I-Lhasa Apso luhlobo lwamandulo lwenja eyaye yafuywa eTibet ukusuka kwi-Tibetan Terrier kunye nezinja ezifanayo zaseTibet. Ukufika kweTibetan Buddhism ngenkulungwane yesi-7 AD kwenza iLhasa Apso ibe lolona didi lubalaseleyo. Kuthiwa uBuddha wayenamandla phezu kweengonyama, kwaye i-Lhasa Apso eneenwele ezinde, iinwele entloko, kunye nombala wengonyama kuthiwa "inja yengonyama".
I-Dalai Lamas ayizange igcine i-Lhasa Apso njengezilwanyana ezifuywayo kodwa iphinde isebenzise njengezipho kwiindwendwe ezihloniphekileyo. I-Lhasa Apso, eyathunyelwa e-China, yayisetyenziselwa ukuzalanisa i-Shih Tzu kunye ne-Pekingese. I-Lhasa Apso ayizange isebenze nje njengesilwanyana sasekhaya kunye neqabane kodwa kunye nenja yokulinda ngenxa yokuqapha kunye nokukhonkotha kabuhlungu.