A Tibetan dog show in honour of the visit of the Dalai Lama to Tallinn, Estonia, on 14 August 2011. Tibet Sun/Kaire Meristo/Estonia
By Kaire Meristo
TALLINN, Estonia, 14 August 2011
The Mastiff Club of Estonia, Estonian Do Khyi Breed Club, and Tartu Spaniel Club, have the pleasure to organize the Match Show for Tibetan breeds in honor of the visit of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama to Estonia. The show will take place on August 14th 2011 in Tallinn. Five Tibetan breeds will be represented in the show: Tibetan Mastiff, Tibetan Spaniel, Tibetan Terrier, Lhasa Apso, and Shih Tzu. Among the participants will be many highly-awarded dogs carrying titles such as World Winner 2008, World Winner 2010, Junior World Winner 2009.
Many of the dog owners with their Tibetan pets plan also to welcome His Holiness upon his arrival to Tallinn. We hope to have a chance to pay a tribute to our honoured guest.
Tibetan dog breeds are highly appreciated in Estonia. The brave guardian Tibetan Mastiff is especially popular. Over the past decade more than 1300 dogs from this breed have been bred or imported and reared in this country. The ancestors of the majority of our dogs are from India and Nepal, and in recent years also from Taiwan, Tibet, and China.
Throughout our long history dogs have been living next to humans, and they have always been considered as friends to the families. There are many graves found dating back to the 7th and 8th centuries where dogs have been buried next to their human companions. Also small statues of dogs have been found in the graves as tokens of appreciation.
Just as in those ancient times, also now big dogs with hairy coats are most popular in our country. The Tibetan Mastiff is a good example of a breed whose thoughtful and calm character and uncompromising loyalty is a perfect match with the mentality of Estonian people.
As the Tibetan Mastiff is a guardian dog living mostly outside, many people have smaller companions to keep them company in their homes. The Tibetan Spaniel is one of those breeds with increasing popularity during the last few years. So thanks to their beloved four-legged friends, many Estonian homes today have a piece of Tibet in them.
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