The popular story of the breed's origin states that it has remained unchanged for over 2000 years. They were bred and raised in monasteries in the so-called " Lost Valley " (the maintenance road was cut off by an earthquake some hundreds of years ago).

A dog would be given to important persons from other monasteries to act as a guard and "good-luck" companion on the lengthy and hazardous journey back home.

On rare occasions a dog might also be given to lay persons as a token of esteem, or as a reward for exceptional services rendered to the monastery.

There were also Tibetan terriers seen by the nomads as a part of the caravans. They were used as herding and guarding dogs. In their lives there was no room for mistakes. They were tremendously agile, jumping with cat-like precision.

Miss A.R.H. Greig was the one who started the foundation of the Tibetan Terrier Breed.

She went after the First World War to Cawnpore and during that time she saw the first Tibetan Terrier. She was asked to do a surgery at a Tibetan woman. But the woman was very concerned about her little bitch which was in whelp, so Dr Greig (she grew up with dogs, her mother bred under the prefix 'Ladkok' ) promised to take care for 'Lily'.

After the successful operation the family brought the whole litter to Dr. Greig so she could pick one out. She selected a golden and white bitch and called her ' Bunti'.

By the time Bunti was a year, Dr. Greig became so enthusiastically she wanted to show her. So she wrote to the Secretary of the kennel Club of India and asked what to do.

The secretary decided that she could register 'Bunti' as a Lhasa Terrier if the authoritative Indian judges would agree after seeing the bitch. So Dr. Greig went to Delhi were she let Bunti to be examined. But the judges didn't agree! Then they made an agreement that Dr. Greig should breed three generations and then Bunti and her offspring would be examined again. Friends of Dr. Greig had found Rajah, a Tibetan male that sired the first two litters.

In 1926 Dr. Greig brought Bunti, Chota Tukra (first litter, bitch from Rajah x Bunti) and Ja-Haz (second litter, male from Rajah x Bunti ) to England.

In England the dogs were registered as Lhasa Terriers and the two youngsters with the suffix 'of Ladkok'.

In 1927 Bunti was mated with Ja-Haz (her son) and gave a litter of three dogs: Burrah Sahib of Ladkok, Mr. Binks of Ladkok and Bodmash of Ladkok. Mr. Binks went with Dr. Greig back to India and became there a champion. The next bred dog in England was the white Thoombay and together with Gyantse of Lamleh (a black and tan bitch and not related to the other Tibetans of Dr. Greig) they did very well on the shows.

In 1930 the Indian Kennel Gazette accepted the standard.

During the war it was a hard time for every dogowner/breeder. Many dogs didn't survive the shortness of food and the many diseases.

Dr. Greig solved the foodproblem by breeding rabbits. Many of her Tibetan terriers survived but most of her Spaniels and Apsos didn't. During the war there was also a new breeder ( Mrs. Colville ) who bred several litters.

In 1953 a new Tibetan Terrier was registered. His name was Troyan Kynos, a male that was found on the dock in Northern England. The dog was handed over to the Downey's (who already where known in the dogworld with successfully breeding Pointers under the prefix 'Luneville' ). He was entered to shows and won several times. Dr,Greig had many objections against this dog. This male was despite all the discussions (if he was or wasn't a real Tibetan Terrier) the foundation of the Luneville - line.

 Tibetan Terriers abroad

This is a small list of the first Tibetan Terriers coming into different countries the England and the people that bought those first dogs.

Denmark: brought by Mr. Ellehage in 1939 but in 1960 the breed established. The breeding stock was a combination from Lamleh, Luneville and German lines.

Holland: Mr. And Mrs.Gertsema bought a bitch from Dr. Greig and a second a few years later. There are no links with the dogs these days however.

Sweden: Mrs. Carin Slattne brought the breed into this country, later there were more connections with Finnish, Swiss and British dogs. The Swedish Tibetan Terrier Club started in 1979.

German: Mrs. E. Bruns imported two bitches from Dr. Greig in 1939 ( Zosmi of Ladkok- which was in whelp- and Dyck ( Tava Fiorina ) an Tibetan import. Mrs. Bruns bred several litters under the suffix ' von Tiergartenbruck'. "Dschowo's V. Potala' was a successful German studdog.

Canada: The Canadian's started with Lamleh and Kalai stock, which was imported by Mrs. N.J.Carlson (suffix 'Khatang') around the 1960's.

United States of America: Mrs. Murphy (a close friend of Dr. Greig's) established the breed there. She imported the first Tibetan terrier; Gremlin Cortina (Girlie)

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