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Hovawart

The Hovawart is a German estate guard dog — the name comes from old German for yard watcher — documented in medieval legal codes and reconstructed in the 1920s from farm dogs in the Black Forest and Harz regions after the original type had disappeared.

It stands 58 to 70 centimetres, weighs 25 to 40 kilograms and lives ten to fourteen years, with a long, slightly wavy coat in black, black-and-gold or blond. It is a working guardian with a sound reputation: protective without being sharp, deeply bonded to its family, and slow to mature. The reconstruction was done with health in mind and the breed is generally sound.

Origin
Germany; medieval estate guard, reconstructed in the 1920s
Size
58–70 cm; 25–40 kg
Lifespan
10–14 years
Coat
Long and slightly wavy, in black, black-and-gold or blond
Temperament
Protective and family-bonded; slow to mature
Health
Generally sound; hip dysplasia the main concern

2 hovawart photos, newest first

Hovawart feed
  • Sorrel II, a hovawart

    Sorrel II

    Sorrel II was promoted to detective examining one suspicious biscuit; unfortunately, a parade of rubber ducks heads the wrong way.

    FrostyOtter · 1 week ago

  • Sorrel II, a hovawart

    Sorrel II

    Nothing about Sorrel II's expression is an accident.

    MerryBadger · 2 weeks ago

Living with a hovawart

They mature slowly — often three years — and adolescence lasts. Consistent training through that period is what produces a stable adult guardian.

They are protective and need early, broad socialisation so that the guarding instinct is discriminating rather than general.

They are sensitive for a guardian breed and respond badly to harsh handling; reward-based training gets far more.

Ask for hip scores. Health is otherwise good, the reconstruction having been done with an eye to it.

The coat needs brushing twice a week and has little undercoat, so it mats less than the length suggests. They need real exercise and a job.

General guidance, not veterinary advice. Individual dogs vary, and anything about a specific animal is a question for a vet who has seen it.

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