Hovawart

Breed Rating

Breed Details

General

The Hovawart is an ancient German working dog breed that has been documented in the arts and paintings of the Middle Ages. The word HovaWart is made up of two words, HOVA which means = Hof= yard or farm and WART which stands for W�chter (= watchman). So the word Hovawart means "an estate or farm guard", and this is the role the Hovawart dog breed is so successfully playing for hundreds of years. This breed holds a distinguished place in the German history for saving Eike von Repkow, who later became a legendary figure in German law, from Slovak attackers.

This breed was almost instinct by 20th century due to decline in popularity after some new working and guarding breeds like the German Shepherds, replaced this dog. In 1915, efforts for its revival went underway. Similar type dogs from Black Forest region (where from the original breed originated) were used for renewing this old breed and bloodlines from the Newfoundland, the Leonberger, the Hungarian Kuvasz and possibly German Shepherd and African Hunting dogs were used. Strict breeding rules and regulations made revival of this breed possible.

This medium to large dog stands between 23-29 inches and weighs between 55-90 lbs. Its slightly longer than tall body comes with a strong head and broad and rounded skull. Muzzle is slightly tapering with a straight nose bridge. Black nose is well developed with open nostrils. Medium size oval shaped eyes are dark to medium brown in colour. Moderate size ears are set high and wide on the head and hang loosely down the cheek. Medium length neck is strong without any dewlaps. The body is rectangular in shape with a straight and firm back, strong loin and deep, broad and strong chest. Long bushy tail reaches below the hocks but does not touch the ground. It is carried low or high depending whether dog is at rest or excited. The skin is tight all over the body with a bluish sheen in black, black and gold dogs and pink sheen is visible in blonde dogs. The dog has a double coat with a strong and long, slightly wavy and close fitting outer coat and only a little undercoat.

This breed is NOT recognized by AKC however it is recognized by FCI, UKC, CKC.

Color

This breed comes in three colour varieties; Black/Gold, Black, Blonde. The Black/Gold dogs have black shiny coat with blonde markings on muzzle, forehead, chest, fore and hindlegs and belly. Single small white spots on the chest are accepted. The Black dog has black shiny coat. Small white spots are accepted on chest, toes and tip of tail. The Blonde dog has blonde shiny coat that lightens towards legs and belly. Small white spots on chest, legs and tail are accepted.

Coat

The Hovawart dog has a long and slightly wavy and close fitting outer coat and a little undercoat. The coat is longer on chest, belly, legs and underside of the tail.

Personality

The Hovawart is a versatile and multiutility dog. Its affectionate and loyal nature as well as moderate temperament makes it an excellent family pet. With its keen sense of smell, this breed is also very useable in tracking and search and rescue operation. The dog is territorial and wary of strangers; qualities of a very good and alert watch and guard dog with its deep throated loud bark. This loyal dog will fight till the end to protect its family and belongings. This balanced and outstanding breed is loved for its multilateral nature. It is calm and even tempered in the house. This is a very playful dog even at an old age. The dog is obedient, intelligent and submissive to its family, specially its master. This breed is a fast learner and highly trainable. This dog gets along well with other dogs and non-canine pets with proper training and socialization otherwise, this dominant breed may not tolerate other dogs near it. A well trained and socialized Hovawart dog makes an excellent family pet and working dog.

Care

Moderate grooming is required for this dog. Brushing the coat thoroughly once or twice a week should keep the coat clean. Ears should be checked regularly for infection.

Training

An intelligent breed, the Hovawart is a highly trainable dog but with a dominant nature. It needs a true alpha leader as its pack leader to respond to him. The owner should display proper leadership skills towards this dog and training should be consistent, firm yet gentle.

Activity

As a working dog, the Hovawart loves exercising. The dog will need daily walks along with ample playing time to satisfy its exercise demands. This dog may not be suitable for apartment life as it is moderately active indoors and loves to be outdoors to fulfill its exercising needs. It will best suit in a house with a large yard.