Dog Breed Guide

Lowchen

Profile

Size

Small

Country of origin

France

Origin

Before the 16th century

Bred for

Companion

Height

26 - 32cm (10 - 13in)

Weight

4 - 8kg (9 - 18lb)

Life span

12 - 14 years

The Löwchen's most striking feature is its long, soft, wavy coat clipped to look like a lion. In this cut, called the lion clip, the back half of the body is shaved short, leaving tufts only at the ankles and the tip of the tail, and the breed's name means "little lion" in German. It comes in many colors, and every color is accepted.

Bright, cheerful and affectionate, it adores its family. Small but brave, it barks readily at strangers and noises. It is smart and takes to training well.

It sheds little, but the long coat tangles easily, so it needs frequent brushing and regular grooming. It gets lonely if left alone for long periods.

Good to know

Its unique lion-like clip appears again and again in paintings of Renaissance Europe. Amiens Cathedral in France, built in the 13th century, has a stone carving that looks just like this dog, suggesting it has been a favorite of noblewomen for hundreds of years.

In the 20th century, however, its numbers dropped dramatically. In 1973 only 65 were registered in the entire world, and it was even called "the rarest dog in the world."

From there, fanciers in Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands and elsewhere joined forces to breed it, and its numbers slowly recovered. Even so, it is still a rare breed today. The origin of the clip is unclear; some say it was meant to keep the dog warm in winter and cool in summer, while others say it was meant to show off a lion's courage.