Features of the Hovawart breed: character, nutrition and health of dogs of this breed

Standard

Hovawart breed standard

• On a wide head, triangular, hanging-shaped ears are set quite far apart from each other. The head is wide and level, there should be no folds or wrinkles on it. The transition from muzzle to head is clearly marked. The length of the muzzle and the length of the skull are the same. The nose is wide, with a straight back. The bridge of the nose and the top of the skull are parallel. The forehead is rounded.
• Dark eyes of medium size and oval shape are located widely on the muzzle. The Hovawarts' gaze is characterized by equanimity.
• The neck is of medium length, strong and dry. The skin should fit tightly to the chest. Sagging skin is a deviation from the breed standard. The chest is long and wide.
• The body of dogs of this breed is slightly elongated. If we talk about proportions, the body length exceeds the height at the withers by 10-15%, but this does not spoil the appearance of the Hovawart. The back is straight.
• Hovawarts' legs are long and muscular, and their wrists are strong. The pad has an oval shape.
• A long tail is a dog's decoration. It is covered with long and thick hair. When the Hovawart is in motion, the tail is held high and slightly curled. At the same time, dogs of this breed never curl their tail into a donut. When the dog is standing, its tail is lowered quite low, but does not touch the ground.
• Representatives of the breed have long hair and an undercoat. The only exceptions are the head, ears and front legs, which have short or medium-length hair. But, at the same time, long hair on the ears is not a deviation from the standard. This does not apply to the head and forelimbs.
• The breed standard accepts 3 types of color: fawn, black and black and tan.
• The height of Hovawart dogs varies from 60 to 70 cm, weight - from 30 to 40 kg. The sizes of males are slightly larger than those of females.
• Hovawart has well-developed muscles.

A straight bite is not a deviation from the standard, but it is undesirable. Purebred representatives of the breed should have a scissor bite.

If you speak English, you can read the complete list of the Hovawart breed standard directly from the source. from the website of the INTERNATIONAL CYNOLOGICAL FEDERATION (AISBL)

Kennel "Gartsberg" Kennel "Gartsberg"

Welcome to our website! Kennel "Harz" has been professionally breeding Hovawart dogs since 2006.

Now there is a common RKF base. Where can you get reliable information about nurseries and clubs. According to the rules of the RKF, only people with specialized education (veterinary, canine, zootechnical education) have the right to independently engage in litter certification, identify defective breeds, take responsibility, and remove puppies from breeding. Those who do not have specialized education work with clubs. Club employees must carry out litter certification, knowing all the nuances of the breed. There are few Hovawarts in Russia. Therefore, when we meet Hovawarts at exhibitions, we see dogs not only with deficiencies in color and conformation, but also with disqualifying defects. Which the olrounder judges don't even know about. Today, the HarzBerg nursery remains the only specialized Hovawart nursery in Russia.

Our nursery operates according to the rules of the RKF-FCI. Link to search for RKF nurseries

The nursery pays great attention to veterinary support and monitoring the health of dogs. More than half of the entire livestock was tested for dysplasia of not only the hip, but also the elbow joints. Only a few Hovawarts from our kennel had HD-B indicators and 2 dogs had HD-C (grade 1). Also, none of the dogs tested in the kennel were found to have problems with the heart, thyroid gland or eyes. All dogs participating in the breeding work of the nursery have training diplomas (OKD, ZKS, BH or IPO).

The quality of the nursery’s work is confirmed both by objective data from veterinary control and by consistent victories at all major exhibitions in Russia. Most of our Hovawarts have the titles of Junior Champions of Russia, Champions of Russia, Champions of the RKF, Interchampions. Our dogs were also exhibited at European and World Championships, where they received the titles of World Champions, were winners of the National Club of Ukraine, participated in German breed tests and were highly appreciated by German breed experts.

My dogs and I took an active part in popularizing the breed in Russia in such magazines as “Friend”, “My Dog is a Champion”, “Champions of Russia”, “My Champion”, “HOTdog”, the platinum series “10 Years of World Dog Shows” "

After a decade of working with the breed, we can confidently say that the Hovawart is not a COMPANION dog, but a guard dog, which has its pros and cons. Among the representatives of this breed there are dogs that may not be suitable for owners without experience with working breed dogs. Not all information about Hovawarts on the Internet is true. Many dogs from our kennel are distrustful of strangers and are perfect for living in a country house, because... fully justify the name of the breed HOVA-der Hof (yard, farmstead, estate), WART-der Wachter (watchman, security guard).

Read more about the characteristics of the breed in the “About the Breed” section.

We take a responsible approach to choosing new owners for our puppies, trying to ensure that they “fit each other” and are interested in our kids finding caring and responsible owners. We are always happy to communicate with anyone who is ready to take responsibility for both the little Hovawart and the breed as a whole.

By choosing our nursery, you can be sure of the health of the puppies, their proper care from the first days of life and compliance with the breed standard, as well as our support throughout the pet’s life. We are ready to advise you on any issues of nutrition, raising a puppy, training, participation in exhibitions.

The Hovawart is a very beautiful, intelligent, healthy dog ​​with outstanding service potential and a wonderful character. The main task for us is to preserve the breed qualities in our Hovawarts and their offspring.

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Our team:

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Galitskaya Anna Igorevna is a breeder with 25 years of experience. Breeds: Rottweiler, French Bulldog, Hovawart.

I have been working with dogs since childhood, while I was at school – OKD and circus training, and later – ZKS. In 1992, an American cocker spaniel, Elsa, was purchased. With Elsa we had our first trips to exhibitions, where she became a BOB in competition. Elsa had a Ukrainian champion and safely gave birth to future champions. Elsa lived for 15 years.

In 1993, the first BREEDING dog appeared in our family - the Rottweiler Rus RPH Nekar Bass Annel. Annel studied OKD and ZKS from a former military border guard, dog handler Anikin, worked on two defendants, and performed in competitions. Annel also had a good exhibition career and was the Champion of Ukraine. The first litter was received at the end of 1994 from an imported male living in Russia. The second litter was also from an imported male from Hungary, which belonged to the Rus RPH Nekar kennel. The third litter was in 1999 from the male Rus Komilfo Torside, who lived with us.

A little more about Thorside. In 1998, I was looking for a stud dog that would meet all the requirements not only of the standard, but also of my personal ideas about the Rottweiler in general.

This impression was made on me by West Dick from Ajax, from whom Thorside was received - strong, with healthy bones and an IMPROVABLE psyche.

Thorside attended his first show at 6 months old. It was an NKP exhibition, where he received the Best Puppy among 30 puppies in the class, the examination was carried out by German breeders. You can write a lot about his exhibition career for a long time. But one fact cannot be missed - Torside won “Eurasia -2000”, losing to BOB girl Anita Lilu. He was the Champion of Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Champion and winner of the National Club. And of course he had diplomas and OKD and ZKS 1st degree.

Thorside at Eurasia 2000 with handler Nikitin Alexey

In 1997, according to the European Convention for the Protection of Pet Animals, surgical operations to change the appearance of animals were prohibited. After this, most European countries banned the docking of ears and tails on dogs, which led to a change not only in appearance, but also in a gradual change in the constitution of dogs. This was one of the reasons for the search for a new breed, which became the Hovawart.

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Zotova Margarita Vladimirovna – veterinarian of the nursery, handler, graduated from the Moscow State Academy of Veterinary Medicine named after K.I. Skryabin, priority area – reproduction and endocrinology, adopted more than 200 puppies.

There have always been dogs in our family. The world of exhibitions was discovered by our Rottweiler Torside. Of course, no one let me exhibit Torside. He was exhibited by Alexey Nikitin, expert, dog handler, owner of the Slavnaya Stai kennel, owner of the famous Doberman Tamerlan from Slavnaya Stai. He was also the owner of an imported Italian male dwarf dachshund, Hercules del Gota, whom I took with childlike persistence to a young handler competition. It was Alexey Nikitin who explained to me the basics of the old school of handling.

I bought my first dog in 2004. This was the French bulldog Paritto. With her, I personally won the Russian Champion and visited the training ground with my mother. Klepa (that was her name) knew the general training course and even (jokingly) ZKS. She was bred to Glenlee Night Hawk. From this pair we left Uera from Fawn Bulldogs, with whom I became the champion of Russia and the winner of the club. At this time we already had Hovawarts.

Showing dogs from early childhood (my first appearance in the ring was at the Delta Pal show in 1998), I studied anatomy and know the psychology of dogs well. Later I began to become interested in genetics and inherited diseases. Towards the end of school, I took courses at Moscow State Medical University named after. Sechenov and in 2010 entered the K.I. I successfully graduated from it and am conducting appointments in leading clinics in Moscow.

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Zotov Egor Aleksandrovich is a veterinarian, graduated from the Moscow State Academy of Veterinary Medicine named after K.I. Scriabin, priority area is resuscitation and intensive care. Deputy Head of the Department of Anesthesiology and Resuscitation of one of the leading clinics in Moscow.

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Gavrilova Natalya Andreevna is a co-founder of the nursery, breeder and owner of 3 generations of Hovawarts.

The first dog in our family was the Labrador Aina, who lived with us for 16 years. When Aina was already old and we moved to a country house, the question arose about a second dog. After much deliberation, we chose Hovawart. Luckily for us, it turned out that there are such dogs in Moscow and we went to look at them. The first Hovawarts I saw were Ashley and Ariora, it was impossible not to fall in love with them. This is how we met Anya (Anna Galitskaya) and her dogs. This was in the fall of 2007.

Six months later, litter “B” Hof Harz was born, which included one fawn girl. Perhaps it was fate, I wanted a fawn dog and Vesta (Hof Harz Westphalia) became it. My love for the breed began with Vesta, with her I began to learn the basics of training and go to exhibitions. Vesta's first litter was born in May 2012 - this was my first experience of giving birth and raising puppies. From this litter I still have Miranda and Marcus, who became the World Champion in 2016. I also trained with them, both have diplomas of OKD and ZKS 1st degree. Gradually, I became more and more interested in training (albeit at an amateur level) and exhibitions, and I liked this particular breed more and more.

Apart from my grandchildren, I devote all my free time to dogs. Now I work with Miranda’s children – Elmar and Erna, I try to find my own approach to each and I rejoice at our successes.

4 generations of Hovawarts (Owner and Breeder Natalya Gavrilova)

Character

The Hovawart is a dog that is in no hurry to grow up. She has the personality of a puppy until she is 3 years old. This fact must be taken into account when raising a dog. Forceful methods of education are unacceptable. The Hovawart breed requires a gentle approach, otherwise it becomes aggressive and embittered. Sometimes even a qualified specialist cannot train such a Hovawart.

A distinctive feature of dogs of this breed is a well-developed sense of self-esteem, so it is quite difficult to subdue a puppy. The owner's task is to become a leader for his pet.

The Hovawart is a friendly and unpretentious breed of dog. She treats all strangers with distrust, is confident in herself and is always ready to protect her owner. When it comes to relationships with other dogs, the Hovawart loves to feel superior. However, it will not behave aggressively towards its brothers.

Hovawart: pros and cons of the breed

Hovawarts are serious dogs that only experienced owners can handle. In order not to rehome your pet later, you need to assess your strengths in advance and analyze the advantages and disadvantages of the breed.

Hovawarts are tall, long-haired dogs with developed intelligence and excellent working qualities. They have long enjoyed a reputation as reliable protectors and, when properly raised, do not cause any inconvenience.

Health

Hovawart dog health
Havowart can boast of good health. Representatives of the breed do not have genetic diseases. Hip dysplasia, which is characteristic of many dog ​​breeds, is extremely rare in Havowarts. There are no problems with the cardiovascular system in dogs of this breed.

Unfortunately, Havowarts are not protected from diseases that are specific to all dogs. This is distemper and rabies, so your four-legged friend must be vaccinated. Vaccinations are given according to a schedule drawn up by a veterinarian. It would be a good idea to take an x-ray of the hip joints, especially for those who breed this breed of dog.

Also, we should not forget that worms have a negative impact on your pet’s health, so regularly monitor your pet and give antihelminthic medications once a quarter.

Toxoplasmosis is also a disease from which you need to protect your pet. The cause of this disease is the consumption of raw meat, so all meat products are pre-frozen or heat-treated.

Education and training

Hovawarts have very high trainability. Learning basic concepts (“place”, “to me”) begins with the appearance of a dog in the house. More serious job skills are instilled from 8-12 months.

Obedience cannot be achieved through intimidation and cruel treatment - the breed is focused on submission to humans, and with a properly organized lifestyle, problems do not arise.

In addition to daily walks in the warm season, outdoor water procedures will be a good means of development. Hovawarts love to swim.

If you have problems with training or when planning to participate in exhibitions, it is recommended to contact professional trainers.

Care

Thanks to the presence of long, thick hair and undercoat, the Hovawart easily tolerates winter even outside, so it can be kept in an enclosure. This dog is also suitable for an apartment, but it is prone to shedding, so you will have to brush your four-legged friend quite often with a special brush. In winter, you need to trim the hair between your pet's toes. This is done once a month.

Hovawart puppies cannot be chained. The dog is intellectually developed and, if treated in this way, will not find a common language with the owner. Often, representatives of the breed that are put on a chain become uncontrollable. It is almost impossible to restore a relationship with your pet after such treatment.

The dog is large and needs exercise. If Hovawart is kept in an apartment, then you need to take him for a lot of walks in the fresh air. If the dog lives in an enclosure, its size should be large. If there is insufficient physical activity, the pet will begin to get sick.

Owner reviews

Oleg I. I first saw Hovawart at my friends’ house. I thought they had adopted a Labrador mix. Of course, they told me that the dog is the absolute opposite, although he looks like a good-natured person.

I bought such a friend from the same nursery. There is simply no better security guard for a home. Sees everything, hears everything. True, they don’t take him seriously. But this is only the first time, then they are afraid to touch the gate, they stand and wait until I come and open it. The family is practically a decorative dog.

Irina V.

We bought a Hovawart female for protection, but not for home. There are a lot of problems with the neighbors - they drink. They recommended this particular breed. I just can't keep a fighting dog. We suffered, of course. Until he's 2 years old, he's just a huge puppy with all the little boy's habits: he runs around, eats everything, behaves like a hooligan.

But surprisingly, he is an adult security guard. Now they don’t bother me, they know I’m a serious dog at home.

Nutrition

Hovawart dog nutrition and care
Adults are most often fed dry food. This is completely justified. Hovawarts do not need a varied diet. The main thing is that the body receives all the nutrients and vitamins necessary for its normal functioning.

Particular attention should be paid to puppies. At the age of 2 months they eat more than an adult dog, which is the norm. At the same time, make sure that the puppy does not overeat.

When choosing food, pay attention to the protein content in it. A growing puppy needs more protein than an adult, so puppy food is chosen that contains at least 30% protein. Dry food contains all the substances necessary for the normal growth, development and functioning of Hovawart.

In addition to dry food, the diet is supplemented with vitamins and nutritional supplements. Your veterinarian will tell you which food, vitamins and supplements to choose. It all depends on the individual characteristics of the pet.

A puppy who has not reached 3 months of age should be fed 4 times a day. At the age of 3 to 8 months, a puppy needs 3 meals a day. Dogs 8 months of age and older are fed 2 times a day.

Feeding

Note that the breed is not prone to allergic reactions and gastrointestinal problems, which allows the owner to choose any diet.

Dogs do not need a constant variety of food. They need a balanced diet every day.

Dry food is selected from the premium segment and above, intended for medium breeds.

Feed the dog only after a walk, but not immediately - from 30 minutes to 1 hour. This depends on the intensity of the loads during the walk; the higher they are, the more time the Hovawart should rest before eating.

After eating, rest is also required - about an hour.

The basis of a natural diet should be:

• muscular raw meat (beef);
• unpeeled raw tripe and beef liver (rare);
• sea ​​fish (once a week);
• eggs;
• low fat fermented milk products (up to 9%);
• vegetables (raw and stewed);
• cereals (rice, buckwheat, oatmeal) – no more than 20% of the diet;
• low-fat cheese - as a treat or reward;
• fruits. The exception is grapes and raisins. In raw form.

To avoid gastric volvulus, the dog is fed strictly after a walk and the bowl is placed only at the level of the animal’s chest.

Naturally, the dog’s diet should not contain sweets, salty or smoked foods.

Photo: maxpixel.net

Price

The average price of a Hovawart puppy is $1,000. This price is due to the fact that dogs of this breed are not often found in our country.

You should buy a Hovawart puppy from a kennel. There, experts crossbreed dogs that do not have health problems. Also, when buying a puppy from a nursery, you don’t have to worry about whether the pet meets the breed standard.

When buying a dog secondhand, you will be able to save money, but there is a possibility of purchasing a non-purebred representative of the breed. Deviation from the standard will affect not only the appearance of the pet, but also its character and performance qualities.

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Hovawart: a brief history of origin

Germany is considered the birthplace of the breed, and the first mention of it dates back to the 13th century. In that era, beautiful, large dogs with floppy ears and silky hair not only guarded castles, but also accompanied medieval knights. For a long time they belonged to the elite breeds and were bred while maintaining the purity of the blood.

As the population increased, dogs began to be used to herd and guard herds. Once on peasant farmsteads, the animals quickly disappeared among the numerous descendants of interbreeding.

By the 21st century, the Hovawarts were on the verge of extinction and could have disappeared forever if the father and son of Koenig had not become interested in them. They not only preserved the breed, but also improved its appearance by infusing the blood of the Bernese Mountain Dog, Hungarian Kuvasz, Newfoundland and Leonberger.

In 1964, Hovawarts were registered with the FCI. And in 1983, the International Hovawart Federation appeared.

Choosing a puppy

Hovawart: puppy prices and selection
You should not buy a puppy that is less than 8 weeks old. It is difficult to evaluate its compliance with the purity of the breed. and at 8 months, all puppies bred in the kennel are tested by a specialist. The test results are handed over to the buyer, along with his tiny four-legged friend.

In addition to a certificate confirming the conformity of the breed, it is advisable that the owner of the puppy provide the results of a behavioral test.