Tibetan Terrier dog gear

http://www.cafepress.com/offthewall5/9440913


The Tibetan Terrier is not a member of the terrier group, the name being given to it by European
travelers to Tibet who were reminded of terriers from back home when they first encountered the
breed. Its origins are uncertain: Some sources claim them to be lucky temple dogs, whereas
others place them as farm dogs.
The Tibetan Terrier is able to guard, herd, and also be a suitable companion dog. Their utility
in Tibet meant that the first examples of the breed available in the west were generally given as
gifts, as the Tibetan Terrier, along with other Tibetan breeds, were too valuable to the people
who owned them to casually sell. As such, the early history of the breed is
linked to only a handful of foundation dogs.
The Tibetan name for the breed, Tsang Apso, roughly translates to "shaggy or bearded (apso) dog,
from the province of Tsang". Some old travelers' accounts give the name "Dokhi Apso," or
"outdoor" Apso, indicating a working dog which lives outdoors. Other "Apso" dogs from Tibet
include the smaller and more familiar Lhasa Apso (called the Lhasa Terrier in the early 1900s)
and the very rare Do Khyi Apso (bearded Tibetan Mastiff, sometimes considered as a TT/TM cross.)
Recent DNA analysis has concluded that the Tibetan Terrier is descended from the most ancient dog
breeds.