LhasaLife is a top UK resource for Lhasa Apso owners. Born in 2016 out of our love for these charming, stubborn little dogs, we’ve created a community where Lhasa parents can find honest advice, short stories, and genuine expertise gained through years of living with these magnificent beasts.
From grooming nightmares to training triumphs, we cover everything about life with Lhasas with a healthy dose of humour and we try our best to avoid ‘waffle’!
The beginning of a beautiful friendship
Born on Christmas Eve 2015, Poppy arrived as the best gift we never knew we needed. Now a distinguished nine-year-old madam (as of April 2025), she’s spent nearly a decade perfecting the art of the Lhasa side-eye and training her humans to respond to her every whim.
Living by the seaside has shaped Poppy’s character in unexpected ways. Unlike many Lhasas who regard water with suspicion bordering on outright horror, Poppy has developed a cautious appreciation for beach life – though she maintains a regal distance from actual waves, thank you very much.
We’ve watched her grow from a fluffy puppy into the dog who now runs our household. After countless walks, grooming sessions, and vet visits, we’ve learned exactly what makes a Lhasa tick. When Poppy refuses to budge on rainy mornings or turns her nose up at certain foods, it’s not just stubbornness – it’s the typical Lhasa temperament that shows their independent and discerning nature.
Royal demeanour, common quirks
Poppy embodies the classic Lhasa paradox: bred as sentinel dogs for Tibetan monasteries, these little lions combine aristocratic dignity with ridiculous playfulness. One minute she’s perched on the sofa back like a furry gargoyle, surveying her domain with the gravity of a military commander. The next, she’s tearing through the house with a stolen sock, ears flapping like tiny wings. She’s also go her favourite toy, we call Rat, that she has cared for since a puppy. She’s so gentle and caring with her toys!
Her daily schedule is non-negotiable:
- 8:30 AM: Wake humans with gentle but persistent face-licking
- Also 8:30 AM: Breakfast (served promptly or consequences will follow)
- 11:00 AM: Mid-morning nap (location dependent on sunbeam positioning)
- 2:00 PM: Zoomies?!
- 5:00 PM: Dinner (preceded by dramatic starvation performance)
- 8:00 PM: Cuddle time (permission to stroke granted until paw withdrawal)
And by the way, she’s a Lhasa… and that means everything is on her terms.
Literary muse
When Eric Armstrong penned “A Dangerous Time for Dogs,” Poppy provided both inspiration and editorial oversight – mainly by trying to eat the manuscript whenever drafts were left unattended. Her contributions to LhasaLife content are similarly hands-on, often involving keyboard walks during crucial writing sessions.
Through the years, our team has documented Poppy’s training journey, health challenges, and behavioural quirks. Lhasas are known for their longevity, so we’ve still got plenty of adventures ahead with our furry editor-in-chief. The experiences we share on LhasaLife aren’t theoretical – they’re drawn from nearly a decade of daily life with this magnificent little beast, and years more experience of dog ownership.
Poppy’s pet peeves
For the record, Poppy would like readers to know she objects strongly to:
- The hoover (sworn enemy #1)
- Rain that soaks her underbelly
- Cold weather (a big big no no)
- The audacity of the postman to approach the door daily
- The audacity of anybody walking past the house
- Bath time (a betrayal of the highest order)
- The neighbour’s cat, who clearly plots against her. It literally sits on top of the shed and taunts her!
Poppy’s passions
Conversely, life’s greatest joys include:
- Belly rubs (only when requested, never unsolicited)
- Cheese (any variety, in unlimited quantities)
- Unexpectedly finding tennis balls
- Judging other dogs at the park.. and probably people too
- Car rides where she can survey out the window
The real boss
While we might write the articles, make no mistake, Poppy runs this show. Every piece of advice, every product recommendation, and every anecdote passes through her strict quality control system (mostly involving sniffs and occasional paw stamps of approval).
Without her inspiration, LhasaLife would just be another dog blog. With her at the helm, it’s a window into the hilarious, heart-warming, occasionally hair-raising world of living with these magnificent little beasts.
Our content about grooming isn’t just repackaged advice – it comes from hundreds of hours wrestling with brushes, combs, and an indignant Poppy. If we suggest a particular harness or toy, you can bet Poppy has given it her personal stamp of approval (or disapproval).
Our experiences go beyond just Poppy, as we’ve connected with many other Lhasa owners over the years to share tips and stories. This community involvement helps us provide well-rounded advice that draws from a variety of real-world experiences.