Lhasapoo is originated from United States but St. John's Water Dog is originated from Canada. Lhasapoo may grow 25 cm / 9 inches shorter than St. John's Water Dog. Lhasapoo may weigh 35 kg / 77 pounds lesser than St. John's Water Dog. Lhasapoo may live 3 years more than St. John's Water Dog. Both Lhasapoo and St. John's Water Dog has same litter size. Lhasapoo requires Moderate Maintenance. But St. John's Water Dog requires Low Maintenance
Such a cute, cuddly teddy bear of a dog is popular with everyone who just wants a wonderful canine companion.
Both the Lhasa Apso and the Poodle are ancient dog breeds and they are the two breeds that have been used to bring about the Lhasapoo. The Poo has been bred to essentially be an indoor dog.
It would appear as though the Lhasapoo was developed in the United States of America, as in 1933, a pair was given to an American traveler who developed a kennel.
The breed known as the St. John’s water dog is an extinct landrace breed. They were domestic dogs found in Newfoundland and at times were called the lesser Newfoundland. There is not much information available about the other breeds that went into its development. Hypothetically it is believed they are a mix of the Irish, Old English and Portuguese dogs bred to work.
It is also thought that other breeds in their family tree, descending from them, include the Golden Retriever, the Flat-Coated Retriever, the Chesapeake Bay Retriever, the Labrador and the Curly-Coated Retriever. The Newfoundland is also related to the St. Johns Water Dog through the line of Rafeirio do Alenteios that Portuguese fisherman brought to the island.
The breed was exported to England in the 19th century and early 20th. There the breeds of retrievers were developed. In Canada during this time frame restrictions were placed on dog ownership in order to encourage people to raise sheep. At the same time England imposed a long quarantine on all animals coming into the country in order to get rid of rabies. These two factors contributed greatly to the extinction of the breed. It seems the last two dogs were seen in a remote area in the 1980’s. All attempts to save the breed failed.
The Lhasapoo is a mix of Poodle and Lhasa Apso. He is a small dog standing between 25–28 cm in height and weighing 4 – 6kg.
Known as a designer breed, his small size allows him to adapt to life in the city or to the countryside. He is such a cute little dog with his alert face, his bright brown eyes, short legs and floppy ears.
His coat is thick and dense and can be curly or fairly straight. It comes in a number of solid colors – apricot, tan, cream, brown, white and black or he can be bi-color – any of these colors mixed with white. In fact, as a crossbreed he can inherit the looks of either dogs – the Poodle or Lhasa Poo. Because he has poodle in him, these dogs are sometimes spoken about as being hypoallergenic.
Small and gentle in nature, the Lhasapoo makes a splendid pet and companion for everyone. He is such an amicable small dog, getting on well with both children and other pets in the home.
You can’t really tell what kind of a dog he’ll turn out to be in terms of his character, because he can be quite aloof if the Lhasa side of him is stronger or he could be playful and friendly if the Poodle side of him is stronger.
St. John’s Water Dog is strong, medium sized and stocky. They looked more like English Labs than American Labs. They had a thick, short coat, loved swimming, had a lot of endurance and rudder tail. It was also described as a thin, black dog with short hair. They had white patches on their chest and feet. His nose was thin and tapered, his legs powerful, his chest muscular. The breed is quick, swims, runs quickly and is a fighter as well.
Never accepted by any major kennel club except as a foundation breed. They became extinct.
The Lhasapoo is a crossbreed, so you never know what you’re actually going to get – a little bit of Lhasa or a little bit of Poodle.
One thing is for sure though – you’re going to get the cutest little pet ever. He is a friendly, affectionate dog, but the Lhasa side of him makes him wary of strangers, making him an excellent watchdog.
They have a moderate activity levels and will adapt easily to life in the city or in the countryside, but they will need a walk every day to ensure he doesn’t become unfit and obese.
Lhasapoo puppies are adorable but every cute puppy grows into an adult. Then it’s time to show you’re a responsible dog owner by continuing to love and care for your adult Lhasapoo so that he becomes the wonderful companion he is designed to be.
All dogs have the potential to become ill but when you give your dog the best chance to eat well and he is loved and cherished, he can live a long life.
The Lhasapoo can live to be 15 years of age if you treat him well and ensure that he has a healthy diet. Of course as a crossbreed, his chances of developing inherited diseases is limited.
Watch out for Bloat, particularly if your pet gobbles up a large bowl of food. It is better to feed him 2 smaller meals a day. There are some time-releasing food bowls available for pets to encourage slower eating.
With Bloat, you’ll notice your pet’s stomach is swollen up. Complications set in when the stomach turns or twists as fluid and air can’t escape. Your dog will also be restless, drooling and trying to vomit. Bloat is a life-threatening illness.
This can be a complication from disease or medications even. It is important to keep your pet’s teeth healthy as chronic kidney disease can be caused by dental disease too. Bacteria from the diseased teeth and gums enters bloodstream and damages vital organs like the kidneys.
There is no documented history of any genetic or hereditary illnesses in the breed. However, it seems rational to believe they suffered from ailments similar to Labradors and newfoundland though they are smaller dogs.
The Lhasapoo is a dog breed that likes to spend time indoors. Because of his looks, his human family members will no doubt be vying for his attention and playing indoor games with him. It will do him good to get out for a walk every day as this gives him the chance to sniff around and smell different things and experience life outside his home.
The Lhasapoo isn’t a big eater and he will require top quality food for small breeds. He isn’t a big meat eater so a tiny bit of cooked chicken, rice and vegetables chopped up nicely and added to his kibble from time to time will keep him healthy and happy.
Being the crossbreed that he is, you can’t be too sure about the type of coat your Lhasapoo will have. It can be curly, wavy or straight. Most inherit curls.
A Lhasapoo coat looks wonderful when it has been professionally groomed, and then in between grooming, his coat will need to be brushed to prevent tangling. While you’re brushing him, check his eyes too. Sometimes he can develop tear stains beneath the eyes and you can wipe gently around his eyes.
Other grooming for your cute little dog includes having his nails clipped as well as checking inside the ears for infection. Excess wax and dirt can result in an ear infection. You’ll notice your pet shaking his head, the insides of his ears might be red and he wants to scratch his ears. Get him to the vet who will show you how to keep his ears clean and dry.
Also, brush his teeth with special canine toothbrush and toothpaste. Dental disease won’t only damage his teeth, it can cause problems with other parts of the body too.
1Feeding the puppy – Don’t overfeed – they have a propensity toward obesity. Feed high quality, high protein 3 x a day.
2.Feeding the adult – Don’t overfeed. Feed a high quality, high protein 1-2 x a day.
4. Games and Exercises – They need space to run and they love to explore. They would also love to be near water where they could swim. Good at dock diving, field trials, flyball and frisbee.