This description is critical for maintaining breed type. The Lowchen is sometimes a surprise when you get your hands on them. Under the fluffy ‘do’, they are well built and muscular but never coarse, overdone or exaggerated. A balanced little dog, it should appear almost square. They are bright and alert, and active loving to participate in all activities as a good companion should! The most obvious defining feature of the breed is the lion clip in which we show the Lowchen. Although our standard does not specify the details of the clip, it is important to state that the head and body coat is left natural; that is, there is no trimming or sculpting of the coat. The coat is clipped off of the feet, forelegs, and the rear from the last rib back and halfway up the tail. The trim leaves a plume on the tail and bracelets on all four legs.
Other than the distinctive hair cut, the notion of moderation guides us in all things in understanding the breed. Nothing is exaggerated. It is an assemblage of its well-balanced parts. The Lowchen type is defined by its ‘head and butt’ - correct type is immediately recognized when you see a broad head with large round dark eyes holding a ‘soft’ expression, carried on a proud neck that flows into a level top line finished with a gaily carried tail! A saucy rounded bare butt showing off well developed muscles says Lowchen!
Lowchen History
The Lowchen origin is obscure. However, it is acknowledged that they are of European descent and the ‘country of origin’ is listed as France. The Lowchen is thought to have Mediterranean beginnings. It has traditionally been included in the Bichon family of dogs as ‘Bichon’ translates from French as "Lap dog with long silky hair". By this definition, the Lowchen was grouped with other small breeds such as the Bichon Frise, Bichon Maltese, Bichon Havanese and Bichon Bolognese. We know the breed had strong roots in central Europe for many centuries. The Lowchen is featured in tapestries from France, woodcuts from Germany, and paintings from Belgium that help place the breed throughout Europe from the 14th century. The Lowchen has always been a relatively rare breed throughout its history but by the mid-twentieth century, it was nearly extinct.
In 1945, Madame Bennert of Brussels realized that there were no longer any active Lowchen breeders. In an effort to save the breed, she searched the Belgium registry to find people who had been involved with the Lowchen in the early part of the century. Over the next three years, she managed to locate three Lowchen - two females and a male that met her standards. In 1957, she was able to locate a third female Lowchen to add to her small dog kennel. Over the next twenty years, she devoted herself to the task of rebuilding the breed from this foundation of four Lowchen. Her friend, Dr. Hans Rickert of Germany, carried on her work, carefully breeding and promoting the Lowchen after her death.
All of the modern day Lowchen can trace their roots back to the dogs bred by Dr. Rickert. His ‘Von den Drei’ Lowchen were exported to many other European countries and to England where new kennels were founded. A few dedicated English breeders became an integral part of the history of the breed through the exporting of their quality stock to kennels worldwide. This happened within five years of first importing the Lowchen to the UK. In 1969, the Guinness Book of Records listed the Lowchen as the rarest breed of dog in the world with only 40 in existence.
Canada imported British bred Lowchen as their foundation stock in the 1970’s. The first Lowchen imported into Canada was in 1975 by Mr. J.R. Russel but the establishment of the breed in Canada is credited to Mrs. Gwen Appell. Between 1977 and 1983, Mrs. Gwen Appell imported three English Lowchen, a female and two males. In the mid 1980’s, Mrs. Kim Schmidt acquired two Lowchen females from Mrs. Appell’s newly founded Canadian stock. Mrs. Schmidt then brought in four more English imports (two males plus two females in whelp) to augment the gene pool and thus firmly fixed the foundation of the Lowchen in Canada. It was from Mrs. Schmidt that the majority of early Canadian Lowchen breeders obtained their dogs in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s. While these early beginnings were happening in western Canada, Mrs. Ardis Shurtleff of Ontario imported a female Lowchen in 1991 from the U.S.A. These early imported dogs and the new Canadian bred Lowchen created a foundation that was sufficient to seek recognition of the Breed by the Canadian Kennel Club."
The Canadian Kennel Club recognized the Lowchen in 1994 and in January 1, 1995 the Lowchen officially entered the Canadian show rings. Also in 1995, the Lowchen Club of Canada (L.C.C.) was founded and recognized by the C.K.C. The Club works diligently in promoting the breed by holding Sanction Matches, Boosters, National Specialties and Breed seminars. Our Club newsletter, "The Lion’s Roar", is published four times a year and contains a wealth of information for Lowchen fanciers.
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