Hovawart

About the breed

What the name means and how the breed came about

The Hovawart is a German working breed whose name comes from Middle High German: hova means farmyard or estate and wart means guardian. FCI Standard No. 190 places it in Group 2, Section 2.2 (Molossoid breeds, mountain type), with a working trial. The German club RZV (Rassezuchtverein für Hovawart-Hunde) says the breed as such is still very young while the name is old: the word "hovewart" already appears in the 13th-century legal code known as the Schwabenspiegel, though nobody knows what that dog looked like. According to the FCI standard, the modern breed dates from 1922, when dogs of a similar type found on farms began to be bred systematically, partly through outcrossing with German Shepherds, Newfoundlands and Leonbergers. It was recognised as a breed in 1937 and as a working dog in 1964. The Slovenian club Hovawart Klub Slovenije (HwKS) states that another breed was last used in crosses at the end of 1969.

Who were the ancestors? Sources differ

Sources disagree about which dogs contributed. The FCI standard names German Shepherds, Newfoundlands and Leonbergers "among others", while HwKS also lists the Swiss mountain dog and the Kuvasz. The Hovawart Club of Great Britain (HCGB), in turn, cites Dr Jens Kerl's research into early stud books: most of the first registered dogs were in fact German Shepherds, and neither Kuvasz nor Leonberger is an ancestor of the modern lines. Treat the differences as an open historical question.

Appearance and FCI measurements

The FCI standard describes the Hovawart as a powerful, medium-large, long-haired working dog, slightly longer than tall: dogs measure 63–70 cm at the withers and bitches 58–65 cm, with a body length of 110–115% of the height. The standard gives no weight. The UK Kennel Club lists 30–40 kg for dogs and 25–35 kg for bitches, while HwKS says there is no ideal weight: an elegant bitch of 62 cm may weigh about 28 kg, a more strongly built one up to 34 kg, and males usually 38–48 kg. So expect roughly 25–48 kg. HwKS puts final height at about 14 months and full maturity at around three years.

Three colours: black and tan, blond, and black

The FCI standard recognises three colour varieties. In black and tan the coat is black and shiny with medium-blond markings: a spot above each eye, a marking from the muzzle to the throat, two chest patches, markings on the legs and under the tail. A black dog is black and shiny. In blond the coat is medium blond, shiny and lighter towards the legs and belly, with black or predominantly dark pigment on eyelids, lips and pads; a "snow nose", a temporary loss of pigment, is permitted. Disqualifying faults include brown, blue-grey, white and patched colours and, in blonds, red-blond throughout without lightening, whitish blond and a dark mask.

The HwKS breeding regulations aim for about 60% black and tan, 30% blond and 10% black and, because the Slovenian population is small, in principle do not approve blond × blond or black × black matings. HwKS adds that puppy colours are almost impossible to predict from the parents.

Temperament and guarding: steady but independent

The FCI standard describes the Hovawart as a good-natured, even-tempered dog with protectiveness, self-confidence, a medium temperament and a very good nose; aggressive, anxious, gun-shy or lethargic dogs are disqualified, while it calls the breed an outstanding companion, watch, guard, rescue and tracking dog. The German RZV explains that its original job was to guard the farm independently and that the breed still shows territorial behaviour and likes to make its own decisions. HwKS stresses strong attachment to the family, but also independence and occasional stubbornness; in its words, guarding means protectiveness more than fighting spirit: the dog gives warning and expects the owner to judge whether the danger is real. The HCGB adds that they stay lively and puppyish until at least two years old.

Family, children and other animals: depends on socialisation

A Hovawart can be a good family dog, but only if it is part of family life from puppyhood and the children are taught how to treat a dog. The RZV notes great tolerance towards children, yet stresses that behaviour depends on experience and upbringing and advises against leaving dogs and children unsupervised. HwKS adds that a dog used to children from puppyhood will accept and defend its own children, while caution is needed with other people's children. Towards other dogs the Hovawart is reserved and can be dominant with the same sex; with a cat or another pet it can learn to live peacefully if introduced properly, which does not mean it will leave the neighbour's cat alone.

Exercise and mental work

It needs far more than an ordinary walk: the RZV recommends at least one hour of continuous running a day plus three to four shorter outings and daily play, and the UK Kennel Club more than two hours. HwKS warns that on-lead walks around town are not enough and that, besides room to let off steam, the dog needs mental games, or it will find its own occupation: chewing furniture or wrecking flower beds. The HCGB names nose work as a good way to burn off energy and advises limited exercise for puppies while they grow to reduce the risk of injury. Fence generously: according to HwKS, a 1.5 m fence will not stop a Hovawart.

Training: consistency without force

Consistent, patient training with empathy works with a Hovawart; according to the RZV, harshness does not bring the desired result. The RZV adds that anti-authoritarian training is unsuitable for such a large, strong dog. The HCGB points out that Hovawarts, despite their guarding role, are sensitive and that trust builds slowly. Early socialisation with people, dogs and other animals is, according to HwKS, extremely important; the RZV rates a good puppy and young-dog class as highly recommended and dog sport as an excellent way for handler and dog to "grow together".

Coat and grooming

The coat is undemanding but not work-free: HwKS says a thorough weekly brush is enough, with more time for the leg feathering and the hair behind the ears, where it tangles easily. The RZV notes that the sparse undercoat keeps the coat from matting easily, and the British club recommends a slicker brush with long pins and a rotating-tooth comb that reaches through the whole coat. The UK Kennel Club lists the breed as shedding and grooming as more than once a week. Bathing is not necessary according to HwKS, but check the ears, eyes and coat regularly.

Health: what the clubs test for

According to the RZV, hip dysplasia (HD) is the best-known hereditary defect in the Hovawart, which is why clubs tie breeding to hip results. The FCI standard says that long-term selection has almost entirely forced the disease back, and the RZV that severe HD has been reduced to a few percent; that does not mean an individual dog is certainly free of dysplasia, so the parents' hip results matter. In the RZV only dogs with a hip result of A or B and free of hereditary eye disease receive breeding approval, and the club recommends a heart examination from 20 months. The HwKS breeding regulations require A/A and also allow B/B, but only when the partner is A/A, in addition to a DNA profile (identification to the ISAG standard) and the B-BH exam (a companion-dog test). The British club HCGB requires hip scoring, thyroid testing and a DNA test for degenerative myelopathy (DM) before breeding.

DM is a slowly progressive disease of the spinal cord in older dogs. A study of 50 dogs with suspected DM showed a breed predisposition in the German Shepherd, Kuvasz, Hovawart and Bernese Mountain Dog (mean age at diagnosis 9.1 years), and a 2020 report describes three Hovawarts aged 9–12 years with the SOD1:c.118G>A mutation. The test shows predisposition, not necessarily disease, so discuss a result with a vet. The HCGB explains its thyroid requirement by hypothyroidism problems in some early dogs imported from the continent.

How long does a Hovawart live?

The lifespan of a Hovawart is 10–14 years according to the AKC, while the UK Kennel Club says "over 10 years". The RZV reports an average of about 11 years for dogs from its own breeding (cohorts up to 2008; data on at least 30% of the dogs of a year) and almost 12 years (as of March 2019), adding that 12 years or more is not rare. These are one organisation's own records, not an independent study, and no guarantee for an individual dog.

Hovawart or German Shepherd: how they differ

The FCI standards place the two breeds in different groups: the Hovawart in Group 2 (Molossoid breeds, mountain type), the German Shepherd Dog in Group 1 (sheepdogs). Height at the withers is 60–65 cm (dogs) and 55–60 cm (bitches) in the German Shepherd, against 63–70 and 58–65 cm in the Hovawart; the German Shepherd standard gives weights of 30–40 kg and 22–32 kg. The German Shepherd has erect ears, the Hovawart hanging ones, and erect ears are a disqualifying fault in the Hovawart. The German Shepherd is, by its standard, a versatile working, herding and service dog, whereas the Hovawart originally guarded the farm independently.

What to ask a breeder

When buying a puppy, ask for written results for both parents and check that the kennel operates within a kennel club. Ask about hip results (in Slovenia A/A or B/B under the HwKS regulations), an eye examination, the checks the club requires (in Great Britain, for example, thyroid and DM) and the parents' breeding approval. HwKS advises buying a puppy from a kennel that is a member of the Slovenian Kennel Club (KZS) and of the breed club; under its regulations a breeder must clear puppies of parasites and arrange vaccinations before handover and may not sell them through dealers. Ask, too, how the puppies were socialised. You will find listings under dog breeders.

Common beliefs and what the sources say

• "Colour determines temperament" – HwKS says this link cannot be confirmed.
• "The Hovawart is a very old breed" – it depends on what is meant: the FCI calls it "a very old German working dog in its original sense", the HCGB says it survived more as a type than as a breed, and the RZV says the breed as such is still very young.
• "Guarding means fighting spirit" – HwKS calls it protective rather than combative, and the FCI standard disqualifies aggressive dogs.
• "A calm dog does not need much exercise" – HwKS describes a calm dog that can be very energetic the next moment, and the RZV cites at least one hour of continuous running a day.

Who it suits and who it suits less

The Hovawart suits active owners who have time for daily exercise, work and training, a fenced space and the will to be consistent without force. It suits less people who would leave it alone for most of the day, homes without a fence, families that cannot supervise contact between dog and children, or a first dog without the support of an experienced handler or a club. Living in a flat is possible only with plenty of exercise and work outside the home; HwKS names a large garden with access to the house as the ideal.

Pros & cons