La Chon

Characteristics

Health & Longevity

Average Life Span: 12-16 years
Also known as a Lhasa-chon, the La Chon is a crossbreed between a Lhasa Apso and a Bichon Frise. These pups are some of the healthiest crossbreeds you can bring home.

While both the Lhasa Apso and Bichon Frise sometimes suffer from debilitating health issues, the average La Chon has the best genetics of both parent breeds. Most of the time, the major health problems are bred out, leaving a healthy, happy puppy. However, there are a few minor health issues that, albeit manageable, can affect the quality of life your La Chon is able to enjoy.

Vaccination Sensitivity

Vaccinations are crucial to a dog’s long-term health, but sensitivities to certain vaccines make it difficult to protect your pup properly. To ensure he isn’t sensitive to a vaccine, get one vaccination at a time and wait a week before getting another. Mild symptoms include weakness and vomiting, but severe symptoms include shock and seizures. Get your pup to the vet immediately if you notice him acting unusually after any vaccination.

Cherry Eyes

This condition occurs when the bottom of the inner eyelid swells, poking the inner red outwards over the eyeball. This condition is usually painless, but it can be frightening to witness. Surgical intervention is optional to remove the excess swollen tissue, but most cases clear up on their own within a few weeks.

Other health conditions that a La Chon may develop includes patellar luxation, glaucoma, skin allergies, and recurrent UTIs. The average La Chon lives a lengthy, healthy life of 12 to 16 years. This is, on average, 2-3 years longer than the lifespans of both parent breeds.

Temperament & Train-ability

Clever, cheerful, and playful, the La Chon is one of the most affectionate crossbreeds available, but also one of the stubbornest. He can be somewhat willful as he thinks he is the boss, despite his small stature. However, once he learns that you are the alpha, he settles into his place in the pack (your family). He loves everyone in his family, but can be wary of strangers. If a stranger gets too close, it sets off his incessant bark alarm until the person backs off.

Unfortunately, the La Chon has aggression and dominance issues towards other dogs. Unless socialized with other dogs in the puppy stage, it is best for this crossbreed to be the only pup in your household. If you take him to a dog park, watch him carefully. He may buck up to dogs twice his size in a dominance challenge. This could cause him to get hurt, or worse, since most large dogs simply do not tolerate the challenge of a smaller dog. La Chons are usually fine with dogs they’ve grown up with.

If you have access to a fenced-in backyard, let your La Chon run freely for an hour or so every day. He will love running and romping around the yard, putting his exploring and digging skills to good use. He is naturally curious, so you can imagine how he would react to having the run in an entire backyard. These pups are good with children, so kids would be good exercise for him too. If all else fails, walk your La Chon twice a day for about 30 minutes each time, then give him a few toys to chew on and play with when you get home. You can also bond more with your La Chon by playing games of fetch or chase.

When you train your La Chon, keep him aware of your status as the alpha. Use a kind, but firm and consistent, voice to issue commands in a clear, strong tone. He may try to test his limits and yours by ignoring your instructions the first few times. However, keep working with him. Eventually, he will give up the stubborn streak and opt for complying to gain your praise.

For housebreaking your La Chon, use crate-training or puppy pads to establish “okay” areas to go to the bathroom. Gradually introduce outside and take treats with you on walks to reward him for doing his business outdoors.

Grooming

Most La Chons inherit longer hair, but a softer coat, so shedding is likely. It gets worse in the summer months because of the heat, but he will fluff back up when the weather gets cold again. Trim his long hair from around his face, paw pads, and rump when it gets too lengthy. Or, take him to a professional groomer for the complete grooming treatment. They will bathe him, brush him, trim his coat, cut his nails, clean his ears, and brush his teeth. And he would probably love the extra attention.

Diet

Your La Chon should receive two meals per day, 1 cup of dry kibble per meal. Instead of grabbing the first bag of dry dog food you see, look at the ingredients. He should be consuming the best in whole grains, lean meats, and vegetables to keep him in good health. Food matters. It might be less expensive to buy the brand with the fillers and by-products, but it could also be detrimental to his overall health.

When in doubt, ask your vet for suggestions about which nutritious kibble would be best for your La Chon.
 

Find A La Chon Breeder

La Chon Puppies For Sale

Adopt A La Chon

Cost

The more popular the crossbreed, the more breeders you will find. However, make sure your breeder of choice is reputable, reliable, and genuinely caring towards the dogs they are selling. Usually, you can get a La Chon puppy for around $500 to $1,000, depending on region and demand. You should also think about the costs of medical visits, routine vaccinations, toys, and wholesome dog food.

If you opt to adopt, head over to your local animal shelter to see if they have an older La Chon. Adoption fees depend on your county, but you may pay between $150 to $300.

Paws ‘N’ Pups Ranking

Paws ‘N’ Pups ranks every breed out of 4 with 1 being easiest to integrate into your life and 4 being the toughest – The lower the ranking the better.

Ranking takes into account a few basic factors including cost, skill level needed, high vs low maintenance and how critical regular training is to success. The La Chon ranks a 2 on the Paws ‘N’ Pups scale. These pups, while incompatible with other dogs, are great with children and families. They can be trained in a matter of months, but it takes determination and hard work to get them to that stage of easy compliance.

 

Bichon Frise

Lhasa Apso

Yorkshire Terrier

Maltese