SIZE - VARIABLE, BUT ABOUT I0 OR I 1 INCHES AT SHOULDER FOR DOGS, BITCHES SLIGHTLY SMALLER.
The height of the Lhasa Apso is variable. The use of the word "about" allows variation, ideally between 10 and 11inches. "Bitches slightly smaller" refers to those feminine characteristics which distinguish bitches easily from males rather than simply to height.
The standard’s request for a Lhasa of 10 or 11 inches at shoulders dictates a dog whose bone is in proportion to his height and weight. A reflection of his heritage and origin as a breed accustomed to the mountainous and rugged terrain of Tibet, he is agile and capable of maneuvering; there should be no hint of massive bone or body.
The Lhasa Apso is a dog of moderation. Not only is height a factor in the breed, but consideration must also be given to weight, proportion and length of body, for these all contribute to the final overall balance. The Lhasa Apso in proper weight and condition will be of good hard flesh, well muscled and neither too fat nor too thin, although a tendency to leanness is not uncommon in the young Lhasa Apso, slow to mature.