Petzlover
Lowchen is originated from Germany but Stabyhoun is originated from Denmark. Lowchen may grow 20 cm / 7 inches shorter than Stabyhoun. Lowchen may weigh 42 kg / 92 pounds lesser than Stabyhoun. Both Lowchen and Stabyhoun has almost same life span. Both Lowchen and Stabyhoun has almost same litter size. Lowchen requires Moderate Maintenance. But Stabyhoun requires Low Maintenance
Known as the Little Lion Dog, the Lowchen is considered by some registries as a toy dog and by the American Kennel Club as a non-sporting dog.
Nobody seems too certain about the true origin of the dog but most records seem to suggest it originates from Germany, France or Holland.
He was bred to catch rats and mice and his history goes way back to 1442, with images of him being found in engravings and paintings. People think he may be related to the Bichon Frise.
His history shows that apart from being used to catch vermin he was also a companion dog to the wealthy. A breeding program for the dog was started in 1944 and they were later imported to Britain in the late 1960s. The dog was given Kennel Club recognition in the UK in 1971, also appearing in America in 1971 with The Lowchen Club of America being formed.
The Stabyhoun is a near extinct breed and one of the rarest ever. He was never recognized by the major kennel clubs but was entered into Foundation Stock Services.. The breed comes from the Netherlands in the Frisian Forest and has been known since the early nineteenth century.
It was not known outside of the Friesland Forest area until the 1960’s and outside the Netherlands only since the twenty first century. The Stabyhoun is a Dutch national treasure whose name means “stand by me dog”. Today throughout the world only a few thousand remain.
The Stabyhoun is hunter and retriever with a soft-mouth and ability to point. He was used for duck hunting and finding upland birds. He is great in the water, sharp-eyes and efficient, he works quickly. The breed has also been known to hunt fox, other birds and small game. They are great at catching moles.
Even though British breeds are more popular for hunting now, the Stabij remains an excellent all round hunter. He can track, point, and retrieve. He is also a good watchdog though his disposition is peaceful and gentle. They needed to be general all around farm dogs as farmers could only afford one dog.
They have not changed much since the 1800’s either in function or appearance. In order to get such a gentle working dog, they early Stabyhoun has been mixed with the much older and rarer breed from the same area, the Wetterhoun. This crossbreeding was stopped in 1942 in order to gain breed recognition and hope to keep either of these two rare breeds from extinction.
Today the number of Stabyhoun in the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, North America and Scandinavia are slowly but surely increasing. He is highly prized as an independent thinker and hunter, inquisitive and gentle. They are related to the Heidewachtel and the Drentsche Patrijshound.
The first Staby born in the U.S. was around 1994 and in 2017 there were thought to be over 7000 Stabyhouns in the world. They are much more popular now in Europe and North America.
The Lowchen is a small dog but robustly built and stands at between 25 – 33 cm in height and weighs anything from 4 – 8 kg.
He has a long coat which is available in a number of colors - cream, white, grey, black, silver and bi-colored. The single coat isn’t like that of the Bichon Frise, thin and fluffy, but is much thicker, silky and wavy and sheds minimally. People love snipping the long coat cut so that the dog looks like a small lion, short over the body and with a mane, with some hair left around the ‘ankle’ parts of the legs.
The tail is also sheared and left with a pom-pom look. People look at him as an ideal pet as he doesn’t shed much and is looked upon as being a hypoallergenic dog.
He has a wide muzzle and broad, flat skull. The ears are floppy with fringing, the eyes dark, round and intelligent looking. The litter size of this dog is is usually between 3 and 6 puppies.
Intelligent, bright, outgoing and affectionate, you won’t find any aggression in this cute little dog unless the owners have treated him so badly that he wants to be aggressive.
He is such an amicable little pet that he won’t cause you any trouble – he just wants to be your friend. He is a social dog, but can be quite timid when introduced to new people.Socialization and training will do wonders for him and give him some confidence.
He just loves receiving attention and is also prepared to give a lot of attention too. Although he can adapt easily to life in the city or the countryside, he wouldn’t like his owners being at work all day and leaving him alone hour after hour. He is gentle with his human family and sees to it that he gets on well with children as well as pets in the home.
The Staby are powerful soft-mouthed pointers who are not too fine or too robust with tightly fitting skin. Their chest, legs, collar and tail are feathered and make the dog look like a longhaired canine, but she really is not. The dog is longer than it is tall, and his head is longer than it is wide. Most of the breed are black and white but there are many brown and white, while the orange and white are very close to extinction.
They have a slightly domed skull and a slightly arched but strong neck. Their muzzle is broad and the bridge straight while the nose is well developed. With medium sized ears, set low on the head and having the bottom third of the ears covered with hair. The eyes are round, medium sized and level in the head
They have a long sleek coat with a slightly wavy croup. They are never curly. Its back is straight, tail long and loin powerful.
The Lowchen is sure to make anyone a splendid pet as he is friendly, playful, loving and loyal. He is such a good natured pet and will make a wonderful companion, being able to get on well with children and pets in the home.
He is energetic too and will love to be outside playing games or joining you on a walk. Those who have had the Lowchen as a pet haven’t been disappointed as they all agree that he makes the most amazing family companion.
The Lowchen is a healthy dog breed so you aren’t going to be spending too much money with him at the vet. Some health concerns with this particular dog breed are cataracts and patellar luxation.
It can be so sad witnessing your dog’s bright, alert eyes clouding over. Dogs have clear lens, but cataracts, while not painful, can impair vision and actually lead to complete vision loss. As the eye disease progresses, the lens can become completely opaque.
This occurs when the kneecap of the dog is dislocated from its normal position. You’ll see your dog holding up his hind leg every now and then. It can only be returned to its normal position once the quadriceps muscles of the dog relax.
This is a common knee joint problem in dogs and it can lead to arthritis. He will need to get to the vet.
Though an isolated, rare breed for so long, the Stabyhoun does have several known health issues including:
• PDA or Patient Ductus Arteriosis – heart issue from 6 weeks on. Major vessel does not close. With surgery it can be corrected.
• Type 1 von Willebrand’s Disease (vWB) – a bleeding disorder in its mildest form. DNA testing is available not required.
• Cerebral dysfunction – rare compulsive behavior at 6 weeks. It is fatal at this point. DNA testing will be required.
Because your Lowchen is a bright, happy companion dog you want to ensure that you look after him well to ensure his ongoing wellbeing.
The single coat is long and you will need to brush him regularly to keep it looking good. If brushing becomes too hectic, you can have him sheared at a professional dog groomer.
Check him over for fleas and ticks while brushing him.
Feel all over his body for the emergence of new lumps.
Clip his nails to ensure they don’t grow long so that they hook on things and tear his flesh.
Check the inside of his ears to make sure there is no sign of redness and ear infection. This can drive your pet mad with the itching. The ears need to be kept clean, as do the teeth and both these can be done for you at professional dog groomers.
Every dog requires exercise and your Lowchen will need games and walks to keep him fit, to ward off obesity and to provide him with something to look forward to.
Make sure to feed your pet wholesome food as good quality food promotes good health and longevity. Give your Lowchen the best quality kibble there is and try and mix in some homemade cooked chicken, brown rice, pasta and cooked or raw vegetables every now and then just to add some tasty variety to your pets diet. Make sure he always has access to fresh, cool water.
Make sure your Lowchen has a warm, dry comfy spot to sleep, and ensue that when he’s outside he has shade to lie down in.
1Feeding the puppy -They are prone to obesity. Do not overfeed. Watch calories. Feed a high quality dog food meant for active medium sized dogs in 3-4 meals per day.
2.Feeding the adult – Feed a high quality dog for medium sized dogs in 2-3 meals per day.
An active dog that needs exercise. They need mental stimulation as much or more than they need physical. Don’t skimp on either. They love agility, field trials, lure coursing, and scent training. They also love the triathlon, frisbee and endurance.