Origin: Germany
Height: 12-14 inches at
the shoulder
Weight:
Ideal weight is about 15 pounds as an adult
Exercise Needs: Low
Grooming Needs: High
Life Expectancy: 15-17
years
Good With Kids: Yes
Trainability: Easy
Common Misspellings: Lowchen
Alternate Names:
A happy and bright little dog, the Lowchen
was a favorite pet of the ladies in
Pre-Renaissance Europe, where he was cut into a
fashionable style, resembling a small lion.
Today, he is still cut in the same fashion and
remains a favorite companion animal. Valued for
his intelligence and a personality that is both
friendly and outgoing, the Lowchen continues to
gain popularity in the United States and
throughout the world.
No one can say, for sure, where the Lowchen
breed originated. Some believe it was originally
a northern European creation, quite possibly
from Germany (and a relative of the Poodle),
though others argue that he stemmed from the
breeds of the Mediterranean and is a relative of
the Bichon Frise dog. Regardless of his origins,
however, it’s well known that this unique little
dog has been around for more than 400 years.
Considered the dog of royalty, they were often
destroyed in great numbers when invading forces
met and clashed.
During World War II, many breeds were
threatened. With many pets dying from
starvation, being killed in acts of kindness, or
being destroyed by the invading armies, the
Lowchen was nearly wiped out. Fortunately, in
1945, a woman by the name of Madame Bennert
began a search to find and preserve the few
remaining Lowchen dogs. All Lowchen in the
world, today, trace back to these wonderful dogs
that she rescued. The Lowchen became recognized
by the American Kennel club in January of 1999.
The Lowchen is a relatively small dog,
standing 12-14 inches tall at the shoulder and
possessing a very free-flowing and easy gait.
Their bodies are quite compact and balanced,
only slightly longer than they all tall. Sturdy
in frame, the Lowchen is surprisingly strong for
his small size and he has a very prominent head,
sporting large dark eyes that are more round
than almond-shaped.
The word Lowchen actually means “little lion,”
and describes this unique dog well; cut in the
classic lion style, the Lowchen sports a large
mane and furry front quarters, tufted feet and a
tufted tail, which the rest of the dog is
clipped close. Lowchen can be found in every
conceivable color and pattern in the dog world,
with no preference for one over the other.
Known as a very friendly and affectionate
little dog, the Lowchen is usually well-behaved
with people and animals alike. They were bred
strictly as lap dogs and pampered pets; jobs
which they take quite seriously, and seem to
believe that they exist simply to get treats and
goodies. While the Lowchen might sound an alarm
at a stranger entering the home, he’s quick to
make friends and offer to lend a helping hand
(scritching a dog behind the ears helps lower
your blood pressure, you know).
Bred simply as a lap dog, with the sole
purpose of being pampered to and petted, the
Lowchen is not known as an extremely active or
energetic dog. While he will benefit from a
couple of short walks each day, they do not
require heavy duty exercise and can get much of
what they need from playing fetch or a little
bit of tug-o-war in the living room. Dog parks
are a good avenue for exercising the Lowchen,
though care must be taken that they don’t run
into problems with larger breeds - while the
Lowchen may look like a sturdy and tough little
dog, he really is a softy.
While considered a hypoallergenic dog, the
Lowchen still requires a fair amount of brushing
and maintenance, in order to keep him looking
beautiful. Combing the Lowchen puppy should
begin at an early age and should be done a
couple of times each week, to ensure that your
Lowchen stays soft and relatively mat-free. Many
people also opt to keep their dog in the Lowchen
puppy clip, as opposed to the popular Lion’s
clip, due to the fact that it’s much easier to
take care of.
In addition to his coat, the Lowchen should also
have his ears checked regularly and toenails
clipped to a comfortable length. Lowchen can get
by with one to two baths, per month, unless the
individual does something to get them dirty.
Aside from that, the key word is simply “brush.”
Maintaining a Lowchen is relatively simple,
provided you use a routine and comb him on a
daily basis. Failing to do so can mean a bunch
of mats and a whole lot of headaches.
The Lowchen is an incredibly intelligent and
attentive little dog that loves to please.
Capable of learning obedience and various tricks
with ease, they excel in both obedience as well
as agility courses and are referred to as “one
of the best kept secrets,” in companion
eventing. Possessing a great sense of humor and
delighting in every chance he can get to make
his master happy, the Lowchen loves to please
and is a delight to watch.
As with most breeds of dog, the Lowchen should
be taught basic manners and obedience at a young
age and puppy kindergarten is a good opportunity
to start socializing him with other dogs and
people. The Lowchen also enjoys occasional
visits to the dark park and he’s more than happy
to welcome each and every person he passes when
he goes for his nightly walk.
Like any breed of dog, the Lowchen is subject
to a variety of health concerns. Your best bet
is, when deciding to choose a new Lowchen puppy,
check around with several breeders and ask about
the various health issues that can affect these
beautiful little dogs. A reputable breeder
should be well-versed in the health concerns and
should be able to give you more details, as well
as showing you the sire and dam of your
potential puppy. Some of the health problems
that can affect Lowchens include:
- Patellar luxation
- Cataracts
- Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA)
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The Lowchen is a very charming and
affectionate dog, though he is not the dog for
everyone. First and foremost, these dogs are
very much companion animals and they are prone
to a variety of behavioral problems when left
alone for long periods of time. Additionally,
they are not a very common breed, so tend to
have a heftier price tag than many of your more
popular breeds.
Also important to take into consideration is the
amount of grooming and upkeep that goes into
taking care of a dog like this; while they make
excellent family pets, it’s fairly exhausting to
take care of the kids, without having to think
about spending time to brush the beloved pet.
Before inviting any pet into your home, always
make sure to weigh out the pros and cons. Doing
so will make the experience much more enjoyable
for yourself and your Lowchen puppy as well.
There are a wealth of resources online that can help you learn
more about the Lowchen dog breed. We've compiled a list of Lowchen
information sites to assist you in quickly locating quality
information about the Lowchen dog breed, while avoiding the
"garbage" sites that are nothing more than poor attempts to
capitalize on the popularity of dog breeds in general. If you know
of a Lowchen information site that offers unique, quality
information and photos of the Lowchen breed, please contact us with
the URL and a brief description so that our editors can consider it
for inclusion in our list below.
Lowchens are a very photogenic dog breed. By looking at Lowchen
pictures, you can usually gain more insight into what these dogs and
puppies are like as a breed, and this can help you decide if you
really want to become a Lowchen owner. The following sites below
offer pictures of Lowchen dogs, Lowchen puppy photos, funny Lowchen
photos and more. Enjoy!
Now that you have decided that the Lowchen is the right breed for
you, it's time to start the process of finding a responsible Lowchen
breeder from which to buy a healthy, well-socialized puppy. Not all
breeders are alike; there are good breeders - and bad breeders.
Don't be in a hurry to buy the first Lowchen puppy you find at the
cheapest price available! To buy a puppy from a responsible Lowchen
breeder, you may need to pay more and wait longer. The additional
money and waiting time will be well worth it. Buy a puppy in haste
from a newspaper ad, pet store or "backyard breeder", and you'll
likely also purchase a great deal of additional expense and
heartache, since you will likely end up falling in love with a puppy
with health and behavioral problems that will likely need special
care, plenty of veterinary visits, regular medication - or even
euthanasia. But do your homework and find a responsible, caring
Lowchen breeder who home-raises their puppies with love, screens
their breeding dogs for health problems, offers a health guarantee
and post sale support, and who genuinely loves the Lowchen breed and
is in it for the love of the breed, rather than profit, and you can
be fairly well assured of getting a healthy, happy, long lived and
affectionate family companion that will provide you and your family
with many years of joy, laughter and companionship.
Further information about choosing a responsible breeder...
Here are a few breeder directory sites that we recommend. These
sites attempt to screen advertisers to ensure that the breeders
listed are responsible and sell healthy, home-raised Lowchen puppies
to carefully screened buyers. There are many, many sites now online
that advertise dog breeders - many are a Mecca for puppy mills and
backyard breeders. We recommend that you steer clear of these
resources in favor of sites that are more selective in the breeders
whom they allow to advertise.
We Highly Recommend:
Lowchen clubs and rescues web sites can help you learn even more
about the Lowchen dog breed, help you locate a responsible Lowchen
breeder, or help you find a Lowchen dog or puppy in need of a second
chance for a loving, forever home. We've compiled the following list
of Lowchen clubs and Lowchen rescues web sites for your convenience:
Choosing a name for your Lowchen puppy can be a daunting task!
There are so many names to choose from that it can take a lot of
thought and research to find just the right name for your Lowchen.
Usually, it's best to get to know your puppy for a few days or
weeks. Often your puppy's personality will help you decide on just
the right name to choose. Does he have a sense of humor? A serious
side? A goofy way of cocking his head to one side? A strange love of
cantaloupe? By observing your new Lowchen puppy over the first days
or weeks, you should at least have a clue about what type of name
you want to give. There are a ton of dog names and pet names web
sites on the internet. Some are wonderful information resources,
while others, unfortunately, are just "garbage" sites set up with
the sole purpose of cashing in on visitor hits for this popular
subject.
We recommend the following sites to assist you in choosing a name
for your new Lowchen puppy. These sites offer inventive, unique,
original and creative pet names suggestions that have helped
thousands of new puppy owners in selecting just the right name for
their new baby!
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