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SmallNon-Sporting Group

Lowchen

The Löwchen is a continental European companion breed depicted in 15th-16th century portraits by Dürer and Goya.

Calculate Lowchen age
Lifespan13.9 yrrange 13–16
SizeSmallNon-Sporting Group
Weight15–15 lb6.8–6.8 kg
Senior at8 yrgeriatric at 12

Gallery (3)

About

About the Lowchen

The Löwchen is a continental European companion breed depicted in 15th-16th century portraits by Dürer and Goya. Declared the rarest breed in the world in the 1960s Guinness records; modern stock descends from fewer than 65 dogs. AKC recognition dates to 1996.

Aging

How Lowchens age

RVC VetCompass gives a median 13.9 years (n=193, small sample). Patellar luxation, hereditary cataracts, and progressive retinal atrophy are the defining OFA-tracked inherited concerns; the narrow founder population concentrates certain recessives.

Lifespan deep-diveAvg 13.9 yr · range 13–16Senior careSenior at 8 · geriatric at 12Common health issues2 tracked conditions
Physical

Physical characteristics

Weight
15–15 lb(6.8–6.8 kg)
Height
12–14 in(30.5–35.6 cm)
Coat type
Long
Colors
BlackChocolateSilverWhiteBlack & SilverBlack & TanBlack BrindleBlueBlue BrindleCreamFawnGold
Temperament

Temperament

How Lowchens tend to show up around their people, other dogs, and the world.

affectionateplayfullivelyalert
  • Energy
  • Trainability
  • Good with kids
  • Good with other dogs
  • Shedding
Health

Common health issues

Full health profile
  • Moderatetypical onset ~2 yr

    Patellar Luxation

    Description and veterinary guidance for Patellar Luxation land in Phase 4. Prevalence and onset-age figures above are drawn from https://ofa.org/diseases/disease-statistics/.

  • Low prevalencetypical onset ~7 yr

    Cataracts

    Description and veterinary guidance for Cataracts land in Phase 4. Prevalence and onset-age figures above are drawn from https://ofa.org/diseases/disease-statistics/.

Exercise
45min
per day

Lowchens are satisfied by around 45 minutes of daily activity (energy level 3/5). Short, regular outings beat one long session.

Related

Related breeds

Breeds with a similar size and group profile, for readers comparing options.

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References

Sources

Lifespan and health figures on this page are drawn from the peer-reviewed and organizational sources below.

  1. AKC breed standardAmerican Kennel Club breed page

    Breed size, weight range, height, AKC group, origin, coat type, and temperament baseline.

  2. RVC VetCompassRoyal Veterinary College VetCompass life-table research (McMillan et al. 2024)

    UK primary-care records; source for the median-lifespan and mortality figures.