Kyi-Leo
Encyclopedia
Dog breed
Dog breeds are groups of closely related and visibly similar domestic dogs, which are all of the subspecies Canis lupus familiaris, having characteristic traits that are selected and maintained by humans, bred from a known foundation stock....
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History
It was first introduced in the 1950s in the San Francisco BaySan Francisco Bay
San Francisco Bay is a shallow, productive estuary through which water draining from approximately forty percent of California, flowing in the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers from the Sierra Nevada mountains, enters the Pacific Ocean...
area by the accidental crossing of a Maltese and a Lhasa Apso
Lhasa Apso
The Lhasa Apso is a non-sporting dog breed originating in Tibet. It was bred as an interior sentinel in the Buddhist monasteries, who alerted the monks to any intruders who entered...
. This produced a type of dog that caught the attention of several individuals. The most notable was Mrs. Harriet Linn, who acquired several of these dogs in 1965 and later acquired several more from the San Jose
San Jose, California
San Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
kennel
Kennel
A kennel is the name given to any structure or shelter for dogs. A kennel is a doghouse, run, or other small structure in which a dog is kept...
in 1969; from then on she began to seriously breed
Dog breeding
Dog breeding is the practice of mating selected specimens with the intent to maintain or produce specific qualities and characteristics.Dogs reproduce without human interference, so their offsprings' characteristics are determined by natural selection. Domestic dogs may be intentionally bred by...
them. In 1972 there was enough interest among owners and breeders to come together and formally recognize this breed. It was at this meeting that they formally decided on calling it a Kyi-Leo. The name comes from the Tibetan
Tibetan language
The Tibetan languages are a cluster of mutually-unintelligible Tibeto-Burman languages spoken primarily by Tibetan peoples who live across a wide area of eastern Central Asia bordering the Indian subcontinent, including the Tibetan Plateau and the northern Indian subcontinent in Baltistan, Ladakh,...
and Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
languages. “Kyi” is the Tibetan word for dog; this acknowledges the Lhasa Apso breed which first came from Tibet. “Leo” is the Latin word for Lion; this acknowledges the Maltese which is also known as the “Maltese Lion dog”. Since then the Kyi-Leo breed has slowly spread throughout the United States, and has recently become accepted by the American Rare Breed Association
American Rare Breed Association
The American Rare Breed Association or ARBA is a national dog association of the United States, based in Cheltenham, Prince George's County, Maryland. The club was formed to register, show, educate and promote the breeding of uncommon dog breeds...
as a legitimate breed.
Appearance
The Kyi-Leo reaches 8-12 inches in height and 9-14 lb in weight. It has a long silky coat, most commonly black and white but sometimes gold and white, which tends to grow to long lengths (never quite reaching past the floor) if tended properly. Its hair also grows on its face and tail. It has small yet delicate legs that are prone to damage if dropped, but the Kyi-Leo can be very agile and quick. The Kyi-Leo has notable similarities, in body size, shape, and hair, to the Shih TzuShih Tzu
The Shih Tzu is a breed of dog weighing with long silky hair. The breed originated in China and is among the earliest breeds. Shih Tzu were officially recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1969...
dog breed though the eyes are more human set rather than bulging and they do not have the short-snout face.
Temperament
The Kyi-Leo is generally calm, obedient, quiet, and difficult to provoke. It is usually very playful and active around trusted humanHuman
Humans are the only living species in the Homo genus...
s or animal
Animal
Animals are a major group of multicellular, eukaryotic organisms of the kingdom Animalia or Metazoa. Their body plan eventually becomes fixed as they develop, although some undergo a process of metamorphosis later on in their life. Most animals are motile, meaning they can move spontaneously and...
s, but tends to stay cautious and alert around strangers. Its acute hearing makes it a decent watchdog
Guard dog
A guard dog, an attack dog or watch dog is a dog used to guard against, and watch for, unwanted or unexpected people or animals. The dog is discriminating so that it does not annoy or attack familiar people.-Barking:...
. It ideally lives in indoor settings and can be very patient when left alone for long hours at a time.
Health
- Because of its small size, the Kyi-Leo has delicate legs and a delicate spine. A slipped patella or back pains, due to a lot of jumping or aggressive handling, are notable among Kyi-Leos.
- Because of its thick hair and Tibetan ancestry, the Kyi-Leo adapts best to colder climates.
- Food intake is also an issue, as the Kyi-Leo can easily become overweight due to its small frame.
- The intake of human food, especially meat, is generally discouraged for the Kyi-Leo since its stomach cannot easily handle it. Kyi-Leos have been prone to pancreatitisPancreatitisPancreatitis is inflammation of the pancreas. It occurs when pancreatic enzymes that digest food are activated in the pancreas instead of the small intestine. It may be acute – beginning suddenly and lasting a few days, or chronic – occurring over many years...
, noticeable by excessive vomiting and a tender abdomenAbdomenIn vertebrates such as mammals the abdomen constitutes the part of the body between the thorax and pelvis. The region enclosed by the abdomen is termed the abdominal cavity...
, which greatly limits the types of food they can eat. Most generic dog-food with a good source of protein is the best choice for Kyi-Leos.
- The average lifespan of a Kyi-Leo is 13 to 15 years.
Notable dogs
- American singer Mariah CareyMariah CareyMariah Carey is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. She made her recording debut with the release of her eponymous studio album in 1990, under the guidance of Columbia Records executive Tommy Mottola, whom she later married in 1993...
owns two Kyi-Leo puppies that were given to her in TokyoTokyo, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, JapanJapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, during her Butterfly World TourButterfly World TourButterfly World Tour is the third concert tour by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey. The tour promoted Carey's album at the time, Butterfly , and included songs from several of her previous albums. The tour visited Asia, Australia and the United States, with rehearsals taking place in...
. They currently reside in BrooklynBrooklynBrooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
, New York CityNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.