Orlovia
The Lowchen belongs to the Bichon breed group, but its origin goes back so far that it can no longer be determined with certainty. The existence of this friendly and lively little dog is documented by paintings and drawings dating back to the 13th century, but there is some evidence that the breed is much older.
Characteristics
Even the oldest pictures show the Lowchen exactly as we know it today: an elegant small dog with a balanced, almost square physique and the typical lion clip.
Theories about his parentage are as diverse as those about the origin of his shearing. Some consider him to be a so-called “ladies” or “luxury dog”, whose shearing was primarily for hygiene purposes since it primarily served its noble owners as a hot-water bottle in bed.
The others suspect that it is a question of water dog shearing (as can still be seen today with the Portuguese water dog) and that the little dogs were probably trained to hunt ducks. Whatever the case, his great attachment on the one hand and the pronounced joy of playing and retrieving, on the other hand, make both theories appear quite credible.
The country of origin of the breed is no longer known, it was spread all over Europe. Today it is entered in the international standard register of French origin since the first studbook was probably kept in France.
Nature and Character of the Lion
Intelligent little family pet, always fun and friendly, very teachable and adaptable. It is suitable for families with children as well as for older people. It likes to go for walks, and runs next to a bicycle or even a horse, but can also get by with short walks (in the case of older people).
He likes to play with children but also likes to sit on his lap and cuddle. The Lowchen is extremely well-tolerated and sociable and gets along well with all the other members of the house. Most Löwchen learn little tricks easily and the Löwchen have also proven themselves in agility.
It is alert and vigilant, reporting every move without being an excessive barker. It is usually reserved towards strangers at first but by no means fearful or even snappy.
Properly kept and trained, the Lowchen is a real “dog for all occasions”. The Lowchen is long-lived (14 years on average) and resilient, breed-typical diseases are not known.