Lowchen

Dogs of Lowchen type, small bichon-like companions with a lion trim, are documented across southern and central Europe from at least the sixteenth century. They appear in German, Spanish and French art of the period, including works by Goya and in Renaissance tapestry, which makes the breed's early history one of pictures rather than pedigrees. France is generally regarded as the breed's home, and the Fédération Cynologique Internationale recognises it under the French name Petit Chien Lion.

The modern breed rests on a nineteenth and early twentieth century revival by a handful of enthusiasts in Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands. The German breeder Madelaine Bennert is credited with gathering the surviving dogs between the wars, and after 1945 the veterinarian Hans Rickert continued the work from his kennel, from which most present-day Lowchen descend.

Numbers stayed alarmingly low for decades and the breed was at one point widely described as among the rarest in the world. It reached Britain in 1968 and was recognised by The Kennel Club in 1971, arriving in the United States around the same time; the American Kennel Club granted full recognition in the Non-Sporting Group in 1999. The Lowchen remains uncommon, and The Kennel Club lists it among its vulnerable native and rare breeds in Britain.

This is a small, compact, well-balanced dog, slightly longer than tall, standing about 11 to 14 inches at the shoulder and weighing roughly 10 to 18 pounds. The build should be strong and square-ish rather than fine-boned or fragile, with a short, broad muzzle, a proud head carriage and large, round, dark eyes with an alert and friendly expression.

The coat is moderately long, soft and slightly wavy, without an undercoat, and it grows continuously rather than shedding in the usual way, which is why the breed is often recommended for people who react to dog hair. The traditional presentation is the lion clip: the coat is clipped from the last rib back, along with parts of the legs and the base of the tail, leaving a full mane, a plume at the tail tip and cuffs above the feet. Pet owners frequently keep the dog in a shorter all-over trim instead.

All colours and combinations are permitted by the breed standards, and the breed is genuinely varied: white, cream, black, chocolate, silver, red-gold, sable and parti-colours all occur, and many puppies change shade considerably as they mature.

Lowchen are lively, outgoing and remarkably confident for their size. They tend to greet visitors cheerfully, get on well with other dogs, and adapt easily to new places, which makes them good travellers and easy dogs to take into town.

They are strongly companion-oriented and were bred for nothing else. A Lowchen wants to be with its household, will follow you between rooms, and is not suited to long days alone; separation-related barking and anxiety are the usual result of leaving one for hours on end.

The breed keeps a puppyish playfulness well into adulthood and enjoys games, tricks and inventive mischief. Most are sensible and affectionate with children who have been shown how to handle a small dog, though as with any breed of this size, very young children need supervision.

They are alert and will bark to announce arrivals, so they make decent little watchdogs, but the barking can become habitual if it is rewarded with attention. Because the breed is intelligent and sensitive, it responds much better to encouragement than to reprimand.

The Lowchen has never had a working job. It was bred as a companion for households that could afford one, and the historical evidence, from paintings to the lion trim itself, points to a life spent as a lap dog and a status symbol rather than a hunter or a guard. That single-purpose history is precisely why the breed is so good at what it does.

In modern life the breed's brain and agility get an outlet in dog sports, and Lowchen do surprisingly well in agility, obedience, rally and trick training. Their size, portability and steady temperament also make them candidates for therapy visiting, and they are a practical choice for apartment living for owners who can meet the grooming and companionship requirements.