Mary Allen
The Hovawart would like to be kept busy, preferably every day, otherwise, it can easily happen that he looks for his “tasks” himself. Find out everything about the behavior, character, activity and exercise needs, training, and care of the Hovawart dog breed in the profile.
The Hovawart is a very old German working dog breed and was originally used to guard farms. The breed has been selectively bred since 1922 and has experienced a renaissance. The forefathers of today’s Hovawarts came from farms and were crossed with German Shepherds, Newfoundlands, Leonbergers, and other dog breeds to enhance desired performance and personality traits.
General Appearance
The Hovawart is a powerful, medium-sized, long-haired dog. The Hovawart comes in three colors: blond, black marks, and black. The sex of the Hovawarts is clearly recognizable: males and females differ primarily in the shape of their head and body, the females are significantly smaller and more delicate, the head is narrower.
Behavior and temperament
Hovawart means “the guardian”. And the name says it all: This breed is characterized by great independence and an even greater self-confidence towards dogs and people. He is not aggressive, but a balanced guy who would never snap lightly and mostly relies on his appearance to impress the opponent enough. Most of the time this is true. He is absolutely friendly and very playful towards his caregivers, he is a reliable and loyal companion all around. Only unconditional obedience, similar to the German shepherd, will hardly be found in the Hovawart.
Need for employment and physical activity
The Hovawart is the perfect companion for sporty people. Hiking, jogging, cycling, horseback riding – this dog is enthusiastic about everything. Of course, he can also be trained and used as a tracking, rescue, or protection dog. Standing still is not his thing. His urge to move is cultivated, after all, he had to be on the move all day when herding sheep. Running for hours is still in his blood today. Because he is so active, he should not be kept in an apartment, but at least in a house with a garden, so that he can also pursue his urge to move independently.
Upbringing
The Hovawart would like to be kept busy, preferably every day, otherwise, it can easily happen that he looks for his “tasks” himself. Hovawarts also need an owner who radiates calm and competence and is able to assert themselves without violence. Hovawarts with a lack of, careless or wrong training tend – like many other dog breeds – to dominate. The Hovawart is simply too intelligent to be satisfied with a minimum of activity. He’ll learn quickly, but he doesn’t want to stop just because he’s learned the lessons that are important to you.
Maintenance
The Hovawart is a low-maintenance dog. Daily brushing is only necessary during the change of coat.
Disease Susceptibility / Common Diseases
Hip dysplasia used to be a problem for this breed but has since been pushed back to a few percent through decades of selection for HD-free animals. To be on the safe side, you should ask the breeder about this topic and have the health of the animals certified.
Did you know?
Although Hovawart has a strong protective instinct, he sometimes fails at Schutzhund tests because he doesn’t show enough “bite”. Here the dog should hold its victim for at least 15 seconds, but the Hovawart prefers to snap several times in a row. At least that’s what some examiners claim. Hovawart owners refer to the “hold inhibition” as a bad rumor.