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The Schapso is a small, hybrid breed. Nicknamed the “Velcro Dog” for their clingy tendencies, this dog is a cross between the Lhasa Apso and the Miniature Schnauzer. Due to the dog’s hybrid status, the American Kennel Club doesn’t recognize the Schapso as an official breed, but they’re lovable enough to make up for it.
Breed Overview
Height:
10 – 14 inches
Weight:
12 – 15 pounds
Lifespan:
12 – 15 years
Colors:
Black, grey, brown, red, cream, blue, white, pied, sable, brindle
Suitable for:
Families with children, singles, or seniors living in houses or apartments
Temperament:
Loyal, friendly, intelligent, can be clingy, easy to train, social
Despite being crossed with two vocal dog breeds, Schapso dogs are relatively quiet and perfectly suitable for a house with a yard or apartment living. While they are happy to be left on their own occasionally, don’t leave them for too long. They also enjoy snuggling up with their family members for a long nap.
If you’re familiar with Lhasa Apsos and Miniature Schnauzers but don’t know much about Schapso dogs, this guide will fill you in on their temperament, health, and maintenance requirements.
Schapso Characteristics
Schapso Puppies
As an already small breed of the Miniature Schnauzer and the Lhasa Apso, Schapso puppies are even smaller. It’s important to make sure any young children know to be gentle when around animals of all sizes, especially these cute hybrids.
The Schapso is a great dog for anyone looking for an affectionate, loving, and playful pup. These designer dogs tend to be very clingy with their owners and love to cuddle and just keep company. Make sure to read the Schapso’s full care guide to know what you can expect from these pups and what you need to take care of them.
Temperament & Intelligence of the Schapso 🧠
The Schapso inherit all sorts of quirks and behavior traits from their parents. Whether it’s the fierce loyalty of the Lhasa Apso or the tendency to hunt smaller creatures like the Miniature Schnauzer, your Schapso is bound to have a personality that makes them shine.
Mixed breeds are well known for picking up traits that nobody expects. For the Schapso, the combination of Lhasa Apso and Miniature Schnauzer gives them a unique, endearing character that makes them one of a kind.
Are These Dogs Good for Families? 🏡
Brought up around children, the Schapso can make a loving companion to small families. They’re already on the small side, though, and puppies are even smaller. So, they require a gentle hand, especially from young children.
With their affectionate natures, the Schapso fit into all sorts of families. Due to their low activity requirements, they also suit people living alone.
Does This Breed Get Along With Other Pets? 🐶 😽
Proper training is a must for the Schapso. Their stubbornness and inherited hunting skills make them a fierce rival to other animals, big or small. They’re also known to pick on dogs of the same sex. To prevent the fur from flying, make sure your puppy is well-socialized with both children and other animals.
Things to Know When Owning a Schapso
Laidback and sedate, the Schapso is a breed that doesn’t require much maintenance beyond their grooming and training requirements. As with all dogs, though, they have preferences on how they’re treated. Here are a few things to keep in mind to keep your Schapso as comfortable as possible.
Food & Diet Requirements 🦴
Since the Schapso is a small dog breed, they only require 1 cup of dry dog food a day, split between two meals. If you mix it with canned dog food, remember to adjust the amount of dry food accordingly. High-quality food may be more expensive, but it’s worth the extra expenditure to make sure your dog’s diet is balanced.
Also, depending on your Schapso’s activity levels, they may require more or less food to ensure a healthy weight.
Exercise 🐕
The Schapso loves to play as much as they enjoy lazing about on your lap, which makes them the perfect apartment dweller. If you’re not an active person, the Schapso is the perfect quiet companion.
That said, they also have bouts of playfulness. They enjoy walks to the dog park and are a good partner on runs.
Training 🎾
Although they’re not one of the most intelligent dogs around, the Schapso are eager to please. Training them requires a great deal of dedication and a few tasty treats. Remember to keep sessions short and playful to make sure your Schapso doesn’t get bored and stubbornly refuse to listen.
Early puppy training should always include proper socialization.
Grooming ✂️
With their thick coats, it’s no surprise the Schapso are shedders. They’re not one of the biggest culprits of hair everywhere, but they’re not hypoallergenic either.
You can help keep your Schapso’s shedding down by grooming your dog regularly. Their fur is dense and straight, and without proper care, it can become matted. While you don’t need to bathe them that often (once a month or as needed is fine), you should keep a pin brush and a comb nearby for evening grooming sessions.
If you keep your Schapso’s fur short, you can groom them less, but they still require brushing at least twice a week.
Don’t forget to clean their ears and clip their claws too.
- Related Read: How to Take Care of Your Dog: Our Top 22 Tips
Health and Conditions 🏥
The Schapso is a hybrid breed, and as a result, they can inherit the health issues that both the Lhasa Apso and the Miniature Schnauzer are prone to. If you purchase a new puppy from a breeder, make sure they run regular health checks on their dogs and supply papers confirming the healthiness of their stock, to lessen the risk of your puppy becoming sick.
- Allergies
- Eye problems
- Urinary stones
- Myotonia congenita
- Von Willebrand’s disease
- Congenital megaesophagus
- Patellar luxation
- Sebaceous adenitis
- Kidney problems
Male vs. Female
The biggest and most obvious differences between male and female Schapso dogs are their size and weight. Males range between 12–14 inches and weigh between 15 – 20 pounds. Females, like most breeds, are smaller, averaging around 10 – 12 inches and 10 – 15 pounds.
The Schapso’s temperament picks up factors from both their parents. In the end, it comes down to the individual dog’s personality. Your female Schapso may be more aloof and independent than a male or more playful and clingy or vice versa.
Spaying or neutering your puppy will lessen the occurrence of unwanted behavior, such as territory marking or aggression.
In the end, your Schapso is an individual. Spend time to get to know your dog, and you’ll be sure to love all their quirks.
3 Little-Known Facts About the Schapso
Compared to the Lhasa Apso and the Miniature Schnauzer, the Schapso doesn’t have much history. They are intended to be “designer” dogs. Despite their parents being bred for guarding temples and hunting, respectively, the Schapso is a companion dog before anything else. That isn’t to say that there aren’t a few interesting facts to convince you of this breed’s adorability, however.
1. They are called “Velcro Dogs.”
While the Schapso is bred from two breeds that don’t mind being alone, they do adore their owner’s company. You’ll often find your Schapso dogging your footsteps as you go from room to room and claiming a spot on your lap as soon as you settle in one place.
2. They have a stubborn streak.
Despite their easy-going, loving natures, the Schapso can be incredibly stubborn. They may be intelligent and happy to please, but when they decide that they don’t want to do something, it can be a challenge to convince them otherwise.
3. They’re technically half sacred.
While the Miniature Schnauzer was bred to hunt rats and mice, the Lhasa Apso was seen as the guardians of monasteries and temples in Tibet. They were revered enough that common folks weren’t allowed to own them. They were reserved for the Buddhist monks looking after the temples and the few royal families who visited.
Since the Schapso is at least half Lhasa Apso, these small and underestimated dogs should be held in high regard too!
Conclusion
A cross between the temple guardians of Tibet, the Lhasa Apso, and the German rat hunters, the Miniature Schnauzer, the Schapso is a loving and affectionate companion. They’re more than happy to laze around on their own all day, provided that they can trail you all over the house and curl up on your lap at the end of it.
The Schapso is energetic enough to accompany you on runs or play games of fetch in the yard, but they also suit quieter lifestyles. These dogs are eager to please and make perfect friends for seniors living in apartment blocks.
With proper socialization, their personable natures and quirky personalities will have you wrapped around their paws in no time at all.
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