Why the word “apso” appears as part of the Lhasa Apso’s name is less clear than why “Lhasa” does. Lhasa is the capital of Tibet, and it makes sense. Apso, however, is derived from the Tibetan word for “goat,” so is the word included because the breed has a wooly and “goat-like” coat? Or could it have been a misspelling of the word “abso,” which is part of the breed’s original Tibetan name, “Abso Seng Kye?” We may never know with certainty, but we did come across a nickname to which we took a shine, in part because it’s cute, but mostly because it’s accurate, “Bark Sentinel.” Abso Seng Kye actually means Bark Lion Sentinel Dog, an apt moniker for the dog that guarded Tibetan dwellings from the inside while their large counterparts, Mastiffs, guarded outside. Between the two of them, potential intruders stood little chance of entering the premises undetected.
Image: “Bohemian Courtyard” by Ashley Kujan is available as fine art, and in home decor and lifestyle items here
Hello, thanks for featuring my artwork on this interesting article! And I agree that “abso” is the more accurate spelling and meaning of the name.
We hope you don’t mind our sharing it, Ashley. We like trying to drive traffic back to people who portray our purebred dogs, and yours is such a pleasing image.