A charming, self possessed cross between a Lhasa Apso and a small Poodle, companionable on its own dignified terms.
Designer crosssmall breedLhasa Apso and Toy or Miniature PoodleParent profiles checked
About this profile: the Lhasapoo is a cross, also known as the Lhasa Poo, not a recognised breed with a standard. Size, lifespan and care figures here are estimates drawn from our full profiles of the two parent breeds, the Lhasa Apso and the Poodle, and individual dogs vary more than purebreds do. That variation is normal for a cross and is stated plainly rather than hidden.
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The Lhasapoo crosses the Lhasa Apso, Tibet's palace companion and watchdog, with a Toy or Miniature Poodle. The mix usually produces a sturdy little dog that is affectionate with its family, more reserved with strangers than the typical doodle cross, and blessed with a long, low shedding coat. Owners who appreciate a dog with dignity and a mind of its own, rather than an everyone loving greeter, tend to be this cross's happiest matches.
Lhasapoos have been bred since the early Poodle cross decades. The Lhasa parent contributes a heavier bone and a harder, straighter coat texture than most companion crosses, and puppies vary between that traditional Lhasa look and a softer Poodle wave. There is no registry or standard. Because the Lhasa is less common than other doodle parents, litters are fewer and good breeders are worth travelling for.
Lhasapoos are bright, loyal and quietly comic at home, with a watchdog's alertness and a catlike independence about affection: devoted, but not clingy every minute. The Poodle side adds trainability and playfulness. Early socialisation is important, because the Lhasa temperament was shaped as an indoor sentinel that decides for itself about strangers, and unsocialised puppies can become sharp with visitors.
Energy (3/5)
Trainability (3/5)
Grooming needs (5/5)
Shedding (2/5)
Barking (3/5)
Good with children: Good with children
With other dogs: Good with dogs
With strangers: Alert with strangers
Apartment life: Well suited
Coat: Long, dense and straight to wavy, growing continuously and shedding lightly. Most pets are kept in a manageable clip.
Colors: Black, gold, honey, grizzle, slate, sandy, white and parti-colors, following the Lhasa palette with Poodle solids mixed in.
The coat is the commitment: comb through two or three times a week in a clip, daily in a long coat, and bath regularly. Clean the face and check ears and teeth as routine. Meals should be measured, as small dogs gain weight quietly.
Thirty to forty five minutes a day of walks and play suits most Lhasapoos. They are sturdy little walkers who enjoy a proper outing, balanced with plenty of indoor companionship and games.
Professional clips every six to eight weeks keep most coats practical. Between clips, comb to the skin, keep the hair over the eyes trimmed or tied, and check the coat behind ears and under the collar where mats form first.
Intelligent but independent: Lhasapoos learn quickly what pays and test what does not. Short, reward based sessions and consistent rules work; drilling and pressure do not. Socialisation with visitors, children and other dogs deserves deliberate effort in the first months.
Well suited to flats and houses, and to owners who want a companion with character rather than a greeter. Lhasapoos fit homes with older children and a calm routine, and they are a good choice for people who respect a dog that chooses its moments.
About $11 per month for a typical 13 lb adult eating roughly 0.8 cups a day of a standard quality food ($1.60 per lb). Full breakdown in our food expense calculator.
Plan 30 to 45 minutes a day of walks, play and training. Under exercised dogs of most breeds invent their own projects, and they rarely pick good ones.
Estimated US range $34 to $62 per month for accident and illness cover, estimated from the parent breeds' published ranges on this site; see the insurance estimator and the insurance guide.
On the monthly figures above, a typical adult year runs to about $132 for food and $408 to $744 for insurance, before routine vet care, grooming and gear. Year one costs more: vaccinations, spay or neuter surgery, a crate, bedding and training all land at once.
How weight typically builds with age for this cross, estimated from the parent breeds' sizes.
| Stage | Age | Typical weight |
|---|---|---|
| Puppy | 8 weeks | about 1 to 3 lb |
| Puppy | 4 months | about 3 to 7 lb |
| Puppy | 6 months | about 5 to 10 lb |
| Young | 9 months | about 6 to 14 lb |
| Young | 12 months | about 7 to 16 lb |
| Adult | Full grown | 8 to 18 lb (typical range) |
| Senior | From about 8 years | Healthy weight stays in the adult range; watch for slow gain or loss |
Growth figures are estimates interpolated from the adult weight ranges of the two parent breeds, following the size class growth pattern used across this site. Cross puppies vary more than purebred puppies; steady growth matters more than hitting any single number, and your vet's growth checks come first.
Puppies need wide, kind socialisation to balance the sentinel streak, plus early grooming habits. Adults are settled, dignified companions with playful bursts. Seniors, often living into the mid teens, need kidney aware vet checks, dental care and weight watching.
Kidney history is the Lhasa side's serious question, with eye conditions and patellar luxation alongside, so ask about family kidney history directly and request eye, patella and DNA results from both parents.
Health notes summarise the conditions the two parent breeds' profiles and breed guidance most often flag. They are general information for choosing and caring, not a diagnosis or a substitute for your vet. Parent profiles: Lhasa Apso and Poodle.
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A typical lifespan is 12 to 15 years. Both parent breeds are comparatively long lived, and weight control, dental care and buying from health tested parents give a dog the best chance of reaching the top of that range.
Food for a typical adult runs about $11 a month at a standard quality tier, and accident and illness insurance is estimated between $34 and $62 a month in the US, based on the parent breeds' ranges. Try the full cost calculator for a complete year one and yearly picture.
Good with children. As with every breed, supervise dogs and children together and teach children to respect the dog's space.
Plan on 30 to 45 minutes a day, split between walks, play and training games. Puppies and seniors need gentler, shorter sessions.
Lightly. Both parents carry long, continuously growing coats that hold loose hair, so shedding around the house is low, paid for with regular grooming instead.
Usually reserved at first, then polite once introduced, which is the Lhasa inheritance. Socialised puppies grow into steady dogs; they are rarely the type to adore every visitor on sight.
Both are small, fluffy companion crosses. The Shichon is typically softer natured and more openly friendly, with Shih Tzu heat and eye cautions. The Lhasapoo is sturdier, more independent and more watchful, with kidney history as its signature breeder question.