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Breed Characteristics
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Hovawart
| Nicknames | Hovie |
| Country of Origin | Germany |
| Weight | 55 - 90 lbs. (25 - 51 kg) |
| Height (at withers) | 23 - 28 in. (58 - 70 cm) |
| Coat | The long-haired, dense coat is slightly wavy, lying flat. There are longer hairs on the chest, belly, back of the legs, and the underside of the tail. |
| Colour | Coat colours come in black and gold, black or blond. |
| Litter Size | 4 - 8 puppies, average 6 puppies. |
| Life Span | 12 - 15 years |
| Origin & History | Thirteenth century: One of the first documented recordings comes from the year 1210 when the German castle Ordensritterburg was besieged by Slavic invaders. The castle fell and its inhabitants including the Lord were slaughtered, however the Lord's infant son was saved by one of the castle's Hovawarts. In spite of being wounded itself, the dog dragged the tiny child to a neighbouring castle and thus saved the boy's life. This young boy, Eike von Repkow, grew up to become a legendary figure in the history of German law. He later published the Sachsenspiegel, the oldest Code of Law to survive from medieval Germany. Not surprisingly, the Hovawart is mentioned with praise. The Schwabenspiegel, a law text published in 1274 and based on Eike von Repkow's Sachsenspiegel, lists the Hovawart among the dogs you have to replace and pay restitution for if they are killed or stolen. Fifteenth century: By 1473, Heinrich Mynsinger described the Hovawart as one of "The Five Noble Breeds" and among its uses listed that it was useful for tracking the robber and miscreant. This along with references to the Hovawart in German law show that it was a readily identifiable breed and held in similar esteem to that of hunting dogs. Twentieth century; Following the medieval period, the popularity of the Hovawart began to decline. Newer breeds such as the German Shepherd Dog slowly replaced the Hovawart as a guard and working dog until it had almost disappeared by the beginning of the twentieth century. Around 1915 a group of enthusiasts decided to try to save the breed. Predominant in this group was the zoologist Kurt Friedrich König. They started by looking for dogs in the farms of the Black Forest region. König then started a careful breeding program using these dogs and crossed them with Kuvaszok, Newfoundlands, German Shepherd Dogs, Leonbergers, a Bernese Mountain Dog and an African Hunting Dog. After much work the group was rewarded in 1922 when the first Hovawart litter was entered into the German Breeding Registry. The enthusiasts continued their work and in 1937 the German Kennel Club officially recognised the Hovawart. All this work was almost undone with the outbreak of the Second World War. Because of their abilities many Hovawarts were used in the German war effort and perished. By 1945 only a few remained. Enthusiasm for the breed remained and in 1947, Otto Schramm and some fellow enthusiasts in Coburg formed a new club, the "Rassezuchtverein für Hovawart-Hunde Coburg" which is still in existence today. In 1964 the German Kennel Club recognised the Hovawart as the country's seventh working breed and around this time enthusiasm for the breed started to develop in other countries. |
| Personality | The Hovawart has a strong, deep-throated bark. This breed will be calm inside the house provided it receives enough daily exercise. It is determined, obedient and affectionate, especially toward its master. Loyal to the family. Excellent with children when well-socialized, well exercised and see humans as alpha. They are highly devoted and have a strong sense of territory and will not generally wander far away. Remaining playful and puppy-like in its old age, the Hovawart is reserved with strangers but is a pleasant family dog. Good natured and even-tempered. This brave dog is protective, alert and a good watchdog. It will protect your property against intruders with great passion. When its handler indicates that visitors are welcome, it will accept them immediately. The Hovawart has a good scenting nose. It is intelligent and can be trained to a high degree, learning quickly what you expect of it. The best results are achieved with extremely consistent, loving and well-balanced training. Unneutered males can be very challenging to handle. The Hovawart is a dominant breed, that requires a firm, experienced owner. If owners are not there to communicate their leadership the Hovawart may be aggressive with other dogs but it does well with non-canine pets in the household if well socialized. If owners do not treat their Hovawarts in such a way that their canine instincts are fulfilled with the proper leadership and release of physical and mental energy, it can cause them to start fear biting, or be rather timid. Hovawarts are ideally suited for tracking, avalanche rescue, as watchdogs and for defense situations. |
Care Requirements
| Health | This is a very healthy breed. However, an underactive thyroid is widespread in European lines. Hip dysplasia sometimes occurs. |
| Grooming | The Hovawart's coat is easy to groom. An occasional brushing and combing, taking extra care in the places where tangles might form, is all this breed needs. It is an average shedder. |
| Exercise | The Hovawart needs to be taken on a daily walk, jog or run. While out on the walk make sure the dog heels beside or behind the person holding the lead, never in front, as instinct tells a dog the leader leads the way, and that leader needs to be the human. Regular long walks, hikes, and chances to run and play off the lead will be greatly enjoyed and will keep them healthy. Run easily over difficult terrain. |
| Other Considerations | Hovawarts are not recommended for apartment life. They are moderately active indoors and will do best with at least an average-sized yard. They prefer cool climates and can sleep outdoors. They are outstanding watchdogs, especially for stables, fields and country houses. The Hovawart does exceptionally well in search and rescue, tracking and working dog activities. The females are generally lighter in build. In training and especially obedience work the trainer must keep positive reinforcement in mind all the time, as this mountain dog is not as eager to please as many other working dog breeds: it always needs some kind of motivation. It is important to realize that the Hovawart works with people and not for people. They do have the ability to think and act independently. Their guarding instinct for example does not require any real training; it is inherent, as it is what they were bred for. The Hovawart may easily become reluctant if training is built only on punishments. The owner of a Hovawart should ideally have previous experience in owning and training a dog and as such the Hovawart is not usually suitable as a first dog. |
