14/10/2014
Sa Mga nag tatanung po What is Prapso :)
(c) http://www.enchantedmountainshihtzu.com/puppy%20issues.htm
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Prapso puppies:
Occasionally in a litter of perfectly healthy and wonderful Shih Tzu puppies you will get a puppy that seems to be a little different as far as their hair growth goes. You generally don’t notice this until the puppy is around 6 weeks old and sometimes later depending on whether you have a partial or a full Prapso puppy. Most people have not heard of this condition and it used to be primarily thought of as a Lhasa Apso Condition, because that is where it was seen most often. They called them “smooth haired” Lhasa’s. The word “Prapso” started in Australia. From the phrase “perhaps an Apso” This “condition” however is not limited to the Lhasa Apso. It is periodically seen in the Shih Tzu as well as other Tibetan breeds.
So just what is a Prapso? Prapso puppies are an interesting occurrence. They are perfectly healthy little babies. A Prapso puppy will mature faster than his litter mates, usually will open their eyes earlier than normal, They will get a full set of teeth much earlier than their littler mates. In general they tend to have a more rambunctious personality. They also for whatever reason are thought to be slightly smarter than other dogs of their breed. But what is most noticeable is their shorter than average hair for their breed. In a full Prapso they will have shorter smooth hair, generally over their entire body however their muzzles and legs are generally shorter than their body, a Lhasa Apso looks almost identical to a Tibetan Spaniel if he/she is a full Prapso puppy. You can also have a partial Prapso, which is what I have seen in the Shih Tzu. A partial Prapso will generally have longer hair on the body, but it may not grow to the ground like a flowing show coat. There may be long hair on the face and head where your typical top knots can be done, but generally right around the muzzle will stay short and the legs will be shorter than the body, They can grow longer than a “smooth hair” look, but generally will not grow as long as typically seen on a Shih Tzu, but their hair will still have a straighter/smoother appearance with a slightly different texture than a typical Shih Tzu. Prapso puppies/dogs make excellent pets. You get the loving, fun, playful and loyal personality of the Shih Tzu without all the hard work of the long coat and profuse hair. If you keep your shih tzu in the shorter coat then the shorter hair is a non-issue.
Prapso’s are not uncommon. The problem is a lot of breeders do not know about this condition and as a result does not recognize the signs. Reputable breeders that are aware of this will simply sell the Prapso as a pet and educate potential buyers about how their puppy will be different if it is possible to tell before the puppy goes to his/her new home. However, some not so reputable breeders know exactly what a Prapso puppy is and choose not to tell buyers that the particular puppy they are interested in is a Prapso. A buyer can and usually will be very confused and disappointed in their puppy if they are not educated about this condition. If the buyer is looking for a show-quality Shih Tzu, the puppy or dog could then suffer from the results of a disappointed buyer, he could wind up in a shelter or worse homeless. A loving pet owner could spend unnecessary time and money and mental anguish trying to figure out what is “wrong” with their puppy . The Prapso puppy makes an absolutely wonderful, smart, affectionate, playful, somewhat low maintenance alternative to their breed standard counterparts. People that have owned Prapso’s are known to ask for another one as they realize what a joy they really are. The Prapso puppy is nothing to be ashamed of.
On the breeder side of things, obviously, most breeders do not produce a Prapso puppy on purpose. They can just “pop up” every once in a while and no one really knows why. There are a lot of breeders that have had a litter or more with a Prapso puppy. There are theories that the Tibetan spaniel was mixed into the Lhasa and Shih Tzu breed many many years ago in Tibet, and they are the result of this practice. Some people just believe it is a genetic mutation that for whatever reason results in this characteristic. Regardless, it is not recommended to pull a dog that has produced a Prapso out of a breeding program, however it is advised that the particular breeding not be duplicated and if that dog produces a prapso from a different breeding then it can be assumed at that point that he/she is the carrier as it is my experience that it only takes one parent to produce a prapso puppy, both parents do not have to carry for it. A female that produces Prapso’s is very limited in the amount of puppies she can produce and because of this should just be bred to a different male to see if it was her or the male that carried for it. A male that produces Prapso puppies should be handled a little more careful as obviously they can produce many many offspring. Litters that a male produces should be closely tracked and bred carefully, just becuase he is a carrier doesn't mean all of his puppies will be however there is that chance of the carrying for it. Another words just because a litter is born with a prapso you can not assume both parents carried for it as mostly likely only one of the parents were a carrier. There are those breeders that have actually got requests for another Prapso and therefore have purposely produced Prapso’s. This has been seen mostly with the full Lhasa Prapso’s as you get the temperament of the Lhasa, without the hassle of all the hair. This would generally be frowned upon with most show breeders, however most breeders each have their own reasons as to why they breed and what their goals are for their programs.
In the end a Prapso puppy is a perfectly healthy pet that can bring you years of love and affection.
