The Lhasa Apso ( LAH-sə AP-soh) is a non-sporting dog breed originating in Tibet. It was bred as an interior sentinel in the Buddhist monasteries, to alert the monks to any intruders who entered (guard dog). Lhasa is the capital city of Tibet, and apso is a word from the Tibetan language. The females are slightly smaller and weigh between 12 to 14 pounds (5.4 to 6.4 kg).