Lha-Cocker

The Lha Cocker has not been around long enough to have a history so it is better to look at the histories of the parent breeds. The American Cocker Spaniel originated in the United States in the 1800s bred from the English Cocker Spaniel to be a hunter and retriever. The Spaniels were separated by their size and whether they were used for water or land. The American Cocker Spaniel is the tiniest of the bunch and was bred mainly to find and retrieve birds like the woodcocks. The breed made it to the United States in the early 19^th century by hunters who liked the way they flushed the birds. The Americans preferred them smaller though, so they bred them down to a smaller size for shows and companions. The American Cocker Spaniel was officially recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1878 and they are the 29^th most popular dog breed in the United States. The Lhasa Apso is an ancient breed from Tibet that was bred by the Tibetan Monks who used these little dogs as guardians of their monasteries and temples. They were chosen for this due to their ability to withstand the cold weather of the mountains of Tibet and excellent hearing, and good judge of character. They are believed to be bred from Tibetan Terriers and some variety of mountain wolf, according to their DNA. The Dalai Lama gave several of these dogs to a New Jersey family who started the Lhasa Apso Foundation of the United States. Soon after, in 1935, they were accepted by the American Kennel Club where they are the 71^st most popular dog breed.