Last Updated on May 30, 2023 by Pets Feed
The Hovawart is an incredibly charming and intelligent dog that became famous for its use as a watchdog. Despite its good-natured appearance, this breed was one of the most famous guard dogs in Germany in the 13th century. According to the breed standard, the Hovawart has three colors. However, after a good walk in rainy weather, they will all be the same color.
Representatives of this species are distinguished by a stable psyche, poise, endurance and endless devotion. From birth, such a dog has a highly developed instinct of a defender, guard, watchdog.
| Breed name | Hovawart |
| Country of origin | Germany |
| Weight | 30-40 kg |
| Height (at the withers) | 63-70 cm |
| Life expectancy | 12 – 14 years |
| Size | Big |
Hovawart photos
Breed standard
The Hovawart is a large, powerful dog with medium to long hair. The length of its body is slightly greater than the height. The males have a fairly developed musculature, and the females are more elegant.
The height of adult males is 63-70 cm, weight – 30-40 kg, and females – 58-65 cm and 25-35 kg, respectively.
Distinctive features
- Head: The head is large with a broad forehead. The length of the skull and the muzzle are equal.
- Jaws: The teeth are powerful and strong. Morusre “scissors”.
- Ears: The ears are triangular in shape, planted in an arrow. Hang freely, reaching the corners of the lips. When alert, they turn forward.
- Eyes: The eyes are almond shaped, small in size. The color of the iris varies from pale brown to dark brown.
- Body: The body is slightly elongated. The neck is not long. The back is strong and flat. The kidney is developed and strong. The croup is slightly sloping, not long. The chest is broad, powerful and deep.
- Limbs: The legs are athletic, straight. The legs are compact, rounded, strong with black claws.
- Coat: The coat is long, of medium hardness, slightly wavy. On the chest, belly, hind limbs and tail noticeably longer than on the rest of the body. The undercoat is light. The color is black, gold or black and tan.
Behavior and character
Hovawart is a very intelligent and devoted breed to its family and self-forgetful owner. These animals have a highly developed intellect, they are curious and able to draw their own conclusions, they have their own thinking. The dog can independently make a decision based on the situation and act accordingly.
However, in addition to fulfilling security functions, the Hovawart knows by default to protect its master and his property, and does it perfectly. It is important to remember that upbringing and training cannot be built on rudeness and punishment, as this breaks the animal’s psyche and drives it out of control. The breed is not recommended for new owners or people who are afraid of large dogs.
In relation to strangers, they behave with caution and vigilance, always based on the need to protect the owner, to monitor the attitude of the owner towards the person and vice versa.
With the children
Children are perceived very positively, they always defend them, take care of them and show great affection.
It is not recommended to leave puppies, young, untrained dogs alone with young children.
With other animals
These dogs behave a bit condescendingly, seeing themselves, by definition, as the bosses.
Health
Hovawart is distinguished by its resistance to disease and strong immune defenses of the body. No wonder he is included in the list of the healthiest and strongest breeds that exist on earth.
Despite the advantages listed above, health problems do occur in Hovawarts. The most common are listed below:
- Infections due to late vaccination and lack of treatment for skin parasites.
- Worms due to lack of deworming. In advanced cases, the dog may die.
- Injuries, dislocations.
- Allergic reactions to food or hygiene products.
Life expectancy
The average life span of the Hovawart dog is 12-14 years.
Basic care
Hovawart care is quite simple:
- Comb the hairs once every 2 days.
- The ears are examined once or twice a week.
- The eyes are checked once every 2 days.
- Nails are cut as they grow.
- The teeth are brushed once every 2 weeks.
- Bathe the dog once every 3 months.
Exercise
The hovawart is a large and energetic dog that needs two hours of exercise a day, or even more. He loves long walks, tracking and also gets excellent results in work tests and obedience.
Breed history
Hovawart’s homeland is Germany. The breed was officially recognized in 1932. This species took a very long time to reach this recognition, because the first information about the Hovawarts dates back to 1274.
At first, the breed was formed without human help. At the beginning of the twentieth century, German zoological professionals Kurt and Bertram Koenig took seriously the breeding of these animals. Father and son pursued the following goals during breeding work:
Mental balance, adequacy.
Strong health, strong immunity.
Improvement in appearance.
Excellent working qualities that have been steadfastly passed on from generation to generation.
High degree of socialization.
The breeding work was divided by the Koenig family into three stages:
- At the start of selection in 1915, the genetic nucleus of the Hovawart breed was created. For this, the strongest, hardiest dogs from the peasant settlements were used.
- Breeds participated in breeding work: Newfoundland, Leonberger, Kuvasz. In 1922 the first purebred Hovawart nursery was established.
- In 1937, the male Castor was born, who was rightfully called the model of the Hovawart breed standard. By this time, more than a hundred litters of purebred representatives of the species had already been registered.
It would seem that the formation of the Hovawart is completely completed and the population of the species is not threatened. But World War II changed everything. During the hostilities, the number of purebred Howawarts was practically reduced to zero.
The restoration of the breed was started only in 1949. Ten years later, the livestock was restored, the disappearance of the Hovawart was no longer threatened.
