The body
The Tibetan spaniel is a sturdy and robust dog. His limbs should not be too slender nor too powerfully built and his body somewhat longer, rather than tall.
His back is straight and solid. The Tibetan spaniel has a generous chest and should appear neither too small nor too thin. Nor should he be too heavy, weighing between 5 to 7 kg, with an average height of 25 cm.
The Tibetan spaniel’s coat is of moderate length. He should not give the impression of having no neck at all. On the contrary, a swan-like neck would be completely atypical.
The head
The head is as large as it is long and in comparison to his body appears proportionally smaller.
The skull is twice as big as the muzzle which is flat, though neither too pointed, nor too short. "Chubby-cheeked" implies that the cheeks are well padded. The inferior jaw is both large and powerful, with healthy and evenly positioned teeth. The lower teeth are slightly to the front of the upper canines and ideally, the mouth slightly under hung, although a level mouth is permissible. However, both teeth and tongue should not be noticeable when the mouth is closed.
It is their eyes that give them an aristocratic air. These should not be bulbous or round. Like the Asians themselves, Tibetan spaniels have almond-shaped eyes, preferably dark brown in colour.
Well positioned ears are set fairly high on the head, of medium size, with relatively long fur and lying neatly against the skull.
The pigmentation of the nose, eyelids and lips is generally black.
The legs and feet
The foreleg bones are slightly bowed although the knee joint should be close to the body. The hindquarters are moderately curved, defined by a knee that is not completely straight, but not too bent. Uneven outside grounds and numerous staircases located inside the monasteries necessitated enormous jumping ability, enabling muscle development, strong articulations and a lot of training.
A hare-like foot with a front facing point is particular among Tibetan spaniels. Rounded “cats feet” are undesirable.
The Tibetan spaniel should be able to move with agility. He is both supple and fast moving, appearing fully aware of his worth when trotting.
When alert, the dog’s tail is held high above his back, whereas this can be seen in a lowered position, when the dog is resting.
The coat
His coat is silky in texture and should not be too thick, with longer hair on the ears and feet. The hair on the body is short to mi-long and the male has a somewhat more developed mane and a richly plumed tail.
All colours, whether mixed or not, are permitted. The Tibetan spaniel’s coat is always very beautiful, even during the moulting season, when a thorough brushing is required. His silky coat does not need to be brushed or bathed every day. A once a week brush is sufficient, when the ear fringes should not be forgotten.
