[blockquote]just because different types ACTUALLY exist in their native land...new chinese standard is (correctly) talking about "lion" and"tiger" type. also different colors are attested by modern pictures from native land! [/blockquote] I'm a bit skeptical of any 'proof' of type from the Chinese to be honest. After all, they've spent since the 1950's trying to wipe these dogs out in their native land and now all of a sudden, Chinese dog breeders have proof of Tibetan types and standards and all these wonderful types nad colours of dogs. There is at least one dog from my cursory glance of that website that obviously has a lot of Japanese Tosa blood in it and another that looks like it's an English Mastiff with a fuzzy coat. I suspect those 'snow' dogs have more than a touch of Great Pyrenees or something similar too. As the snow lion is so highly revered in Tibet, you'd think IF these white dogs existed in Tibet in ancient times, we'd have at least one or two cropping up in Tibetan art like the black TM's do frequently. I'm quite perceptive and I can smell somebody lying to me in order to try and make a profit from a mile away. I've seen it with the shar-pei and my gut instinct is this is the same kind of exercise. "Oh, no, Mr Westerner, we have PROOF that our bloodlines are far more healthy, authentic, ancient and superior to the ones sold to you 30 years ago... that other breeder was a right rip off artist and sold you mutts... but not us, we want to right that wrong and give you the genuine article this time... that will be about three times what you'll pay for a good puppy with relevant health tested parents in the country you come from... what colour and head shape did you want the puppy to have?" I'm sorry, but they are no more authentically Tibetan dogs than my 'himalayan mutt' of a European TM is. Maybe we could do with some new blood, but I wouldn't count on some nouveau riche Chinese entrepreneur breeding for profit to provide it as I think the breed might end up in worse state than some already think it is in the West.