Frequently Asked Questions

Where are you?

We live in Southern California about 15 minutes from Disneyland.

Are you a large kennel?

No. We only have about one litter ever couple of years and they are hand raised in our home as part of the family.

Home much do they cost?

The cost varies over time, part of the country, general availability and breeder/breed line: but at the moment I would guess a good Tibetan puppy today will sell for $1,500 plus range.

We don't want to show it, so how much does a pet cost?

The price is the same whether you want just a pet or a show dog.

We have small children, how will they react with them?

As a rule of thumb, we discourage sales of puppies to families with very small children.

Are Tibetan Terriers right for my family?

Having no prior knowledge of your family or family circumstances, I am unable to answer that question for you. I suggest you read the traits of the breed (which you can find on this web site), visit a dog show to see them first hand or find a breeder in your area that you can visit.

Are they hard to care for?

Like any other dog (or small child) they require regular baths, grooming, daily meals and attention. I have read that a minimum of about 20 minutes a day of play, scratching/rubbing, walking, etc. is needed to address any dog's minimum need for daily human interaction. In addition, if your TT is kept in full coat, regular daily grooming will greatly minimize small tangles from becoming big rats nests. Grooming issues are further minimized if they are not allowed to do such things as run and roll in the neighbors muddy horse pen or that big old stand of pine trees in the back yard. If they are not being maintained for show or you are looking for a slightly more maintenance free approach, try having them 'clipped down' to what we have called their 'summer coat' (see Starlight's and Max's web page for a photo of them clipped down). In conclusion, they do require more grooming time and attention than say a German Shepherd, but we think they are worth it. I find it soothing to both myself and the dog, grooming one of them in my lap each evening as I set watching television. It has become a nice quiet time for all of us.

I am in my 80's, will you sell me a Tibetan Terrier?

As a general rule of thumb, the answer would be no as TT 's live to be 15+ years old and we want to assure that it will have a loving home for its full life.

What do you insist as basic qualifications for a buyer?

In general, we look for a potential buyer that ...

- Will be caring and provide a caring environment

- Appears compatible with the dog

- Has no small children or a minimum of other pets

- Has a history of caring for pets and understands the responsibility that comes with them

- Has a fenced yard

- Is planning to care for it for up to 15 years of its life

- Has done their homework and is familiar with the breed and believe it is for them

We already have one (or more) other dogs, will you sell to us?

It depends on the circumstances such as size of home, type of other dogs, etc.

I live on the East coast but would like to purchase one of your puppies. Will you ship it to me?

Yes and No. Yes, we have shipped puppies under the proper conditions and they tend to vary with the time of the year as heat is a major factor. No, in that it has been our general policy not to sell a puppy to anyone sight unseen. We believe it is important that the owner and the puppy appear compatible and we believe that can only be judged by meeting the potential owner first hand and them interacting directly with the puppy of their choice. [Shipping costs are of course in addition to the price of the puppy.]

We want a Tibetan immediately. When can we have one of yours?

Being a small breeder we do not have many litters and they are infrequent as we are not pure puppy breeders; but we have a loyal following of people interested in our line and the type of dogs we produce. If you believe you are interested, please send us an email at friemel@adelphia.net

Where can I find a breeder in my area?

You have started in the right place -- the internet. You can use the Tibetan Terrier web ring which is located at the very bottom of our home page and cycle through the various breeder and/or you might try a search engine such as Google to find one. You might even try searching for a local dog show which are numerous throughout the country especially in the Spring and Summer and going there to see what is available in your area.

Are they couch potatoes?

They like human's have their moments of great energy and desire to play and then they too like their quiet time. They are sponges and will suck up all of the attention you care to give them either rubbing their sides and scratching their heads or tummies. Likewise, they are there for you when you are down.

Which is better, a boy or a girl?

What colors do they come in?

They come in black, white, gold, and red plus many variations and mixes of these colors. Color is of course generic and follows most of the normal rules; however, it is also very random and you never know for sure what colors you will get until they arrive.