Judges Seminar from 1996

This seminar was created around 1996, if I remember right. We were using a different breed standard then. I will point out some of the changes as we go.

This bitch was Lionhearts Be-Bop-a-LuLa. She was an incredibly balanced bitch with lovely bone, type and attitude.

At the time the breed was known as Canis Leonis or Lion Dog, eventually known as Petit Chien Leon. Only after Madame Bennert rescued the breed did Löwchen become the common term it ws known by. Possibly due to Dr. Rickerts influence. All dogs today stem to dogs from his kennel, an consequently Madame Bennerts’ dogs.

It is extremely likely that the Toy Poodle and Löwchen are distantly related; in that the Toy Poodle may have descended out of the Lowchen in the early 1900’s. There was a time period where photos of Löwchen included dogs looking very much like Poodles. At the time of the Toy Poodle development, the Löwchen almost disappeared. The breed standards were also practically the same. I think the Lowchen were the foundation of the Toy Poodle which became incorporated into the Poodle family. Their coats became more curly like today’s Poodle coats.

This 1900’s dog and Ch. Pan Tau von Livland were practically identical twins. This is so indicative that the breed has not changed drastically in almost 100 years!

Kurt König was a second generation dog person. His father Phillip started the Kobalt kennel and research program. Rotenburg institute no longer exists and the records of the Konigs work is yet to be found. There is a video online about Dr. Konig and his famous Kobalt Mascots! Here is a link

Dog: German Ch. Hansel von Livland

Dog: LCA Ch. Manfred’s Noir Moustique

Today’s standard calls for a dog of 12-13″, rather than 12-14″. Dog: Australian Ch. Chismenes Hot Gossip

This is a dog from the Chismene Kennel of Australia.

Again today’s standard calls for 12-13″. Dog: LCA & AKC Ch. Ashford’s Ulana

Many new to this breed; judges, pet owners and breeders are invariably surprised when they pick these dogs up. They look lighter than they are! Dog: Littlecourt Gregi

Do not let anyone tell you this is a head breed. This is not a head breed. This cannot be stressed enough. The whole dog MUST be considered, and the head should not weight more than body, movement or temperament.

Know that Löwchen are not expected to have “halos” around their eyes. this is, in fact, extremely rare. You are more likely to encounter incomplete pigment than a halo. I have noticed, recently, an increase of dogs with the whites of their eyes showing more than normal. This is not pleasing and incorrect. You really should not see the whites of the dogs eyes. When you do either the eye shape is too large or the iris too small. The more white you find, the more incorrect the eyes are. These puppies are from the Kieselgrund kennel in Germany. Not the dog on the far left. It is lacking pigmentation, and appears to have eye that loom almond shaped rather than the round like it’s siblings.

The breed standard at the time this slide show was developed was the only breed standard that allowed for two head types. Yes! Two! It called for a muzzle equal to length in back skull or a muzzle lesser than back skull. I think the influence of Bearded Collie breeders who, at the time, were plentiful in the club may have ushered this distinct change in. Or, it was a matter of the standard being changed to suit what was being bred and found in the show ring. This deficiency was corrected in the subsequent standard.

You will find when judging this breed dogs that will surprise you when you go over the head. You can find dogs whose back skull rapidly falls away right after the ear. This shouldn’t happen. The back skull must be as long as the width of the skull. And there must be substance to the skull. We do not want apple heads or pin heads. It is crucial you feel through the coat to certain if the head is correct, all that coat can and will fool you! Photo Alice Bixler

The muzzle needs to be broad because of the size of the teeth. Löwchen teeth are bigger than you would expect! Dog: Ch. Hansel Von Livland

Dog: Ch. Marron Glacé of Littlecourt

On reflection, I realize I did not give enough attention to showing proportions for this seminar. The proper proportion is 11 parts long to 10 parts tall. When Liz Vargo and I were discussing what is proper proportion, we decided this was measured from the wither to ground and wither to tail. The point of measurement in our current standard measures from the prosternum to the point of buttocks. This does not actually work, since the dog would be very short in back.

Dog: LCA Ch. Ashford’s Fati Abu. Fati Abu figures often in Ashford pedigrees as he was a favorite of mine. He was eventually sent to Jari Partenan of Wanted Kennel in Finland. I loved his balance. He had a very pretty face and was balanced. His biggest fault would have been his softer than desirable coat. He kept this striking color into old age.

Dog: Littlecourt Gregi

We don’t see as many roached towlines or low tail sets as in the 1990’s-2000. This is fortunate. Another issue we saw commonly then was wide moving rears. regarding the tail set, it is important a breeder and judge be able to distinguish when a dog has a low trail set. This is a bad fault to have and breeding dogs with this consistently over several generations will lead to degeneration of the signature dead level top-line a good Löwchen has.

Lowchen are interesting when regarding size. Large dogs bred together are known to produce small, even tiny dogs, and vice-a-versa. Fortunately, there is more consistency today regarding size. As a breeder I do not weigh too heavily size and would not eliminate a dog from breeding due to size alone. This is easily fixed in subsequent generations- if carefully attended to by researching pedigrees and searching for mates whose pedigrees feature mostly smaller compact dogs. I do not recommend breeding predominately large dogs consistently in your breeding program either. When judging the breed, a large dog should be faulted to degree of deviation from the standard, all other things being equal.

At the time this was being used, Brown coloring had been designated as a disqualification by the French Lowchen Club, which has control of the breed standard – designated so by the FCI; as country of origin. The disqualification was removed after the 3rd World Congress which was held in Douai France.

Dog: Ch. Balatina Bonwllwn BWGI from the UK

Dog: Littlecourt Pippin

The 50/50 of f=very fine vs. courser harder coat works beautifully to creat a easy care coat. If the proportions are off, say more than 50% fine hairs then the coat will become very cottony and matt very easily. Proportions in the opposite direction will create a coat that may fall heavily with little lift creating the appearance of a flat coat.

Dog: Ch. Bumir Bien Du Plaisir

World Ch. Pan Tau Von Livland

Dog: Bumir ?

This is a puppy between 9-12 months old. Dog: Ch. Ashford’s Tiffany

Dog: Madelaine VD3 Lowen imported by Dorothy Goodale of the Berdot Kennel. USA

This is a pure bred Löwchen. it was produced in a litter by the Burgwald Kennel in Germany. Felizitas Dylla was a very exacting breeder and is certain there were no uninvited stud dogs near her girls. She showed this dog to me in 1992. It supports the idea that spitz ancestor/predecessor is in the ancestry of this breed.

This dog would fall into the range of smooth coats. We have had “smooth coats” in the breed since the beginning. In fact Madame Bennert & Dr. Rickert told all subsequent breeders to use them in their breeding programs since they help keep the coats correct. This is truly. I have used them in mine and the following generations had beautiful easy care coats with volume and length. This is an Ashford Dog, but her name escapes me!!!

Another variation of a smooth coat. The smooth coats encompass varying degrees of smoothness from looking like a spaniel to having a harsh brittle coat like a terrier and everything in between. Dog: Hja von der Bungener Heide Kennel, Germany

This photo shows the range of cats the Löwchen can come in. The dog on left is correctly coated. Dog in the middle is a smooth and the dog on the right has the poodle type coat. Photo: Cath Horne

This coat is the one of most common for smooths. Interesting enough, smooths are known to have very good movevent. Dog: Geraldina, kennel unknown. Germany

Photo: Cath Horne, Australia

Dog: Britborgens Booman

The clipped portions of the dog should not be clipped as close as Poodles. there should be a small film of coat on the skin. You should not see the skin. To do so is incorrect.