Photo by Van Damme taken in 1913
Marquise 11, Snow King, Triton, Treser

Simba in traditional lion clip		Simba in pet clip

   About the Löwchen 

 

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Löwchen (German: "little lion") is a breed of dog that once had the dubious distinction, like the Portuguese Water Dog and the Havanese, of being the rarest dog in the world. Even today, the breed generally has fewer than a few hundred new registrations each year worldwide.

Description

Appearance

The Löwchen is bichon related breed, with a long, silky coat that is presented in a lion cut. This means that the haunches, back legs, front legs (except bracelets around the ankles), and the 1/3 of the tail closest to the body are shaved, and the rest of the coat is left natural to give the appearance of a lion-like form. A small dog, they are considered by some registries as toy dog, and have been long-time companions of royal courts.

The head of the Löwchen is one of the most important features, with its relatively short, wide muzzle, broad skull, lively round eyes, and pendulant ears. The head, when in proportion to the body, is neither too big nor too small, but helps to emphasize the friendly, regal, and leonine personality of the Löwchen.

The coat should not be thin and fluffy like a Bichon Frise, but wavy with a mix of thicker hairs amongst the fine ones. This allows for a flowing coat that is not frizzy or fly-away, and a Löwchen coat should neither be soft like a nor harsh like many terriers. They can come in all colours, including brown, that allow for dark eyes and nose.

Temperament

The Löwchen is a friendly, happy dog. Dogs of this breed are both active and playful, and very intelligent. The Löwchen makes a good pet for families with children and an excellent house pet.

History

Although this dog may be related to the Bichon Frise, the Löwchen's history remains obscure. The little 'lion dog' is seen in many art pieces featuring dogs as far back as the 16th century, but it is unclear whether these were all dogs like the Löwchen, or simply small dogs of the Bichon type that were trimmed in a lion cut.

Source

Description above from the Wikipedia article Löwchen, licensed under CC-BY-SA

  
Average lifespan
The average lifespan of a Löwchen is 12 to 15 years, although they have been known to live up to 18 years. 

Average height and weight
Being a toy breed, the maximum height should only be 33cm (13 inches) and maximum weight around 8 kg but this varies.

Compatibility with Other Pets
Very good.  Will accept other pets if introduced at an early age. 

Compatibility with Children
We find that the löwchen adores children but it is not advisable to introduce them to a home with very young children.  No dog should be left alone with young children, supervision is essential as young children can be very rough and any dog will always defend itself.

Care Requirements
The breed is long coated and requires regular grooming and clipping.  It is very relaxing to sit with a löwchen on the lap and comb through its coat nightly and the dog will enjoy the one on one attention also, although it is important to train your dog when young to stand on a table for grooming.  This makes it easier to handle the dog when grooming, bathing and drying it.

Feeding
Care has to be taken with the löwchen as they will eat everything put in front of them and will gain weight easily.  We feed raw food - chicken frames, chicken mince, with some additives, such as garlic to keep the fleas away and fish oil for a healthy coat.  To aid dental hygiene and for calcium for healthy bones we feed raw bones regularly.  Never feed a dog cooked bones.

Travelling with your Löwchen
The löwchen loves to be with you all the time, and that includes riding in the car.  For your pup's protection, it should never be left unrestrained in a moving car.  Either a soft crate (preferably), or a dog restraint (car harness) should be used at all times.  NEVER leave a dog unattended in a parked car.  The temperature in a closed car climbs very quickly, reaching a dangerous level before you realise it.  Dogs become dehydrated quickly and you can lose your dog within a very short time.  If you have to leave the dog in a car, make sure it is in a shady spot, leave the windows open a little and make sure the dog has water. 

It should be noted that there is a rare, recessive gene in the breed which can produce the Smooth Coated lowchen (Smootchen).  This manifests itself in shorter hair on the head and legs and a full coat on the body, although not as full as the longcoat.  A smoothcoat is not a crossbreed, merely the result of breeding two normal lowchen which both carry the gene.  The smootchen is just as playful and lovable and naughty as any lowchen and, for a companion dog for the home, has the added advantage of being easier to groom.

The löwchen is a robust and generally sound breed with few medical problems.  It is non shedding, therefore less likely to cause allergic reactions, making it a perfect all round pet for those looking for a house-mate.

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