Tibetan terriers, the good and the bad

[IAmAGnu]

I'd really love to hear from any Tibetan Terrier owners about your dogs. The good, the bad, the really mega annoying.

I am investigating getting a dog. I am looking at general rescues but also contemplating puppies. I had a Tibetan Terrier growing up. She was amazing. Affectionate, funny, happy to be walked for ages or just have a run round the garden, utterly bonkers.

So a big part of me would love to have the breed again. But I would really like some more experiences from owners. A few things I've read have mentioned separation anxiety. Our dog growing up was fine, so is that something that is training as much as temperament?

In my head they are the perfect laid back family dog, but I am basing this on one dog. So tell me about your Tibetan Terriers, are they awesome or stubborn buggers who will bark all day and annoy my neighbours?

I had one growing up to, it was an awesome little dog! He was completely bonkers though and had a total obsession with brushes of every kind, you had to hide them or he would steal them. We didn't have any issues with him at all, in fact while I prefer cats I'd love a little dog just like him.

A brush stealing dog is fantastic.

We rescued a TT and he was 8 (although vet thought he was older). He was a loveable rogue, stubborn as hell, slept on kids beds and on sofas, ate when he felt like it, drove us mad chasing the cat and was tone deaf when shouted at to come back to me on a walk. He was also very adept at getting out through the cat flap and escaping. Yet I loved him more than I could say! We've now got a cocker spaniel, but I still see TTs and want another. I don't think they are for the faint hearted and you need to be very strict with training and recall. But they are amazing loyal dogs. I'd research any dog very carefully, talk to other owners and see if you can find any sites online for the breed. I've got so much info from using cockers online so I'd imagine there is one at least for TTs.

I have one, she's 10 months. We adore her, laid back, loyal, loving beyond belief, eager to please and incredibly affectionate..snuggles up for hours.

Separation anxiety, this was noted as an issue with breed and I guess we worked it in gradually. She loves company so true she's not keen on being on her own however she's young and is very happy to snooze on the couch when on own After a good walk of course. She's left 3 hrs max now after a build up from 15 mins throughout puppyhood.

Loves her park walks, stubborn yes is a trait and I see streaks of it when she doesn't want to come in from the garden or doesn't want to leave the park but if I turn heel she's behind and following me, sticks close!

Happy to answer any other queries.

We had a TT, he was a right character, he'd climb up to the highest point wherever we were. He'd get up on the garden shed and sleep on its roof. One day he climbed out of the bathroom window and I had to prise him off the roof of the house😮
He was also a very naughty and cunning food thief, of course he could get on to the kitchen work surfaces and steal all manner of things. One time he ate a dry teabag that I dropped on the floor.
Unfortunately though he had just about every allergy under the sun and spent most of his life scratching and licking, I tried every treatment going and the only thing that worked was steroids which sadly shortened his life. So for me I couldn't have another Tibetan 😔

Oh the food stealing! Our family TT conspired with the cats to open our fridge (it had a dodgy seal). A large leftover chicken disappeared one night and a block of cheese the next before we worked out what had happened!

Thanks all. I am doing a lot of research as I don't want to jump into anything. I'm also looking at rescue dogs of all breeds, although with young kids and a cat it restricts our choices. But I am not jumping into anything until I am sure.

Separation anxiety. I can't even leave a room without mine following me! Drives me insane. Yes to food stealing - over the years he's had boxes of cereal (opened the cupboard), christmas pudding, and the best one was my pukka pie. You can't turn your back for a second.

But I wouldn't have another breed. They don't drool, they don't moult (although the double coat is a grooming headache), great with kids and even our cat.

I have two 😱 Tibetan Terriers.
I think they are great little dogs, but as already mentioned, not for the faint heated.
Good points:
-very affectionate and loyal (although family pets they are really mine and will do anything for me!)
-Intelligent, fast learners- that's good and bad habits
-I found mine easy to train, but I had a string of 'difficult' rescues before getting my first TT puppy. So had a good head start.

• TT 1 ist trained to competition level obedience and loves all the action and attention- these dogs have great potential!
• my dogs are allowed at work, their job description is Stress Relief Officer, which they take very seriously

-mine are soft as anything, open and don't seem to have an aggressive side

Not so good points:

• TT 2 is a total nutter when it comes to anything to do with formal dog training... stubborn, class clown with a hint of couch potato
• will sleep anywhere except in their own bed... preferably my bed or couch
• don't like being left alone... and will give you a fitting welcome.
• very capable of finding own entertainment, usually shredding something ...
• will find ways to tell you exactly what they want and when!

Overall, I'd say they are funny little characters, that love to please, yes they can be stubborn and most certainly suffer from an acute from of selective hearing.

My parents owned a bitch as i was growing up, she was as mad as a box of frogs. Very cat like, loved being up high and loved to sleep on the kitchen work tops.

As a breed they suffer with their hips, my friends TT had to have both hips replaced at 2yrs old. Our girl lived until she was 14 yrs old. Lovely dogs but not for the faint hearted!