Rare Breed Monday: Hovawart

Image from akc.org

The Hovawart is a very old working dog breed from Germany. The name stems from an old form of German, and translated to today's language it would mean "Watcher of the farm." The Hovawart was first described in text and paintings in medieval times.

These dogs are outstanding watch dogs. They make great and devoted family dogs, but tend to be reserved towards strangers. As all working dogs, they require training and meaningful activity.

A Hovawart works with people and not for people. They do very well with search and rescue, tracking, and other types of work - as long as they're motivated. They possess the ability to think and act independently, and require an experienced handler.

Hovawarts are medium sized dogs with long coat. They can be black, blonde, or a combination of black and gold.

To learn more about this breed, visit the Hovawart club of North America.

~ Maria Sadowski ~