Lhasa Apso vs Grand Anglo-Francais Blanc et Noir - Breed Comparison

The Lhasa Apso is a non-sporting dog hailing from Tibet. He was a useful dog to the monks who would use him in the palaces as well as the monasteries to ward off intruders.

He actually takes his name from the holy city of Lhasa, with the history of the breed going back to 600BC.

Today he is a true companion dog, a family dog, known as as the Tibetan Apso, the Bearded Lion Dog, the Apso and Lhasa.

The dog has been recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1935, in the Non-Sporting Group category.

Known also as the Great Anglo-Francais, White and Black Hound or the Grand Anglo, the Francais Blanc et Noir is one of several breeds of hounds.

The dog was bred by crossing French scenthounds with English Foxhounds.The Grand Anglo-Français Blanc et Noir has always been used for hunting. As a scenthound, hunting was always done in packs and he thrilled at the chase.

The large dog originates in France and is recognized by the French Kennel Club as well as the Federation Cynologique Internationale.The purpose of this breed standard is to provide guidelines for breeders wishing to maintain the quality of their breed, but to also improve it.

Lhasa Apsos are small dogs which stand at between 25 to 28cm in height and weigh in the region of 6 to 8kg.

The body length of the dog is longer than the height of the dog. He has brown eyes, a black nose and medium length, floppy ears. The long tail is carried over the dog's back.

Many people get used to seeing a sheared or clipped Lhaso, so when they see a dog where the coat has been left uncut they can’t believe the long, straight, dense coat.

Because the dog hails from Tibet where the weather can be extremely cold, he has a double coat – an under- and outer coat. While the coat looks fairly silky, it isn’t really and is in fact quite course to the touch.

Colors of the coat can be gold, tan, cream, white, black and white. Regular brushing will be needed for the coat because this is a dog with continual shedding. These dogs are regarded as being hypoallergenic as they hardly shed.

Temperament:

Looks can be quite deceiving when it comes to the Lhasa Apso as he is a dog who looks as though butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth and that he is essentially just a cuddly lapdog.

This small little dog is tough, robust, strong-willed and in his heart he believes he is a huge Tiger.

He’ll make his human family a loyal and loving pet but he is wary with strangers, distrusting anyone he meets for the first time. He is a dog that will need to be trained and socialized as he may take over your home in his ‘Tiger’ role.

Smart and dominant, this training will turn him into an obedient dog to have around which is important as he can become bossy if left to go his own way.

The Grand Anglo – Francais Blanc et Noir is a big, powerful dog standing at 62 – 72cm and weighing 27 - 32kg. His chest is broad and deep.

The head is flat and broad, the nose black with gentle looking brown eyes. The coat is short and dense for protection and the coloring is black and white. There is a tan dot above each eye. The ears are floppy. The tail is long and tapers down to a slender point.

Temperament:

As a superb hunting dog, this breed lives for the hunt and loves nothing more than to be chasing its prey. The dog has an excellent sense of smell and can track prey in all kinds of terrain.

Although the dog has a stable temperament, he isn’t recommended as being kept solely as a pet, even though he is gentle with children. Maybe its because he has a more serious personality and would prefer to live with active, sport-loving adults than having to contend with the antics of children.

He also isn’t the best dog to have around other small pets as he is so prey-driven he may well be aggressive towards them.

He isn’t a city-loving dog and with his high energy levels he is best suited to properties with large gardens or to farm life. While he will bark and alert you to strangers, he won’t make a particularly good watchdog as he isn’t aggressive.

The Lhasa Apso is a small dog full of surprises. That's because he can be manipulative, naughty and feisty one minute, and sweet and gentle the next. He happens to be a good watch dog too, and will alert you well in advance to intruders.

Because he is small and not a particularly energetic dog, he can slot into life in the city or the countryside with ease. However, exercise is good and necessary for every dog so be sure he joins you on your daily walks or you give him some games indoors.

The Lhasa can be a wonderful family companion and you’ll find that he can get on well with children who have been taught to treat animals with kindness and respect. He isn’t the kind of dog that you keep outdoors but is essentially an indoor dog, relishing the time he spends with his beloved human family and making a wonderful companion.

Essentially known as a pack dog, the Grand Anglo-Français Blanc et Noir isn’t going to do well with anyone who lazes on the couch all day.

He is energetic and driven, and will develop all kinds of behavioral issues if not properly and adequately exercised.

Fitting into a household where hunting is part of the lifestyle will be ideal for him, loving the outdoors and the stimulation that comes from hunting with other dogs.

Provide him with an outdoorsy, active owner and this hunting dog will ensure that he is your loyal and loving companion.

Every dog can develop genetic health problems, but it is highly unlikely that with good care, your Lhasa Apso is going to get sick.

He’s a healthy dog breed that can get to 14 years of age and even older. With Lhasas, health problems can include things like hip dysplasia, eye problems and intervertebral disc disease.

If you are buying a puppy, be careful from where you buy him from. You want careful breeders who screen their parent dogs for genetic diseases. Keeping your dog at the right weight and preventing obesity will also help to ensure he remains healthy.

Capable of reaching 10 to 12 years of age when looked after well, there aren’t any specific health issues with this dog. He is likely to experience one or two issues that other dogs have to contend with as well.

There are one or two diseases that you want to be aware of -

Ear Infections:

This dog has long, floppy ears and this means that air doesn’t reach inside the ears properly. He is therefore prone to ear infections. After he has been swimming, dry his ears gently inside.

Hip Dysplasia:

Unfortunately this is a disease that can strike even when your Grand Anglo-Francais Blanc et Noir is a puppy. Hips which aren’t formed properly can cause stiffness, pain and lameness in your pet.

Grooming:

The Lhasa Apso is going to require regular brushing of his coat as it can get long and then it will matt and tangle easily.

There are owners of this dog breed who prefer to send their dog to their grooming parlor where the coat is trimmed short the way they prefer, minimizing the time spent grooming the dog. At the grooming parlour they also check the ears, the teeth of the dog and the nails, particularly if they don’t wear down naturally.

Diet:

The Lhasa was bred to be a watchdog, so even though he is a small dog, he does his best to guard and protect you. He is no pushover, and training him and socializing him makes him even more adorable to be around.

As man’s best friend, he needs a high-quality, nutritious diet because this helps to protect him from disease. You can feed him the best commercially manufactured foods, but study the packaging details on what the ingredients are. You want to be avoiding corn and wheat, colorants and preservatives.

Your Lhasa has 4 – 6 puppies and as these get older and are weaned they will require 4 meals a day. Once your dog reaches one year of age, he can have 2 meals a day instead of one larger meal.

Every dog loves a little bit of home-made food as a treat, and your Lhasa will wag his tail when you add in some cooked chicken, brown rice and some raw or cooked vegetables into his kibble. Include some raw meat in the diet occasionally as well as this helps to avoid dog skin problems.

Folliculitis

Folliculitis is a skin disease starting in the hair follicles of the dog and often occurs in conjunction with other skin disorders like mange. It is found mostly on the dog's abdomen, his armpits and groin and you’ll notice scaly rings with pus and scabs.

To avoid nasty skin diseases which can be very distressing for your pet, remember that your dog's dietary intake plays a huge role in the maintenance of a healthy skin and some raw meat is key to his wellbeing.

Grooming:

With his short coat and being an average shedder, the Grand Anglo-Francais Blanc et Noir is an easy dog to groom, requiring a brush twice a week.

Check his ears inside and out, particularly if he goes swimming. Excess moisture in the ear can encourage bacteria and ear infections. See that his nails are trimmed and remember to check his teeth for dental disease which can cause ill health generally.

Exercise:

As a hunting dog, he will need a good deal of exercise. He won’t be content to just go for a walk once a day, but will want something more hectic such as joining you as you go hiking, cycling, swimming or jogging.

Diet:

As a scenthound, your Grand Anglo – Francais Blanc et Noir is always out and about sniffing around looking for a tasty treat, but with these active dogs, the secret is to small, frequent meals as apposed to 1 or 2 large meals.

It is important to see he gets a nutritionally complete balanced diet that gives him slow release energy. Check with your vet if you’re unsure what to feed him. You want to avoid foods high in fillers, colorants and preservatives.

There are some excellent commercially manufactured dog foods for high energy dog,s but make sure to go for the best brands. You can mix his kibble with some raw meat occasionally and also give him cooked brown rice, chicken and vegetables. He’ll need a constant supply of fresh, cool water.