Lowchen Dog Breed Information

The Lowchen (“little lion” in German) is one of the rarest dog breeds in the world and was famously listed by the Guinness Book of World Records in the 1960s as the world’s rarest breed, with global numbers reportedly under 100 at one low point. The breed is best known for the traditional “lion clip”, in which the front half is left long and the rear, lower legs and tail base are shaved to leave a mane, ankle bracelets and a plumed tail-tip. Most NZ Lowchen are kept in a softer all-over trim that is easier to maintain, but the show-ring clip is the breed’s signature and the reason for the name.

Adults stand 26 to 32 cm at the shoulder and weigh 4 to 8 kg. The coat is single, long and wavy, comes in any colour from solid black through cream, fawn, silver and particolour, and lifespan runs 13 to 15 years. Lowchen sit on the boundary between the toy and small groups; FCI classifies the breed in the Bichon and Companion group, Dogs NZ groups it with the Toys, and the AKC places it in the Non-Sporting group.

Personality and behaviour

Lowchen are openly affectionate, playful and unusually engaged for a small breed. The breed bonds closely to the household and tends to follow a chosen person around the house, but distributes affection well across a family rather than fixating on one person. Owners describe the breed as “happy” and “clownish”, and the small NZ population is consistent on this point.

Around strangers, the typical Lowchen is friendly and outgoing rather than reserved or yappy. The breed alerts at the door, but the bark is moderate and stops fast, and most Lowchen settle within seconds of an introduction. Around other dogs, the breed is sociable and polite, copes well with multi-dog households, and lacks the small-dog reactivity that affects many toys. Early socialisation pays dividends; an under-socialised Lowchen drifts toward shy behaviour rather than aggressive behaviour, but the result is still a less confident dog.

The trait that surprises new owners is the trainability. Lowchen are bright, food-motivated and engaged with their owner in a way that toys are often not. The breed responds quickly to reinforcement-based training, learns sequenced behaviours and tricks easily, and excels at small-dog agility, rally and trick-dog competitions. Owners who treat the breed as a trainable working partner rather than a passive lap dog get a much better dog out of the deal.

The other surprise is the energy level. Lowchen are not high-drive, but they are notably more active than typical toys, with a real enjoyment of longer walks, hikes and active play. Underexercised Lowchen become restless rather than destructive, but a 15-minute toy-breed routine doesn’t quite fit the breed.

Around children, the breed is patient with primary-school-aged children and older who handle small dogs gently. Toddlers are a poor match because the small frame is fragile and any small dog can bite if grabbed roughly. Most NZKC-affiliated breeders avoid placing puppies in households with children under five.

Care and exercise

Plan on around 45 minutes of exercise a day, split between two real walks and active play. The breed enjoys longer walks than typical toys; a 25-minute morning walk and a 20-minute evening walk plus a play session is a good baseline. Lowchen are reasonable hikers for their size, enjoy off-lead time in fenced parks, and respond well to mental enrichment through training drills, food puzzles and trick work.

Grooming is moderate by single-coated long-haired standards. The wavy coat does not shed loose hair into the house but tangles if not brushed regularly. Brush at home every two to three days with a slicker and a metal comb, paying attention behind the ears, armpits, behind the legs and around the collar. Most NZ pet Lowchen visit a professional groomer every 6 to 8 weeks for a full bath, blow-out and trim at NZ$80 to NZ$130 per session. Show dogs in the full lion clip need more frequent grooming and clipping work, but pet households almost always opt for the easier all-over trim.

The single coat is genuinely low-shedding and most people with mild dog allergies tolerate the breed well. The trade-off is the regular grooming commitment; skip a fortnight of brushing and mats appear at the ears, armpits and chest.

Dental care matters from middle age. The breed has more space in the jaw than typical toys and dental issues are less severe than in a Maltese or Yorkshire Terrier, but daily home brushing and a scale-and-polish every two to three years from age six are standard. NZ vet practices charge NZ$500 to NZ$900 per descale.

The dietary watch-out is portion control. A 6 kg adult eats 90 to 140 g of quality dry food a day. The breed is moderately prone to weight gain on inactive lifestyles and overfeeding by 20 g a day shows on body condition within a fortnight.

Climate fit is uncomplicated. The single coat handles cool to mild NZ weather across most regions; a shorter clip in summer plus shade and water access manages upper-North-Island summers. Cold mornings in Wellington, Christchurch and Otago below 8 degrees benefit from a small fitted coat for walks. Indoor warmth above 16 degrees is comfortable year-round.

Where to find a Lowchen in New Zealand

Three paths, with the strong caveat that supply is genuinely tight.

1. Registered NZKC breeders. The Dogs NZ breeders directory lists the small handful of registered Lowchen breeders. Expect a 12 to 24 month waitlist and NZ$3,000 to NZ$5,000 per puppy. A reputable breeder shows patella scores, eye certificates, hip scores and ideally cardiac auscultation results for breeding stock.
2. Australian imports. Some NZ owners import from Australian NZKC-equivalent registered breeders. The cost runs NZ$5,500 to NZ$8,000 with shipping, paperwork and arrival care, but the supply is more reliable than the NZ population can offer.
3. Toy-breed rescue and SPCA. Pure Lowchen in NZ rescue is essentially unheard of; the breed’s small population means almost none are surrendered. Lowchen-cross dogs (occasionally Lowchen-Bichon or Lowchen-Havanese) appear very rarely.

Council registration is required by 12 weeks under the Dog Control Act. The DIA national dog database holds the record; your local council issues the tag and the annual fee.