“Do Khyi” means “a chained dog”. These large fierce dogs guard the houses and goods of their owners. The best Do Khyis are also called “Sang Khyi” after their origin Sangri, which is south of Lhasa.
Lhasa Apsos as well as Tibetan Terriers are quite widely spread. They can be found with people in Lhasa as well as with nomads.
The Tibetan Spaniels are also called “Simkhyi”, which means house dog, room dog or even bedroom dog. They are the dog of highest order and are being kept as Lama dogs or with aristocrats. The Tibetan Spaniel is a lively dog with a good length of nose. Jemtse Apso, meaning shaven Apso, is not a name used in Tibet for Tibetan Spaniels.
“Gya Khyi” is what we call a Pekingese dog. This dog is very popular with monks and aristocrats. The Gya Khyis have very flat noses and they don’t move much. They differ from Tibetan Spaniels mainly due to the flat nose and the long and extensive coat.
“Haba” is the Mongolian word for small dog. This expression is being used for all small dog breeds. The name “Bora” is not familiar to me.
Tibetan Terriers are also called “Rapso” which means goat-haired.
“Sha Khyis” look like short-haired huskies. They also have a curled tail and pointed ears, but no blue eyes. They are mainly herd dogs which move around freely. They protect the herds from wolves and help drive the herd. Sometimes they are also used for hunting (not FCI recognized).
“Go Khyi” is the jewel amongst Tibetan dog breeds. About one per cent of vultures are Tibetan bearded vultures (tib: Gowo), which lay three eggs: the first with a snake, the second with a dog and the third with a bird. If you ever hear a dog bark high up in the mountains near a bearded vulture’s nest, you will find a very small dog there. This dog is called “Go Khyi” and is the most respected dog in Tibet (not FCI recognized).