CHARACTERISTICS
The Lhasa Apsos should give the appearance of a well-balanced, solid dog, which is both happy and assertive, but wary of strangers.  It should be free and jaunty in its movement.

HEAD & SKULL
The head should have heavy furnishings, with a good fall over the eyes, good whiskers and a beard.  The skull should be moderately narrow, falling away to the sides behind the eyes in a marked degree, but not quite flat.  Neither should it be domed or 'apple' shaped.  A straight foreface with a medium length.  Nose must be black.  Muzzle should be about 4cm. (1 1/2") long, but not square.  The length from the tip of the nose should be about 1/3  the total length of the skull.

EYES
Dark, medium sized eyes, which are frontally placed - not large and full or small and sunken.  No white should show at the base or top of the eye.

MOUTH
Upper incisors should close just inside the lower - this is a reverse scissor bite.  Incisors (teeth across the front) should be nearly in a straight line.  Full dentition is desirable.

NECK
Strong, well covered with a dense mane, which should be more pronounced in dogs than in bitches.  

FOREQUARTERS
Shoulder should be well laid back.  Forelegs straight, heavily furnished with hair.

BODY
The length from the point of shoulders to the point of buttocks should be slightly greater than the height at withers.  The dog should be well ribbed, with a level top-line along back and strong loins.

HINDQUARTERS
Well developed with good muscle, good angulation and heavily furnished.  The hock when viewed from behind should be parallel and not too close together.

FEET
Round and cat-like with good pads and well feathered.

TAIL
Well feathered, carried well over back and high set, but not like a hook.  There is often a kink at the end of the tail.

COAT
Top coat heavy, straight and hard, but not woolly or silky and of a good length, with a dense undercoat.

COLOURS
Golden, sandy, dark grizzle, brown, white, cream, black, particolour, black/white - just about any colour is acceptable.  Prefer with darker tips on ears.

SIZE
Ideal height is 25.4 cms. (10") at the shoulder for dogs, with bitches slightly smaller.  (Weight is not mentioned specifically).