Ruth Cowie, age 11, of Wilkes Barre, Penn., for her question:

WHERE DID THE LHASA APSO ORIGINATE?

Lhasa apso is the name of a very fancy little dog. The littleanimal has a very long, heavy coat that makes it look a bit like a mop.

The dog originally came from Lhasa, the capital of Tibet. It was once known as a terrier but is now classed as a nonsporting dog.

A lahasa apso has long, thick hair that comes down over its face, covering its eyes and its ears. It also has whiskers and a beard.

The dog has a long, low body and carries its tail curled tightly over its back.

Even though it is only about 10 inches high and not much longer than a dozen inches, the dog was originally used as a watchdog. In Lhasa, large dogs were stationed to guard outside while the tiny Lhasa apso stayed inside to warn of danger.