The tibetan spaniel is not a spaniel, but the brits weren't sure what to call it when it first arrived in Britain, and the name stuck. This delightful little breed might be the ancestor of both the pekingese and the lhasa apso. It is not known for certain whether it was originally a chinese or tibetan breed, but it has has long been considered tibetan.

Despite being popular when first exported to Europe, the interest for the tibetan spaniel was lost and it was often called a bad copy of the pekingese. It was not until the late 1960's that the breed gained popularity again, and the interest for the tibetan spaniel is now growing all over the world.

The tibetan spaniel should be small in size, rectangular and confident but slightly reserved. The head is rather small, with little stop and short, well filled out muzzle. The eyes should be expressive. The ears are of medium size, hanging and well covered with hair. The neck is rather short, strong and covered in a thick ruff. The body should be rectangular, with a straight back and deep chest. Medium boning with straight frontlegs and powerful hind with moderate angulation. The tail is set high and carried proudly over the back. The coat should be silky with a thick undercoat, and shorter on the face and frontsides of the legs.