Lha-Basset

Your Lha-Basset does not have much of a history yet since this is a new breed. However, you can look at the histories of the Basset Hound and Lhasa Apso to determine their background. The Basset Hound, also known as the Hush Puppy, originated in France in the 1500s as a scent hound used in hunting rabbits and other prey. These dogs were bred by the Friars of the French Abbey from the Basset Normand, Basset d’Artois, and other short legged Hounds. Their name, Basset, means “low thing” in French, referring to the short legs of the breed. They were bred to be short so they would be easier to follow on hunts. According to some, once they came to the United States, they were bred with the Bloodhound to make them larger. The Basset Hound became famous in the United States when it was the namesake of Elvis Presley’s song “Hound Dog” and again when the breed starred in a television show called “The Dukes of Hazard.” The American Kennel Club officially recognized the Basset Hound in 1935 and they are now the 39^th most famous breed of dog in America. The Lhasa Apso is one of the oldest known breed of dogs and originated in the mountains of Tibet during the ancient times. These little dogs are thought to be bred from Tibetan Terriers and Tibetan Mountain Wolves. The Buddhist Monks kept the Lhasa Apsos as protectors of their temples in the Tibetan Mountains because they were so good at judging characters and could handle the extreme cold of the mountains. In 1933, a Dalai Lama gifted several Lhasa Apsos to a New Jersey couple who founded the Lhasa Apso Foundation. Several years later, the breed was officially accepted by the American Kennel Club and they are now the 71^st most famous dog breed in America.