An Owner's Tibetan Terrier Description

Pongo is the little shaggy dog that adopted our family and helped to heal a giant wound. It was nearly three years ago that my husband lost his battle with cancer. Of course I was devestated but the loss was especially hard on my two small girls. They were daddy's little princesses and he doted over them constantly. Both Chelsie and Andie withdrew to the point that I felt I had lost my whole family. We were all a mess.

A friend suggested I get a dog but the thought that a mutt could replace Tom was unthinkable. Still, I was desperate so I began looking into finding one, though I must admit, somewhat halfhearted. With so many different breeds I just couldn't decide on the best one. I wasn't even sure if I was getting myself into more than I cared to take on. I searched and researched, visited one kennel and then another and there just didn't seem to be the perfect match. And, of course, the girls were even less enthused with my endeavor.

Then one day, a day that was proving especially difficult for me, the girls were walking home from school and this black shaggy mess was following right behind them. I watched from the front porch as they tried to make it go home. It paid no attention to their efforts and followed them right up onto the porch. Well, after numerous newspaper ads and posters seeking to find this dog's owner it became evident that no one was going to claim this mutt, or what I thought to be a mutt. In actuallity it turned out to be a Tibetan Terrier and a purebred one at that.

Little by little the girls came to adore Pongo and his presence in their lives began to fill a void left by Tom's death. And though, this little black dog makes no attempts to give the girls what their father gave them, in his own subtle way he has given them a reason to heal and to laugh again.

Introduction

Known as a "good luck" or holy dog by lamas of the Lost Valley in Tibet, this breed was first introduced to the U. S. in the 1950s. The Tibetan Terrier stands an average of 15 inches at the shoulder and weighs up to 25 lbs. This dog requires regular exercise and grooming. It makes a great house pet in both city and country settings.