Can anyone please put us in touch with breeders or owners of Kyi Leo. We are looking for a puppy and cant find breeders.

Tim & Elise Elliston
tim.elliston@ntlworld.com

Well, what is it, and where are you. If in the USA it would appear that there are breeders/manufactures of a dog going by this name, but it would appear that is is not reconised by any reconised kennel club or orgaisation, but I could be wrong, any body know what this 'breed' is, if it is.

Hi Jackie.
Yes they are a breed, I believe a cross between a Maltese and a Lhasa-Apso originally. Bred in the States I think.
Dawn.

I've heard of them too. There is a club in the states but I can't find any website try this link http://netpets.com/dogs/dogclub/breeds/dogkyi_leo.html

Jesse

So they are not a 'breed' but yet another designer cross breed, to join the growing list of 'poos'.

They've been around since the 1950's Jackie. When is a breed a breed then in your book?

Jesse

When it is either recognised by, or going through the process of being recognised by, our Kennel Club, perhaps Jesse?

Grace

So a non-KC recognised breed isn't a breed till then? But a breed has to be established as a breed BEFORE the KC will recognise it. So where is the line drawn?

Jesse

Fair Point, Jesse :) Don't know!

I, for one, can't understand why it is so popular to cross breed some of these smaller breeds, like is being done with the poodles and Cockers for example. Such different types of dogs, and what's to be gained by the cross?
Don't get me wrong, I'm not against mongrels and cross breeds, I have an Akita X Gsd, but he was an accident, not a deliberate mating and the people handed the litter over to a rescue to make sure they all got good homes, and didn't try to sell them off as a rare breed to get lots of money. That is where I draw the line I guess. Pedigree dogs are costing enough these days and I don't think it is right or fair for people to sell cross breeds for large sums of money to a usually unsuspecting public.

Soap box away ;)

Grace

Not necessary for it to be the KC (are there any in the UK) but it must be listed by one of the recognised kennel associations to be a breed, if, as I understand it, there is a club for this 'breed' they must prove to one of the recognised kennel associations some where in the world that it is breeding true enough for a proper standard to be drawn up. Years do not count, it is the care with which the breeding has been done and the success of such breeding that counts. It must breed true to type, if it does, then why have they not applied to have it registered, well perhaps they have. What recognised kennel association has recived such a request or has them listed with an official standard.

Found a bit more about it, it is a cross between a Lhasa & Maltese made by a Harriet Linn of California, who chose the name and produced the standard. The idea coming, apparently form an accidental mating in 1972. Amazing what facts are recorded when you look hard enough.

The bit I found said the 1950's goes to show not all is right in internet land!

Jesse

Did not find my info on the net went looking in books. But it was an independent sorce, not someone trying to add credence to the 'breed', they could be wrong but as they gave a name and the city the person lived, in I guess they may well be correct. But till this morning I had not heard of the dog or it's inventor, so I don't know.

The Russian Blacks have only been a breed, I think since the 1950's I think and they were a cross of a few breeds. There are two at my local training club and talk about lovely dogs, I can't believe how a big dog which was bred for the work it is supposed to do can be so calm, I know that not all of them are though.

As another person said a breed isn't a breed only when our KC says so it's one when another kennel club accepts it and approves a standard. Though it can be hard for our KC to accept a breed and even harder for them to decide in some cases which group they should be in!

In this case it was a toy to toy cross, but if it is a Gundog to Working or something like that it can only go into Utility unless it is used in it's country of origin for some specific purpose. Mind you I have a breed that is thousands of years old and I am not sure the KC put it in the correct group, on the other hand I would not want to change now.

I have just looked out an article that appeared in the Tibetan Breeds International Magazine Issue 4 That was edited by Julliette Cunliffe this issue is from 1994. It has a history ans origin of the Kyi-Leo. It states that the origin of these dogs begins in the 16 century when they were sent as good luck gifts between china and Tibet. The lady that has a insight into the history of the breed is a Harriet Linn from the USA. 'The tibetains were mainly concerned with producing alarm dogs for protecting the inside of the palaces and monastries.They wanted an intellegent dog with a keen sense of hearing who would greet all visitors and anything strange or unfamiliar with frantac and hostile barking they certainlysucceeded as this trait was passed down through many generations to our own Kyi-Leo they refer to these dogs as apso-seng-kyi or (barking-sentinal-lion dogs' is say that it was not untill 1934 that these dogs were separated into separate breeds A lady from San Jose took an interest in the Lhasa-Maltese in the 1950's as she had received a pair from Sanfrancisco. More information on the Kyi-leo can be obtained from Harriet Linn, 1757 Landana Drive Concord Califonia 94520 USA. I do not know if this address is still current as I say this issue us 1994, but there is a standard of the Kyi-Leo printed in this book if you would like a copy please contact me and I will send it, there is to much in the article to reproduce here, and picture, the pups look beautifull.
There is also the Kyi-apso, they have a breed club in the USA also, and I have a history of the bearded Kyiapso

That makes 3 different stories, depends who you want to believe, my info came from the Encyclopedia of the Dog by Dr. Bruce Fogle. He goes into detail including the name and city of the person responsible. Comes down to do you believe Bruce Fogle or Julliette or neither.

Ahh but then I suppose it depends where they got their info from so who's 'source' do we believe! I know they have been around fo sometime but I don't think there are any here in the UK in any event so probably not something to worry about!

Jesse