Löwchen Breed description: Character & Co

About

The Löwchen finds its origin as a traditional companion and lap dog that belongs to the Bichon family. Today's dog breed stems mainly from Belgium and France (Petit chien Lion), but its roots can be traced back to ancient times. Bichons were popular companion dogs for ladies of the upper class. This loyal companion appears in many paintings as well as in textual descriptions by Aristotle. Genetically, the little lion is closely connected to the dog breeds Bolognese, Havanese and Maltese. As sweet lapdogs of the fine ladies from bygone times, the four-legged creatures traveled the world. Even if evil tongues now and then speak of a kind of misbreeding, these animals have a great purpose. According to several studies dogs can have an enormously positive effect on our mental state.

What are the breed characteristics of the Löwchen?

The Löwchen is a rather small dog with soft fur. The withers height is about 20 to 35 cm and the average weight is six kilograms. The animal has a particularly robust bone structure and a rather short, yet well proportioned body. It carries its head high. Even though their hair is mostly wavy and long, it is not curly. Little Lion Dogs can have a wide variety of coat colours - except brown. They belong to the FCI group 9.

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Alternate Name	Little Lion Dog
Origin	France
Life expectancy	12 - 14 years
Care requirements	low-maintenance

Activity level	low
FCI group	Bichons and related breeds
AKC group	non-sporting group
KC group	Toy Group

Characteristics

What are typical characteristics of Löwchen?

Yes, you can certainly argue about the effort that shearing and hairdressing comes with, but they have an impressive character. Löwchen always have a cheerful and friendly disposition. They are hardly ever resentful or angry and if they are, it is because of their slightly pronounced arrogance. They are equally suitable for younger or older people. Overall, Leos can be described as smart, lively, affectionate and loyal. They are also skilled in other respects: They can be taught some tricks quite quickly and simply. They also has no tendency to get overexcited or to become overactive. Their playful instinct and curiosity also makes them popular as a family dog.

How do you train a Little Lion Dog?

As already mentioned, the breed is very easy to train. But for that you have to provide them with a consistent leadership. Their learning capacity and enormously high quality makes it just too necessary that you deal with them in a consistent manner. Starting training at puppy age is therefore recommended. This proofs to be especially difficult with this dog breed. We love to be enchanted by the cute little lion puppies and pamper them. By the way, Löwchen can also be trained by inexperienced dog owners, i.e. beginners, without any problems.

How to keep Löwchen?

Little Lions can also be kept in city apartments. It is important that you make sure to regularly coat care and keep the animal occupied. This is something they will get used to as a puppy. Lions get along with children without any problems and are not considered to be yappy dogs.

Character

active
family-friendly
friendly
happy
intelligent
playful

Usage

Companion Dog
Family Dog

Breeding

What are typical diseases of the Löwchen?

They are among the healthiest breed of dogs, where only few diseases are known. Their particularly voluminous coat can lead to skin irritations. The tear ducts are also slightly damaged, which may cause too much fluid to be produced in their eyes. This should be taken into account beforehand. Very rarely PL, a loose kneecap, can also occur.

What should be considered in regards to Löwchen breeding?

Before you decide on buying a Leo, you should consider the following:

Breeder with VDH connection
Properly documented litter
About 1000 Euros at a reputable breeder

Looks and coat of the lion

Löwchen have a rather long coat, which is particularly soft and fine. A typical feature of the breed is its sweet mane. No wonder that he has always been popular among modern and fashion-conscious ladies. The coat colours can vary according to breeding. Dark black tones in combination with white fur are particularly popular. Brown is the only colour that does not occur.

How big does a Little Lion Dog get?

The dog breed belongs to the group of small companion dogs. With a withers height of 20 to 35 centimetres, it can curl up on your lap even on the smallest of sofas.

How much does a Little Lion weigh?

Of course, the weight also dependents on the crossbreeding, genetic disposition and nutrition as well as the amount of exercise the animal does. Generally, the dog breed weighs around four to eight kilograms. However, thanks to their lively nature, lions can easily lose weight again.

What is the average age of a Löwchen?

Löwchen reach an average age of about 15 years. Of course, this also depends on the state of health, keeping, breeding, nutrition, exercise and many other factors. One thing is for sure: it will be a loyal companion to you for about 15 years.

Fur length	long
Fur	flat coated
Ear shape	Floppy Ear
Tail	fanned out
Anatomy	-

Size ♀	30 - 33 cm
Weight ♀	4 - 7 kg
Size ♂	33 - 36 cm
Weight ♂	5 - 9 kg
Suitable For	Children, Seniors

Colors

We have 2 more pictures of Löwchen

Known Diseases

Eye diseases

Often occur with allergies and intolerances.
damaged tear ducts

Small dog breeds with shortened muzzles often suffer from tear ducts that are blocked or damaged.