Lhaffon

The Lhaffon has not been around long enough to have her own history so it is best to look at the histories of the parent breeds. The Brussels Griffon was born in Belgium in the 1800s from several breeds such as the English Toy Spaniel, Pug, Affenpinscher, Griffons d’Ecurie, and maybe even the Yorkshire Terrier. They were originally bred to get rid of small vermin such as rats and mice from stables and homes but eventually became companions as the cab drivers of the old horse drawn cabs took them with them on drives as theft deterrents. Although they are tiny dogs, they have sturdy bodies and they are very courageous. Many say they look like Ewoks from Star Wars and their human-like expressions are similar to those of the Pug. There are two types, the smooth coated and rough coated, but other than that, both are the same breed. The breed became instantly famous after starring in the 1997 movie “As Good As It Gets” with Jack Nicholson and Helen Hunt but they were recognized long before that, in 1910, by the American Kennel Club. They are the 97^th most popular dog breed in America. The Lhasa Apso came from Tibet way back in ancient times and is thought to be a descendent of some sort of mountain wolf and Tibetan Terriers. The Buddhist monks in the Tibetan mountains used these dogs as sentinels for their monasteries and temples because of their excellent hearing, good judgement, and ability to handle the cold weather. They were never sold but were given as gifts to royal families and visiting dignitaries. The 13^th Dalai Lama gave a group of these dogs to a couple from New Jersey in 1933 who formed a Lhasa Apso foundation in the United States and the breed was officially accepted by the American Kennel Club two years later. They are now the 71^st most popular dog breed in the United States.