Hovawart Facts
| Character sketch |  |
| Good family dog ? | Yes. |
| Original function | Guardian of the property, watchdog and companion |
| Are they a natural guard dog ? | YES |
| Attitude to strangers | Good, but can be reserved towards strangers. They love people but they have a keen sense of discrimination and will warn off people if necessary. |
| Good with other dogs ? | Generally good but might need control. Can be dominant. |
| Good with cats ? | Good with own. Take care with others. |
| Town or Country ? | They require space. |
| Live in a kennel ? | They are not suited to kennel life. |
| Adapt to flat ? | Not recommended. |
| Ease of training | Learn quickly. Can get bored with training, so it must always be fun. |
| Special considerations | They require on-going training in order to keep mentally healthy. Loves to do things for and with you. |
| Average life span | 12 -14 years |
| Age at maturity | About 4 years for females, older for males. |
| Colours | Black; Blonde; Black & Gold. |
| Coat type | Moderately long. Soft, shining, with some undercoat. |
| Is professional grooming needed ? | No. Learn how to Groom Hovawarts |
| Coat maintenance, matting and tangling | Moderate. A quick brush daily keeps coat tangle free. Dead undercoat needs plucking or combing out at times of moulting. |
| Special trimm for showing ? | No, but some people trim excess hair on feet and ears. |
| Does the breed suffer in cold, heat or wet? | Do not like the heat. Loves the cold and wet. |
| Daily Exercise | A good couple of hours or more. Free running, play and training essential. |
| Height | Dogs 63 - 70 cm. Bitches 58 - 65 cm. |
| Weight | Should be proportionate to size of dog. Bitches can be as much as 35kg, males 40kg plus. |
| Adult Quantities of dry food | Between 350grm. and 500grm. of good all in one dry food daily, according to size of dog and exercise/work given. |
| Availability | Rare, becoming more popular. There are often waiting lists which vary in length throughout the year. |
| Place of origin | Germany |
| Group | FCI Group 2 Working |
More Hovawart questions ? go to Breed information for more complete and factual information about the Hovawart.
When visiting a person breeding Hovawarts make sure that :-
- the sire and dam of the litter are at least two years old, are healthy and have passed all the Hovawart breed related tests.
- the breeder volunteers proof and explains about the health and breed related testing of most immediate relatives.
- and expect to see the dam in a homely environment, not kept isolated or in a kennel.
- expect a UK Kennel Club Pedigree; in case of a foreign bred puppy a FCI Pedigree.
It's a fact - Hovawarts love their home comforts!
Only proceed with buying a hovawart puppy if you are satisfied with the integrity, honesty and reliability, expressed or implied, of the breeder.
