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Lhasa Apsos should ideally be 10.75 inches at the withers and weigh about 14-18 pounds (between 6kg and 8kg). The females are slightly smaller, and weigh between 12-14 pounds (between 5kg and 7kg). The breed standard requires dark brown eyes and a black nose, although liver coloured lhasas have a brown nose which makes them unsuitable for the show ring but still make great pets. Texture of the coat is heavy, straight, hard, neither woolly nor silky, and very dense. A Lhasa's coat should be of good length if it is for the show ring but a lot of people who keep lhasas as pets get them trimmed into the teddy bear cut by a groomer. All colors are equally acceptable for the show ring as long as they have a black nose. Lhasas can be with or without dark tips to ears and beard. The tail should be carried well over the dogs back. The breed standard currently used by the American Kennel Club was approved July 11, 1978. [1] Lhasas can change colour as they get older. Some start off with a dark brown coat with tan and white splotches, but when their hair is cut or it grows naturally, their colour can turn much lighter. Lhasas are often compared to the fictional teddy bear warriors know as "ewoks" in the star wars universe.[citation needed]

The heavy coat of Lhasas can also be explained by the geographical features of Tibet: the temperature frequently drops below freezing, thus making it hard for a dog to survive without sufficient insulation. Lhasas were rarely groomed by their owners thus allowing the breed to adapt to the harsh weather, although when they are in warm climates, such as the south-western U.S., many owners prefer to have the coats trimmed.[citation needed] In 1901 Mrs. A. McLaren Morrison brought the Lhasa Apso to the UK where it was registered as an official breed in The Kennel Club in 1902.[citation needed] The original American pair was a gift from Thubten Gyatso, 13th Dalai Lama to C. Suydam Cutting, arriving in the United States in the early 1930s. The American Kennel Club officially accepted the breed in 1935 in the Terrier group, and in 1959 transferred the breed to the Non-Sporting group.[1] Recently, DNA Analysis has identified the Lhasa Apso as one of the 14 most ancient dog breeds. Archeological evidence indicates that it was originally a kitchen-midden scavenger traveling with the prehistoric nomads of central Asia. [2] The breed has incredibly good hearing and this is why they were used in Tibet as ears for the old Tibetan monks who were hard of hearing so that the monks could be alerted by the dogs' sharp high pitched bark if there were any intruders.

Like most mammals, all dogs slough off dander ("loose scales formed on the skin and shed from the coat or feathers of various animals, often causing allergic reactions in susceptible persons") as well as saliva and even more unsavory bodily excretions. Since dander and many other allergens become trapped in hair, and shed hairs are light enough to spend considerable time airborne indoors before settling to the floor to be removed during housecleaning (an activity which can, ironically, help them stay airborne), shedding of the coat is a typical way in which housepets spread their allergens in a domestic environment. Coming from the extremely cold weather of the Himalayas, the Apso has a double coat ... an undercoat which is soft and will shed out; and an outer coat consisting of coarse outer guard hairs. Most owners who do not show their dogs keep their Lhasa Apsos in a "puppy clip," which requires frequent bathing and grooming and further reduces the amount of allergens present. For these reasons, many people with allergies can co-exist with the low-shedding breeds, i.e., Lhasa Apso, Poodle, Shih Tzu, Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier, Maltese, etc.

Having been bred as an indoor monastary sentinel dog by the Tibetan Buddhist monks, Lhasa Apsos tend to be alert and have a keen sense of hearing with a rich, sonorous bark that belies their size (some are known as "singers"). They can also move quite silently, allowing them to sneak up on intruders, as well as unsuspecting family members. The ideal Lhasa temperament is to be wary of strangers while being loyal to those closest to them. They rank 68th in Stanley Coren's The Intelligence of Dogs, being of fair working/obedience intelligence. The breed has a high incidence of the alpha instinct, which leads to unique personality traits. Many Lhasa Apsos are highly tolerant of solitude and do not long for the companionship of other dogs. They can be kind some days but can be headstrong and hard to potty train if you do it the wrong way. Lhasa Apsos generally act more like cool, aloof cats than the stereotypical idea of a small, "yappy" dog. Unique personality characteristics of Lhasa Apsos have gained them a reputation in some circles as being a very emotive breed that in some cases prove themselves to be completely fearless. They take their role as guardians of the family very seriously and can be quite assertive about not allowing a visitor to enter the home whom they judge as untrustworthy. This trait, coupled with their solitude tolerance and low energy level, has made the breed popular with people who live alone in small quarters, but it can be a problem if the "untrustworthy" visitor is a mooching friend or a cranky relative. If properly trained, the Apso will come to appreciate bathing, hair combing and clipping, but they generally do not enjoy bathing or swimming. The Lhasa Apso is a long-lived breed, with some living in good health into their early 20s. There are few health problems specific to the breed. Their vision may deteriorate with age but they are not sight-oriented dogs and they endure blindness with few noticeable changes in behavior. Because of the tendency toward alpha behavior, an intact male Lhasa Apso can be extremely dominant and aggressive toward other intact male dogs, even much larger ones, and obstinate about marking territory with urine. Neutering at an early age is strongly recommended.