How to Identify a Kyi-Leo

The Kyi-Leo, pronounced Kyay-Leeoh, is the result of the accidental mating of a Lhasa Apso and a Maltese during the 1950s. Though this breed is of Asian ancestry, it was bred entirely in the United States. Since then the breed has been disseminated primarily along the west coast of the country and has developed quite a following in the last 20 years. Because of it’s small size and wonderful personality, this breed makes a great apartment pet. Here is a guide on how to correctly identify a Kyi-Leo.

Instructions

    • 1

      Begin by assessing the size and weight of the dog, as well as its body type. Standing between 8 and 12 inches high at the shoulder and rarely weighing in excess of 14 pounds, the Kyi-Leo is so small that the “toy” category may be too large for it. The tail should be roughly half the length of the dog and curl over the top of its back when it’s excited. The legs should be straight and stubby, though much thicker than one would expect. Often you will notice that the rear legs are significantly longer than the forelegs, giving the dog the appearance that it is about to pounce or jump.

    • 2

      Look at the dog’s fur. It should be very long and thick with a silky and shiny texture. This hair should part naturally down the length of the spine and is rarely of uniform length, making the animal look shaggy or rumpled. Due to a genetic quirk, roughly 99 percent of all Kyi-Leos have black and white fur. The remaining one percent has either plain black or plain white fur. Though the exact markings tend to differ from dog to dog, the Kyi-Leo typically has a white underbelly and black fur in a mask pattern over the eyes and ears.

    • 3

      Finish by looking at the dog’s head. It should be significantly larger than one would expect a small dog to possess. The ears are very wide and don’t come to much of a point, though they do hang down to jaw level on either side of the dog’s head. It should also have a profuse beard and whiskers. This combined with the dark color of the eyes and surrounding fur means that the eyes often go unseen or unnoticed.