian cats preciously and they shed! I don't think of my little cavaliers as being particularly heavy shedders.

Preciously - previously!

One of my dogs only doggy friends ( he doesn't generally like dogs) is a Tibetan terrier . She is a bit aloof ,but her owners have small grandchildren and she's very good with them .

TT's are lovely but I've seen more with behavioural issues and mouthiness, but a health tested Cavalier is a gem - give it love and keep an eye on its weight and brush it regularly and you've got one super family pet!

I'd agree with that, TataClaire. The more people who support great breeders who health test, the better the chance we have of keeping this wonderful breed for the future.

Most of the TTs around here fall into the stubborn and independent...though lovely category, none that I have met have been well trained though.

Thanks for all the replies. Certainly sounds like TTs would be more challenging and that my worry as a first time dog owner! Cavs are looking better and better

Cav.

Best dog for first timers and young families IMO.

Ours is on my profile, v cute. He died last September though, aged 6, from serious heart condition. Unusual to be that serious that young though so I wouldn't let that put you off.

How not?

Flowery- he's so gorgeous! I've actually got that pic of him saved on my phone as my dog's spiritual twin- they are so alike it's uncanny! I adore that photo; I remember it from a couple of years ago. You must have been devastated to lose him

cavalier with young children.terriers by their name can be terrors.sharp,reactive,brave, headstrong,independant.whatever you get get an indoor kennel and dont let the kids maul it.

I've recently become acquainted with a TT and I think he is totally precious! I've never really liked the eyes on Cavaliers.

Thanks Bof. Absolutely devastated yes. :( Still am really tbh, and I remember seeing the pictures of yours, uncanny as you say.

Have a Springer now who has filled the hole a bit, but in a very different way. Couldn't bring myself to get another Cavvy.

Is a Tibetan terrier the same as a Lhasa Apso? or is it a bigger version?

We have a Lhasa, with kids 15, 12 and 10. He is a sturdy little chap, able to keep up with our lifestlye eg, he can keep up with a bike, an all day hike and he loves going kayaking with DS's.

He is also happy to laze around all day if that is what we choose to do!

Exceptionally bright, bred as a sentinel by the monks in Tibet, he is a fabulous little gaurd dog and has a gruff bark.

Adores cats, loves people, unfailingly kind and calm and gentle.

We have a bearded dragon with bigger teeth!

Get the Lhasa Apso!

A TT is similar to Lhasa but medium in size, your Lhasa sound great. Flowery, sorry you lost your cav.

I've now been contacted by another TT breeder whose pups had all been spoked for but someone has dropped out, need to decide now and let her know tomorrow! Any TT owners out there? Please help me decide!!!

TTs are not terriers despite the name (it was a mistake by the first Europeans who came across them). TTs don't have the terrier independence, or hunting instinct or selective deafness with recall.

I am on my first TT and of course individuals will differ but on the plus side she is incredibly good with DD (14mo when we got pup, now 22mo), she is exceptionally tolerant and loads of fun. On the manageable side she is a high energy dog, an incredible jumper (no baby gate or fence has ever kept her in) and she needs quite a bit of off the lead exercise (her recall is good though). On the negative side she needs an incredible amount of grooming (two of my previous dogs were German Spitzes but she is even worse than that), she chews everything and barks a lot.

This particular pup is also quite anxious and gets aggressive around one of our other dogs when food is involved but I think that's an individual rather than breed characteristic.

Thanks Boo. I can deal with high energy just not biting kids and if your wee one fairs okay than my 2 schoolies should! I guess my head says cav but am loving the TTs despite their negatives.

Im on my tenth cavalier enough said,

My TT has never mouthed DD but she did mouth adults for a long time before she figured out not to do it. She never bit and never snapped, but it took her a long time to realise that she should not chew on us...partly because she chews on absolutely everything else! To give you an idea she has chewed shoes, the sofa, a footstool, all the cushions, and loads more, despite being crate trained!

The barking will test your nerves as well as it is a howl-type of bark that is set off at the merest movement/noise. We have no neighbours around and DD has learnt to sleep through it, but I can see how it could be problematic in many other circumstances.

I have a poodle and like tt they are renowned for mouthing, he is 14 months now and has finally got the message. Although its annoying he has never actually hurt any body particularly dds who are 7 and 9.