Norwegian Lundehund vs Hovawart - Breed Comparison

Norwegian Lundehund vs Hovawart - Breed ComparisonHovawart is originated from Germany but Norwegian Lundehund is originated from Norway. Hovawart may grow 30 cm / 12 inches higher than Norwegian Lundehund. Hovawart may weigh 42 kg / 93 pounds more than Norwegian Lundehund. Both Hovawart and Norwegian Lundehund has same life span. Both Hovawart and Norwegian Lundehund has same litter size. Hovawart requires Low Maintenance. But Norwegian Lundehund requires Moderate Maintenance

Basic Information

Group:
Working dog
Non sporting dog
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Germany
Norway
Height Male:
58 - 70 cm
22 - 28 inches
30 - 40 cm
11 - 16 inches
Height Female:
51 - 68 cm
20 - 27 inches
30 - 40 cm
11 - 16 inches
Weight Male:
25 - 51 kg
55 - 113 pounds
6 - 9 kg
13 - 20 pounds
Weight Female:
22 - 49 kg
48 - 109 pounds
6 - 9 kg
13 - 20 pounds
Life Span:
10 - 14 Years
12 - 14 Years
Litter Size:
6 - 8
3 - 8
Size:
Large
Medium
Other Names:
Hovie
The Puffin Dog, Norsk Lundehund
Colors Available:
gold and black, gold, blonde
Reddish/tan markings, black tips, white
Coat:
long dense
Medium length, double coat
Shedding:
Moderate
Constant
Temperament:
Affectionate, Alert, Courageous, Independent, Intelligent, Loyal, Protective, Territorial
Affectionate, Alert, Cheerful, Courageous, Curious, Energetic, Friendly, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Loving, Loyal, Outgoing, Playful, Responsive, Social, Stubborn, Territorial
Grooming:
Low Maintenance
Moderate Maintenance
Trainability:
Moderate
Moderate
Hypoallergenic:
No
No
Kids Friendly:
Yes
Yes
New Owners Friendly:
No
No

History

hovawartThe Hovawart, is a German Black Forest breed developed as a guard dog for large estates in the medieval era. They first appeared in history in the early 13th century as heroes who saved the German son of a castle lord, despite being injured themselves. The boy they saved grew up to be a German legend. He wrote the oldest German code of law that remained from medieval times. In it he names the Hovawarts as a dog that if you are responsible for hurting, stealing or killing it, you must pay for it or replace it. No other dog had this protection.

In the late fifteenth century Hovawarts were featured in Heinrich Mynsinger’s “The Five Noble Breeds”. This guard dog breed was esteemed on a level with the hunting dogs – their health a question of life or death for their owner. In the 1500’s the popularity of the breed began to fade. The GSD or German Shepard Dog began to replace the Hovawarts as the preferred guard dog.

By the early 20th century the breed had almost disappeared but were saved by breed enthusiasts in the early 1900’s. Zoologist Kurt Konig was prominent in this effort and went looking in the Black Forest area for dogs working on farms. Using the dogs, he found on these farms, Konig began a breeding program crossing the them with Newfoundland’s, Kuvazoks, Leonbergers, GSD, an African hunting dogs and Bernese Mountain Dogs.

By 1922 the first litter of these pups was entered officially into the German Breeding Registry. In 1937 the Hovawart was recognized by the German Kennel Club. However, many members of the breed died in World War II as they were used widely by the military and not many were left by 1945. Once again breed enthusiasts came to the rescue forming a Coburg Hovawart club. This club still exists and in 1964, for the second time, the breed was recognized by the German Kennel Club. Other countries also began to take notice of this working breed.

The Hovawart has many skills in addition hunting and guarding. The Hovawart does not work for people, he works with them as he is a very independent thinker. He is also good at search and rescue and tracking. An owner of this breed must be stronger, smarter, more alert, intentional and consistent than his Hovawart. These are not dogs for the faint of heart or first-timers.

norwegian lundehundThe Norwegian Lundehund hails from the island of Vaeroy, Norway and was created for the purpose of puffin hunting.

Now that these puffins are a protected species, the dog is no longer used for hunting and has become a companion dog.

The breed decreased in numbers during- and after World War II because the islands where he came from had an outbreak of distemper. It was in 1963 that another outbreak occurred and the dogs were almost wiped out. A breeding program saw their numbers being built up.

It was in 2011 that the dog was recognized by the American Kennel Club.

Description

hovawart puppy - descriptionThe Hovawart is a proud and majestic dog and his looks match his character. He looks a bit like the Golden Retriever with a powerful and broad forehead. His skull and muzzle are the same length and his nose is black. His oval eyes are a medium to dark brown and his ears are high set and triangular.

Their chests are strong, broad and deep. The breed has strong legs straight in front with round, strong and compact feet. They are heavy boned with dense, long coats that lie flat and have a slight wave to them. The coat can be black and gold, blond or black.

norwegian lundehund puppy - descriptionAs a spitz-type dog, with the Lundehund you’ll recognize the typical spitz-dog characteristics – the erect ears and the tail that curves over the back.

He is a small to medium sized dog standing at 30 – 40cm and weighing 6 – 9kg. He is an active dog and is as agile as a fox.

He has a dense double coat which is white, reddish/tan with some black tips. He is a dog which sheds constantly.

Strangely this dog has 6 toes and his rear pads have elongated foot pads which have helped the dog be able to climb over rocks. He also has a flexible type of neck that is capable of craning back so that the head touches the spine. The dog has some unique features and wriggling in and out of small spaces is another of his characteristics. In fact he can do things that you would not imagine a dog could do.

Temperament:

When you have a Lundehund in your life you’ll agree he has a happy, amicable personality. He is non-aggressive.

He will require training and socialization as he is an independent dog who can be obstinate. He is quite aloof with strangers too and once he starts barking at them he tends to want to continue. Training him will put an end to that irritating behavior. He is a loving, loyal dog, enjoying the company of his human family.

Characteristics

1.Children friendliness yes, they are good with children.

Special talents

hovawart dog - characteristicsThey have a great sense of smell and a well-balanced personality.

Adaptability

They are not indoor dogs and should have a yard to run in. They do not tolerate hot weather well. They do great out in the country.

Learning ability

They are intelligent independent thinkers. They lengths well with positive reinforcement.

norwegian lundehund dog - characteristicsThe Norwegian Lundehund isn’t your everyday dog and in fact he is known as a primitive breed. Perhaps he wouldn’t be the best dog to have if you’re a first-time dog owners as training is quite difficult too.

People who are willing to take a chance on him say that with training and socialization he can become a loving canine companion.

Health Problems

hovawart puppies - health problemsThough their isolation protected them from genetic health issues for centuries, once they were being rejuvenated and mixed with other breeds some common issues began to show up. These include:

  • Underactive thyroid
  • Hip Dysplasia – can cause arthritis or lameness
  • Osteochondritis – causes joint pain in shoulders mostly
  • Liver Shunts

norwegian lundehund puppies - health problemsThe Lundehund is prone to digestive disorders but even so he has got a good chance of living to be 11, 12, 13 or 14 years of age with good care.

He is however, one of these dogs prone to health problems of which chronic intestinal disease is one. Its the kind of illness that can recur because it is resistant to treatment.

Experts on these dogs say that they should have a fecal test done every 6 months or so, saying that one thing a bit negative with this dog breed is that you may well be forking out quite a bit on chronic veterinary care.

Caring The Pet

Feeding the puppy

hovawart dogs - caringFeed breed specific high quality dry food for puppies. Feed 1-2 cups in 3-4 meals per day

Feeding the adult

Again Feed breed specific high quality dry food for adults. Feed 2-3 cups per day in 1-2 meals per day.

Points for Good Health

Points for Good Health – Stamina

Games and Exercises

The Hovawart needs plenty of exercise. Remember this is a mountain farm dog used to working all the time. Walk or jog with them daily. They can excel at field trials, obedience, search and rescue, agility, flyball, therapy dog, and service dog.

Diet:

norwegian lundehund dogs - caringLike any other dog, the Norwegian Lundehund will do well on the best quality food. If you buy him commercially manufactured food, check the ingredients on the packaging. Lots of these lower quality foods are made from ingredients that are toxic for your pet, so buy a good quality one.

Buy food according to your dog’s age and activity levels. To make his meals more interesting, add in some delicious home prepared food for him. Stay away from spicy, exotic foods and go for something like boiled chicken, brown rice and vegetables. Some raw meat added to the kibble from time to time can also do wonders for your pet as he requires a high-protein diet. Make sure he always has access to fresh, cool water.

Other ‘caring’ things to do to make sure your pet has a quality lifestyle is -

Brush his hair twice a week as he is a fairly heavy shedder. Not only does it keep the coat nice and shiny, it builds up a bond between you and your pet.

Check his ears and eyes regularly to make sure they are free from infection.

Clip his nails when they get long as your pet can hurt himself if the nails hook onto things.

Whenever he is ill, get him to the vet for a check-up.

Make sure he has a nice safe, dry, warm, snug place to sleep.

Keep him well exercised. A dog that is put into the backyard and more or less forgotten will be most miserable. Why get a pet if you don’t want to make him a 100% part of the family?

Comparison with other breeds

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  9. Norwegian Lundehund vs Poodle - Breed Comparison
  10. Norwegian Lundehund vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
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  26. Hovawart vs English Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  27. Hovawart vs German Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  28. Hovawart vs Golden Retriever - Breed Comparison
  29. Hovawart vs Labrador Retriever - Breed Comparison
  30. Hovawart vs West Highland White Terrier - Breed Comparison
  31. Hovawart vs French Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  32. Hovawart vs Beagle - Breed Comparison
  33. Hovawart vs Yorkshire Terrier - Breed Comparison
  34. Hovawart vs Poodle - Breed Comparison
  35. Hovawart vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
  36. Hovawart vs Boxer - Breed Comparison
  37. Hovawart vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  38. Hovawart vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  39. Hovawart vs Doberman Pinscher - Breed Comparison
  40. Hovawart vs American Bully - Breed Comparison
  41. Hovawart vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  42. Hovawart vs Affenpinscher - Breed Comparison
  43. Hovawart vs Afghan Hound - Breed Comparison
  44. Hovawart vs Aidi - Breed Comparison
  45. Hovawart vs Airedale Terrier - Breed Comparison
  46. Hovawart vs Akbash Dog - Breed Comparison
  47. Hovawart vs Akita - Breed Comparison
  48. Hovawart vs Africanis - Breed Comparison
  49. Hovawart vs Askal - Breed Comparison
  50. Hovawart vs Atlas Terrier - Breed Comparison