What breed is he??

Sorry this SHOULD go in the dog forum but I can't get access for some reason!

So anyway, I have an 8-year old AKC registered Lhasa Apso. But there's one thing that's always been strange about him...he is huge! And I don't mean fat, but he's taller and just bigger than any other Lhasa I've seen before. AND his nose isn't quite as smashed in as your typical Lhasa nose.

I always just kind of figured he was unique, until a friend just sent me a photo of her Lowchen, and it looks IDENTICAL to my "Lhasa"! But how could mine be AKC registered if he's potentially the wrong breed?

Here are some pics of him, tell me if YOU can figure it out! He weighs 29 pounds...

I know someone with a massive Shih Tzu. Biggest dang one I've ever seen. His name is Oscar, and they call him a mutant because of his size.

Is it possible he was misregistered? Did you see his parents? He could also just be a poor example of the breed. It happens.

Not sure...I got him from a pet store so never saw the parents...will never buy from a pet store again either, now that I've been enlightened about where they come from (puppy mills usually), how they are treated...I'll adopt next time! BUT I don't regret it, he has been the BEST dog I have EVER owned, so sweet and cuddly and very very VERY well behaved and well trained. Wouldn't trade him for the WORLD, regardless of his breed! I'm just curious now

There are a few different ways a dog can get registered as something he/she is not.
- pups from the same litter can actually be from two different fathers. So if the breeder had the female bred and then stopped paying attention, a second male could have covered the female.
- the papers could be hung, meaning that they claim the parents are not what the papers say. Happens a LOT in some breeds. Especially if a good quality female and male only produce very few or no pups in a litter, pups from a different litter will be registered in their name. The AKC has certain standards, but usually don't ever check.
- the parents might have been registered, but might not have looked according to breed standard either.

If the dog is from a pet store, there's no way to really find out, since these dogs usually come fro large breeding facilities. If you're really interested you could have him DNA'd, but then as long as you are enjoying your dog and you don't want to show or breed him, his size shouldn't be a big deal...
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I'd say he could still be pure, but there's always a huge difference between purebred dogs from BYBs and reputable breeders. Although some breeds have a wider size scale that is acceptable, for example, Papillons can be from five to ten pounds and I've met dogs from both ends of the size range. My Pap, Cali, is exactly five pounds and the majority have been seven or eight and there's a huge difference.

So, I'd just say he could be a purebred, just that his parents likely didn't fit the breed standard but were bred anyways simply because the breeder valued money over health and the breed standard. Although that definitely doesn't change how great of a dog he is. :)

He looks like a Lhasa to me, just supersized.

Being from a petstore his "breeders" wouldn't have cared about standards.
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Haha supersized, YUP that's him!!

I think Jore nailed it.

AKC Registration doesn't mean a whole lot. An AKC (or other reputable registry) show/trial record, or positive evaluations by reputable breeders, (or hopefully both) is what mattered.

EVERY puppy in a pet store (as in, store that sells pets, not store that hosts rescues), no matter what anyone tells you, is NOT from a reputable breeder... and is likely from someone just in it for the money. Why? Because no reputable, ethical breeder would ever let there puppies go to a pet store.

That all being said, he's pretty darn adorable! <3

Oh definitely...which is why since being enlightened to that I will never buy from a pet store again...in fact next time I will likely adopt from a kennel or rescue group but I'm very glad I found this little...er... BIG guy (who is currently sleeping sprawled across my stomach!)
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Ok just for the cutsies....

Wanna go for a walk!!?? - YouTube
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