At a glance the quick version
Purina UK gives 30-40 kg for males and 25-35 kg for females; Wikipedia gives 30-50 kg overall. The FCI standard sets no weight.
Coat and looks how to spot one
long, slightly wavy coat
A strong, well-balanced dog with a long, dense coat that lies flat and may wave slightly, with light undercoat and feathering on the chest, belly, backs of the legs and tail.13
Personality what they are like
Friendly and steady at home, self-confident and able to handle pressure, with a natural wish to protect its family and property. It is a versatile worker with a very good sense of smell and responds well to early socialisation and consistent training.135
Daily activity how busy a day looks
High: more than two hours of exercise a day, ideally with training or scent work such as tracking or mantrailing.43
Grooming and care the hands-on bits
Brush two to three times a week to keep the coat free of tangles.34
Home where they are happiest
Best in a home with a large, secure garden.4
Company who they like around
Very devoted to its household; its guarding instinct means it benefits from experienced handling and early, varied socialisation.3
The story where it all began
Farm guardian dogs of this kind are recorded in Germany from the Middle Ages, but by the early 1900s they had nearly vanished. Zoologist Kurt Friedrich König gathered suitable farm dogs and crossed in other working breeds, and the first litter was registered in 1922. The breed survived a difficult wartime period and was accepted as a German working breed in 1964.124
Fun facts for the dinner table
- 1
The name comes from Middle High German for 'guardian of the yard' or farm.2
- 2
Medieval German law in the Sachsenspiegel set out compensation for anyone who stole or killed one of these farm dogs.3
- 3
It comes in only three colours: black and gold, black, and blond.1
- 4
Hovawarts do especially well in search and rescue and tracking work.2
Recognised by the official bits
- FCI
- Group 2, Section 2.2 Molossoid breeds, mountain type, working trial optional; current standard dated 28.03.2025, country of origin Germany.1
- The Royal Kennel Club
- Working group.4
- AKC
- Listed on the AKC website with a breed profile (Foundation Stock Service breed).5
- German Kennel Club
- Recognised 1937 per FCI and Wikipedia (The Royal Kennel Club gives 1936); accepted as a German working breed in 1964.1
The care rhythm Furry Diary remembers it for you
A typical home-care rhythm for a Hovawart. It is our own starting plan, not a vet's advice, and you can change every line in the app.
- Brushingevery week
- Bathevery 8 weeks
- Nail trimSooner if you hear clicking on the floorevery month
- Ear checkFloppy ears trap moisture, so check and dry themevery week
- Teeth brushingDaily brushing is idealevery 2 days
- ExerciseDaily walks and playevery day
- Flea, tick and worm protectionSchedule as your vet recommendsas your vet recommends
- Vet check-upSenior years usually start around age 7every year
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Where this comes from
Every breed page shows where each fact comes from. If we got something wrong, sorry, we are pet people, not a science magazine. Tell us at [email protected] and we will fix it.
- FCI Standard N° 190 Hovawart fci.beused for origin, recognition, height, coat, colours, temperament, history
- Hovawart - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.orgused for name meaning, history, weight, fun facts
- Hovawart - Purina UK purina.co.ukused for weight, lifespan, grooming, temperament, fun fact
- Hovawart - The Royal Kennel Club royalkennelclub.comused for lifespan, exercise, grooming, garden size
- Hovawart - AKC akc.orgused for temperament, AKC listing
Checked 2026-09-30. Text is written in our own words from these sources.