This dog breed is pronounced Lerv-chun – it means Little Lion Dog. This dog breed shares its ancestry with an assortment of other members of the Bichon family, for example, the Bichon Frise and the Havanese.

The direct origin of the Lowchen is still unknown, even though many nations have all claimed to have discovered the breed for example, France, Russia, and even Germany. One thing that we do know is that dogs that look like the Lowchen, with its obvious lion trim, were discovered in German artwork from the 16^th century.

By tradition, the lion trim look came with the coat cut abruptly from the dog's last rib following down to the hock joint, including the hindquarters. The dog’s front legs are shaved from the elbow to a little bit on top of the dog's pastern. His feet are also clipped and just about one half of the tail is shaved.

In addition, the Lowchen dog breed nearly disappeared during the 1960s when its numbers had dropped down to nearly nothing. Luckily, through the help of two dog lovers, the Lowchen was revived when this group of breeders shipped a handful of related dogs from Germany to Great Britain. These dogs were in such small numbers that they had to be interbred widely which helped form the base for modern day’s Lowchen breed in both Great Britain and in the America.

The endurance of the Lowchen dogs proved to be thriving and the breed was entered into the AKC's miscellaneous class in 1996. Then in the year 1999 the Lowchen was officially became member of the non-sporting group.

Personality

The Lowchen is the ideal pet dog for a calm family that likes having a lovable and exuberant small dog in the home. With their liveliness and friendly demeanor towards humans and other animals, this pet is a lot of fund and always willing to please its owner. Best of all it is easily trainable. Additionally, the Lowchen makes a great watchdog, comparable to most small dog breeds.

Taking Care of Your Lowchen

Because of this dog’s size, the Lowchen can have its exercise necessities taken care of by a short stroll or brief play sessions on a day-to-day basis. These dogs simply crave mental stimulation and fun games. However, Lowchens aren’t meant to live on the outside but it does love having the freedom to wander around in a fenced yard if all possible. Grooming does require a little work, with a thorough brushing every other day. To keep its traditional lion trim, Lowchen dogs will need clipping every couple of months.

Health Information

Being that there are several of dog breeds known around the globe, only a very small amount of dogs do not have health problems to be concerned about. Being that they are blessed with no major health problems the only small issue is common with all small pet dogs and that is patellar luxation. Other than that, the Lowchen normally lives a long and healthy life for around sixteen years.