COAT - HEAVY, STRAIGHT, HARD, NOT WOOLY OR SILKY, OF GOOD LENGTH AND VERY DENSE
One of the most distinguishing features of the Lhasa Apso is the beautiful cloak of hair, parted in the middle and draping to each side from head to tail. "Heavy," "straight," and "hard" are words that bring to mind a definite visual as well as tactile connotation. Heavy implies not light or fine or flyaway; strong, resilient hair with a moderate amount of undercoat is desirable. When lifted out from the body, it will fall immediately back and blend in with the rest of the coat. Heavy hair must be hard in texture, so that when it is rubbed between the fingers, individual hairs will be felt. The straightness (or lack of it) is apparent at a glance. To assess heaviness and hardness of coat, one must touch it. The coat should not be wiry or rough to the touch.
The adjectives "wooly" or "silky" are self-explanatory and are not typical of the breed. "Of good length" denotes ample length, substantial but not exaggerated. The coat length must be adequate for the purpose of protection notwithstanding ease of maintenance, yet give the appearance of luxurious beauty in the show ring. The good headfall and well-feathered feet and legs requested in our standard protected this small dog against extreme temperatures and rough terrain of his native land. Because of their late-blooming maturity, the Lhasa Apso may be two or three years of age before the adult coat reaches the ground. Excessive trimming, and/or sculpturing is to be discouraged.