Lowchen vs Great Pyrenees - Breed Comparison | Petzlover

Lowchen vs Great Pyrenees - Breed ComparisonGreat Pyrenees is originated from France but Lowchen is originated from Germany. Great Pyrenees may grow 49 cm / 20 inches higher than Lowchen. Great Pyrenees may weigh 46 kg / 102 pounds more than Lowchen. Both Great Pyrenees and Lowchen has almost same life span. Great Pyrenees may have more litter size than Lowchen. Both Great Pyrenees and Lowchen requires Moderate Maintenance.

Basic Information

Group:
Working dog
Toy dog
undefined
France
Germany
Height Male:
70 - 82 cm
27 - 33 inches
25 - 33 cm
9 - 13 inches
Height Female:
65 - 78 cm
25 - 31 inches
25 - 33 cm
9 - 13 inches
Weight Male:
48 - 54 kg
105 - 120 pounds
4 - 8 kg
8 - 18 pounds
Weight Female:
44 - 54 kg
97 - 120 pounds
4 - 8 kg
8 - 18 pounds
Life Span:
10 - 12 Years
12 - 14 Years
Litter Size:
7 - 12
3 - 6
Size:
Large
Small
Other Names:
Pyrenean Mountain Dog
Little Lion Dog
Colors Available:
cream, White, white with patches of light tan or grey
cream, grey, black, silver - bi-colored, All colors - white
Coat:
Medium to long, coarse, straight or wavy
Long and wavy
Shedding:
Moderate
Minimal
Temperament:
Affectionate, Alert, Cheerful, Courageous, Curious, Energetic, Friendly, Gentle, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Loving, Loyal, Outgoing, Playful, Protective, Quiet, Responsive, Social, Territorial
Affectionate, Alert, Cheerful, Curious, Docile, Energetic, Friendly, Gentle, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Loving, Loyal, Outgoing, Playful, Quiet, Responsive, Social, Sweet, Territorial
Grooming:
Moderate Maintenance
Moderate Maintenance
Trainability:
Easy
Easy
Hypoallergenic:
No
Yes
Kids Friendly:
Yes
Yes
New Owners Friendly:
Yes
Yes

History

great pyreneesThe Great Pyrenees could be from Spain or France because the dog hails from the Pyrenees Mountains, which spans both France and Spain.

The dog was used to defend flocks from predators but its lineage goes a long way back, thousands of years in fact. It is thought that they only arrived in Europe about 5,000 years ago. The dog was adopted into the court of Louis the XIV as a royal dog.

During the mid 1600s, the dog's numbers dwindled but the French developed kennel clubs where the dog could be bred and its numbers restored. It was in 1933 that the Great Pyrenees received American Kennel Club recognition.

lowchenKnown as the Little Lion Dog, the Lowchen is considered by some registries as a toy dog and by the American Kennel Club as a non-sporting dog.

Nobody seems too certain about the true origin of the dog but most records seem to suggest it originates from Germany, France or Holland.

He was bred to catch rats and mice and his history goes way back to 1442, with images of him being found in engravings and paintings. People think he may be related to the Bichon Frise.

His history shows that apart from being used to catch vermin he was also a companion dog to the wealthy. A breeding program for the dog was started in 1944 and they were later imported to Britain in the late 1960s. The dog was given Kennel Club recognition in the UK in 1971, also appearing in America in 1971 with The Lowchen Club of America being formed.

Description

great pyrenees puppy - descriptionThis is a beautiful dog, noticeable by the essentially white coat and his overall size, standing at 70 to 82cm and weighing between 40 to 54 kg.

The double coat is medium to long, coarse and straight or wavy and and it can be solid white, cream or white with patches of light tan or grey.

The nose is black, the eyes brown, the ears of medium length and floppy and the tail long and plumed.

Temperament:

The Great Pyrenees is an intelligent, strong willed dog with a mind of his own so he will be able to be trained and socialized successfully.

His huge size will require that he be trained because when he is indoors he can knock things over and he must be able to respond to you telling him to lie down.

As a large dog, he isn’t suited for tiny homes, as he requires lots of space even though he doesn’t require a lot of exercise. Not only that, he takes his watchdog duties seriously and he is inclined to bark a lot, and in a small place, you’ll be getting constant complaints from the neighbors.

When trained and socialized, your big dog is social, active and loving. He gets on well with children, the elderly and with pets in the home. He isn’t that overly active and will happily make himself at home on your couch and bed.

lowchen puppy - descriptionThe Lowchen is a small dog but robustly built and stands at between 25 – 33 cm in height and weighs anything from 4 – 8 kg.

He has a long coat which is available in a number of colors - cream, white, grey, black, silver and bi-colored. The single coat isn’t like that of the Bichon Frise, thin and fluffy, but is much thicker, silky and wavy and sheds minimally. People love snipping the long coat cut so that the dog looks like a small lion, short over the body and with a mane, with some hair left around the ‘ankle’ parts of the legs.

The tail is also sheared and left with a pom-pom look. People look at him as an ideal pet as he doesn’t shed much and is looked upon as being a hypoallergenic dog.

He has a wide muzzle and broad, flat skull. The ears are floppy with fringing, the eyes dark, round and intelligent looking. The litter size of this dog is is usually between 3 and 6 puppies.

Temperament:

Intelligent, bright, outgoing and affectionate, you won’t find any aggression in this cute little dog unless the owners have treated him so badly that he wants to be aggressive.

He is such an amicable little pet that he won’t cause you any trouble – he just wants to be your friend. He is a social dog, but can be quite timid when introduced to new people.Socialization and training will do wonders for him and give him some confidence.

He just loves receiving attention and is also prepared to give a lot of attention too. Although he can adapt easily to life in the city or the countryside, he wouldn’t like his owners being at work all day and leaving him alone hour after hour. He is gentle with his human family and sees to it that he gets on well with children as well as pets in the home.

Characteristics

great pyrenees dog - characteristicsThe Great Pyrenees is such a calm, independent, serious, well-mannered dog who loves to be around his human family and to please them. He is gentle and knows how to behave well around children, the elderly as well as with any pets in the home.

He makes a wonderful companion and although he loves indoor life as much as outdoor life, he is much happier settling into life in the country or the suburbs as opposed to life in the city and a tiny property.

Give your big white coated pet all the love he thrives on, and you'll enjoy a wonderful relationship with this large, amicable dog.

lowchen dog - characteristicsThe Lowchen is sure to make anyone a splendid pet as he is friendly, playful, loving and loyal. He is such a good natured pet and will make a wonderful companion, being able to get on well with children and pets in the home.

He is energetic too and will love to be outside playing games or joining you on a walk. Those who have had the Lowchen as a pet haven’t been disappointed as they all agree that he makes the most amazing family companion.

Health Problems

great pyrenees puppies - health problemsYour Great Pyrenees is a big dog with an average lifespan of 10 to 12 years. His large size means you will need to look out for typical 'big dog' ailments such as hip dysplasia.

This problem can cause your pet to be in pain and he can also become lame, battling to walk and play and battling to get up after lying down.

Also, look out for bone cancer with your pet and as mentioned previously, bloat, which is a life threatening disease where the stomach of the dog swells up.

lowchen puppies - health problemsThe Lowchen is a healthy dog breed so you aren’t going to be spending too much money with him at the vet. Some health concerns with this particular dog breed are cataracts and patellar luxation.

Cataracts:

It can be so sad witnessing your dog’s bright, alert eyes clouding over. Dogs have clear lens, but cataracts, while not painful, can impair vision and actually lead to complete vision loss. As the eye disease progresses, the lens can become completely opaque.

Patellar Luxation:

This occurs when the kneecap of the dog is dislocated from its normal position. You’ll see your dog holding up his hind leg every now and then. It can only be returned to its normal position once the quadriceps muscles of the dog relax.

This is a common knee joint problem in dogs and it can lead to arthritis. He will need to get to the vet.

Caring The Pet

Exercise:

great pyrenees dogs - caringYour Great Pyrenees isn't going to be a dog leaping around you demanding a game or walk like what you get from some energetic dogs. He certainly doesn't require strenuous exercise but will require a nice, brisk walk every day. Give him some ball or rope games too. He's territorial and likes large grounds to walk around and guard and this constant guarding is a good form of exercise too.

Grooming:

With two layers, the coat of the Great Pyrenees will need to be brushed twice a week to prevent burrs attaching to the fur and to prevent it from matting, It also gets rid of loose hair during shedding.

He tends to drool so it's handy keeping a damp cloth close by just to give his face area a wipe down. Your dog's ears will need to be cleaned with special ear-cleaning lotion and his nails will also need to be trimmed.

Socialization and Training:

Socialize your Great Pyrenees with other dogs and people from a young age. Without proper socialization, this breed can become territorial and possessive of his family, which could lead to aggression. He bonds with his family but tends to be wary of strangers.

Diet:

It is far better to feed your Great Pyrenees smaller meals throughout the day as opposed to 2 large meals a day. A large dog like him can develop bloat from gulping down a large amount of food too quickly.

If you feed your Great Pyrenees commercially manufactured food, make sure it is high in omega 3 and 6 to keep his thick white coat luxurious.

Your dog will need a dog food targeted at a large breed. Remember to include some raw meat as well as cooked chicken, vegetables and brown rice into his kibble and always ensure fresh, cool water is available.

lowchen dogs - caringBecause your Lowchen is a bright, happy companion dog you want to ensure that you look after him well to ensure his ongoing wellbeing.

The single coat is long and you will need to brush him regularly to keep it looking good. If brushing becomes too hectic, you can have him sheared at a professional dog groomer.

Check him over for fleas and ticks while brushing him.

Feel all over his body for the emergence of new lumps.

Clip his nails to ensure they don’t grow long so that they hook on things and tear his flesh.

Check the inside of his ears to make sure there is no sign of redness and ear infection. This can drive your pet mad with the itching. The ears need to be kept clean, as do the teeth and both these can be done for you at professional dog groomers.

Every dog requires exercise and your Lowchen will need games and walks to keep him fit, to ward off obesity and to provide him with something to look forward to.

Make sure to feed your pet wholesome food as good quality food promotes good health and longevity. Give your Lowchen the best quality kibble there is and try and mix in some homemade cooked chicken, brown rice, pasta and cooked or raw vegetables every now and then just to add some tasty variety to your pets diet. Make sure he always has access to fresh, cool water.

Make sure your Lowchen has a warm, dry comfy spot to sleep, and ensue that when he’s outside he has shade to lie down in.

Comparison with other breeds

  1. Great Pyrenees vs English Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  2. Great Pyrenees vs German Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  3. Great Pyrenees vs Golden Retriever - Breed Comparison
  4. Great Pyrenees vs Labrador Retriever - Breed Comparison
  5. Great Pyrenees vs West Highland White Terrier - Breed Comparison
  6. Great Pyrenees vs French Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  7. Great Pyrenees vs Beagle - Breed Comparison
  8. Great Pyrenees vs Yorkshire Terrier - Breed Comparison
  9. Great Pyrenees vs Poodle - Breed Comparison
  10. Great Pyrenees vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
  11. Great Pyrenees vs Boxer - Breed Comparison
  12. Great Pyrenees vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  13. Great Pyrenees vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  14. Great Pyrenees vs Doberman Pinscher - Breed Comparison
  15. Great Pyrenees vs American Bully - Breed Comparison
  16. Great Pyrenees vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  17. Great Pyrenees vs Affenpinscher - Breed Comparison
  18. Great Pyrenees vs Afghan Hound - Breed Comparison
  19. Great Pyrenees vs Aidi - Breed Comparison
  20. Great Pyrenees vs Airedale Terrier - Breed Comparison
  21. Great Pyrenees vs Akbash Dog - Breed Comparison
  22. Great Pyrenees vs Akita - Breed Comparison
  23. Great Pyrenees vs Africanis - Breed Comparison
  24. Great Pyrenees vs Askal - Breed Comparison
  25. Great Pyrenees vs Atlas Terrier - Breed Comparison
  26. Lowchen vs English Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  27. Lowchen vs German Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  28. Lowchen vs Golden Retriever - Breed Comparison
  29. Lowchen vs Labrador Retriever - Breed Comparison
  30. Lowchen vs West Highland White Terrier - Breed Comparison
  31. Lowchen vs French Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  32. Lowchen vs Beagle - Breed Comparison
  33. Lowchen vs Yorkshire Terrier - Breed Comparison
  34. Lowchen vs Poodle - Breed Comparison
  35. Lowchen vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
  36. Lowchen vs Boxer - Breed Comparison
  37. Lowchen vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  38. Lowchen vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  39. Lowchen vs Doberman Pinscher - Breed Comparison
  40. Lowchen vs American Bully - Breed Comparison
  41. Lowchen vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  42. Lowchen vs Affenpinscher - Breed Comparison
  43. Lowchen vs Afghan Hound - Breed Comparison
  44. Lowchen vs Aidi - Breed Comparison
  45. Lowchen vs Airedale Terrier - Breed Comparison
  46. Lowchen vs Akbash Dog - Breed Comparison
  47. Lowchen vs Akita - Breed Comparison
  48. Lowchen vs Africanis - Breed Comparison
  49. Lowchen vs Askal - Breed Comparison
  50. Lowchen vs Atlas Terrier - Breed Comparison