Buying a puppy from Joyce was one of the best things I've ever done. She is truly committed to the health and happiness of each and every puppy that leaves her and never tires of answering questions. Her depth of knowledge and dedication to improving the breed is incredible. I would highly recommend her to anyone looking for a quality Lhasa Apso.
Becky

Buster has been described as a party in a fur coat. He doesn't know any strangers; they are all potential friends. We had an older gentleman as a neighbor who would get on all fours when he saw Buster and play with him. Another neighbor calls him the "ambassador." He likes to say hi to everybody. If someone walks by him and doesn't take time to greet him, he looks at me like "what gives?" He is a dog who likes to go to the vet and gives her a kiss after his exam. He loves to be with children of any age and he plays well with them.

We have had so much fun taking Buster to agility class. He especially enjoys jumping the hurdles, the dog walk and the teeter-totter, and he's come to like going through the tunnel and the chute. He's not the best student, but he does enjoy socializing with the other dogs, big or small, and their owners.

Buster is now three years old. He has had two birthday parties. It's the social event of the neighborhood. We have had as many as 12 dogs and 40 people attend. He knows that it is all about him and he loves it!! Buster likes exercise; we give him a long walk in the morning and in the evening. At home, he follows Bob or me around or plays with his toys. When Bob is working in his office, Buster is content to lay in the chair behind him and snooze. His favorite trick is stealing toilet paper; he like to see how far out he can drag it. Buster has flown to Florida several times in his Sherpa bag, and generally sleeps through the trip.
Jody

When 14 year old Buttons died in 2004, Larry said that we should not get another Lhasa because there could never be another Buttons. HOWEVER, during the Memorial Day Dog Shows at the Interstate Center in Bloomington, Illinois, we first met Joyce.

If you ever go to dog shows that have Lhasas, and if you look for the bright, cheery face among the Lhasa breeders, it will be Joyce. Some breeders do NOT want to be bothered when they are preparing to show. You can tell by the way they respond to you and your questions. We went to Joyce's grooming area. Joyce was so pleasant and friendly, not like so many other breeders. She was willing to discuss Lhasas and answer our questions. Since that time we have come to be friends, not just breeder and buyer.

Joyce invited us to her home to meet her Lhasa family. Wow!! We were really impressed. The greeting of these charming "furry kids" would melt your heart in a second. Joyce's Lhasas were happy to have us hold and pet them even though it was the first time for them to see us.

We decided we liked the little girl from a litter of two. When the day came to pick her up, Joyce not only had the puppy ready to go, but she also gave us an informational packet and some food and toys. We were told to feel free to contact her with any questions. Our little girl was named Dalai (pronounced Dolly).

If we started telling you everything about our Dalai, there would be no more room on this web site. Her fun antics, energy and intelligence are what brightens our day. As fitting to the breed, she will alert us of someone coming to our door or even in/near our half acre+ yard. Then she changes from that to overwhelming excitement when the person enters our home.

Dalai has been in obedience classes. We know that is important with a Lhasa, because to have a well-liked, behaved Lhasa, a person cannot let them take over. Nothing is worse than an unruly child whether it has two legs or four. It doesn't take a Lhasa long to learn to train her human. Dalai has trained Larry to give her a treat when he is on the phone. The first few times he was on the phone and she started yipping/talking to him, he gave her a treat to be quiet. Big Mistake!! She learned that if she makes noise when he is on the phone that she gets a treat.

Dalai is now in Rally classes and will start an Agility class in January of 2008. When we were told that Lhasas get bored with training, they were definitely correct. In obedience class as we repeated a skill/behavior more than 2-3 times, she would look at me as if to say "okay, I've got it so why do we have to keep doing it." She loves the variety of the Rally class. She recently got her first leg in Rally so now our goal is to earn the next two legs in order for her to get her title in Rally Novice.

We often get compliments because Dalai's coat is kept long. Larry has even referred to Dalai as his "chick magnet" when she is in her canine stroller or sitting on a bench with him as we shop at the outlet malls in Branson. To be honest, it is not just females who stop to visit; it has been both male and female and a wide range of ages and personalities.

Looking for the joy of your life, a Lhasa, go to Joyslyn's Lhasa Apsos. You will be happy that you did! Life without a Lhasa is not really living!!
Marlene, Larry and Dalai

Hello, we live in Highland Indiana and we drove almost 5 hours to get our little Trinket from Joyce and it was well worth the trip. Joyce made the experience exciting and fun. Our little Trinket is such a welcome addition to our little family. We already had one Lhasa named Mocha that we got from someone else. Trinket is a much calmer dog, I must say. She literally falls asleep while being groomed. Mocha hates it. Anyway I just want to say that I hope Joyce is still breeding in 10 years (God willing) when we need to get another Lhasa.
Thanks, Lisa and Robin

Sadie and Max run our house! We owe Joyce Johanson for these adorable, intelligent, and loving Lhasa Apsos!! Sadie has been a sweetheart with attitude since day one. Her special personality moved us to want yet another Lhasa. As firm support of our faith in Joyce, we drove 1500 miles from Virginia to Illinois to pick up Max three years later. Both dogs are so healthy and happy and totally devoted to each other, especially appropriate since Sadie is Max's aunt! We love Joyslyn's Lhasa Apsos!!
Susan F.

Recently, we received our third Lhasa Apso from Joyslyn's. That should be testimonial enough regarding our [family's] feelings toward Joysyln's and the quality of their dogs. I would like to take a minute to elaborate a little more regarding our most recent puppy, Autumn. To put it simple, she is no less than perfect. Her coat is beautiful, and that is how she got the name Autumn, all the colors in her coat reminded me of that time of year.

Autumn has a great personality and will let you know if you are not giving her the attention she feels she deserves. She is very possessive of her family and her toys. We always laugh during playtime because even though she has countless toys, she will always want the one in your hand.

My family gave Autumn to me as a gift, so I had no contact with Joyslyn's prior to her purchase. After Autumn became a part of our family, we began corresponding with Joyce about the best way to care for her. Joyce always responded quickly, and her responses were very personal and directed to Autumn as a individual puppy, not Lhasas as a whole.

Months later Joyce was in our hometown, and we had a chance to meet her at a Lhasa show. It was like she had known us for years, and I am convinced that Autumn remembered her immediately. She could not wait to see Joyce and was squirming and wagging her tail until Joyce took her from us. It seemed as though Joyce was just as excited to see Autumn!

When dealing with Joyslyn's you can tell immediately that this is not just a business to them, they truly love each and every dog, and want them to have happy lives with loving, caring families.

Autumn is a vital part of our family and she brings us great joy. I know that there is no way I will ever be able to say thanks enough to my family for so carefully picking her for me...no better choice could have been made.
Coyt and Kristi

I purchased my Lhasa from Joyce almost six years ago. Previously I had always owned female Lhasas; however, I wanted a male this time and Joyce had one available. From the beginning of our communication regarding the purchase of the puppy I knew that Joyce was a reputable breeder. When she sent me a picture of Skyler I fell in love. Skyler has so many wonderful attributes and over the years when people see him they comment on how beautiful he is and they typically think he is a female because he is so gorgeous, from his handsome engaging face to his long thick tail. In addition, Skyler has always been a healthy dog and has had no medical problems.

Skyler is a typical boy and is so mischievous. As a puppy Joyce nicknamed him "Toughy" and later I nicknamed him "Rowdy." His father's name was Hooligan and his uncle's name was Rebel, so I guess he took after his father's side of the family. Of course I think he is the smartest dog that ever lived. He was very easy to potty train and never went potty in the house. The cutest habit that Skyler has is lying flat on the floor and eating his food in this resting position. Skyler is very protective of me and when strangers stop by the house he lets them know that he is aware of their presence. Although Skyler loves me so much he is not a lap dog, but rather likes to be in the room where I am.

If I were to purchase additional Lhasas I would definitely contact Joyce. You will not be disappointed if you buy one of her puppies!! Oh, and have I mentioned I continue to keep in contact with Joyce to let her know how Skyler is doing and his latest antics.
Cindy B. and Skyler

Dear Joyce,

We had our first Lhasa Apso for 16 years. We bought him from a pet-store. He was a very gentle good dog. Most of all, he didn't shed at all. After he passed away, my husband wanted to have another Lhasa Apso.

I said no because I didn't have the patience to try to house-break a dog. A few years later, I finally agreed to get another dog. My husband searched the internet and found that you were the only breeder in the area. It was on a rainy Sunday that we drove 6 hours to your home. My husband saw the dog first. I walked down to the lower level and saw him sitting next to you. I fell in love with him right away. We kept the name of Yogi who was six months old at the time. He was so cute and tiny. I put a cushion on my lap on the way home and he fit right on top. He was so good, he didn't complain or whine. Our son was waiting for us at home with our old cage from the previous dog. We needed it to house break our new Yogi. It didn't take long because he was already paper trained.

He is now 6 yrs old and such a joy. He follows me around all day. He loves to play catch. For a small dog, he is very good at it. We have spoiled him rotten. We have tried to stay in contact and let you know how Yogi was doing. We enjoyed seeing you again at the dog show. We really think you are a great breeder who really cares a lot about your dogs. It's the best decision we made to welcome Yogi into our home. My husband and I agree that Lhasas are an excellent breed, very friendly, and great with children and the perfect lap dog.

Regards,
Violet C.

Dear Joyce,

I have been spreading the joys of owning a Lhasa for many years. Since our first Lhasa died of old age, I never considered another dog. Once my wife conceded to acquiring another dog, I started my search for a local breeder. We bought our first dog from a pet store and not until after that did we read about the possible health hazards of this kind of purchase.

I was so glad to find you on the internet. We made arrangements to see you that very day. It was maybe a 5 or 6 hour drive on a rainy Sunday, but well worth it. Your dogs are some of the best examples of Lhasas that I have ever seen. Our Yogi who now is 6 years old is the best possible companion for my wife who is at home all day. He is great with visiting children and after only a short time befriends all guests in our home. But initially he plays the ever watchful guard dog. I still remember the day we meet him. He wouldn't come by me for the first five minutes but he was sure I was a friend.

One of the greatest benefits to the breed is that they don't shed. Being a small dog he is easy to care for. He isn't a large expense at the super market either. He loves to play catch and is very good at it for such a small dog.He can catch many of his favorite toys on the fly with a running jump. As empty nesters, he has help add a new dimension to our lives. I have always preferred small dogs to larger ones. They make the perfect lap dog. I really believe there is something to the fact that pets help relieve stress. How could you be stay angry when you look into the face of a Lhasa with their soulful big brown eyes.

Violet's relationship with him is very different from our first dog. With Yogi she cares for him like a little baby. She cleans his eyes and spends considerable time grooming him. There isn't anything she won't think of doing for him. There is no doubt that he is her dog. And for him, he knows she is the boss. I have to beg and plead with him to get him to go out, but she says it once and he is out the door.

Let me know what your schedule is this summer. It would to great to see you again. I'm still trying to get that second dog. If you'd like you can always use us as a reference.

Regards,
Roman C.

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Joyslyn's Lhasa Apsos Joyce and Lynn Johanson Phone: (309) 837-1665