The name of the little dog translates from the German as ‘Little Lion’ and, in the past, it has also been called the Little Lion Dog or the Petit Chien Lion. One author insisted on calling this breed the Leoninus (or ‘lion-like). The correct pronunciation of the word Lwchen is `lerv-chun’.
This small, shaggy dog is usually seen wearing its own version of the poodle-cut shaved legs and a shaved rear end, except for the feet and tail-tip. Two reasons have been given for this lion-cue, as it is called. The first is that, back in the Middle Ages, when nights were often chilly, the exposed skin of these little dogs was comfortingly hot to the touch. Keeping them in their beds, ladies were able to use them as ‘hot-water bottles’. The second explanation is that the dogs were half-shaved to give them the look of a male lion with a thick mane of hair. The lion was a symbol of strength and power, and the little dogs were supposed to have acquired that power symbolically by virtue of their leonine appearance.
It is fairly obvious that the Lwchen is a member of the Bichon family and that it is related to such breeds as the Maltese, the Bolognese and the Bichon Fris. However, as with several European lapdog breeds, there is a dispute over its true country of origin. The fact that its name is German implies a German origin. But it was also known, as early as the 16th century, not only in Germany but also in Russia, Holland, Italy, Spain and France. The current feeling is that, despite its name, it was primarily developed in France, and it is usually listed as a French dog, although, to be truthful, we do not have a definitive answer.
Back in the 1960s and 1970s this breed had fallen so dramatically from favour that for several years its name appeared in The Guinness Book of Records. In the 1973 edition it is stated: ‘The rarest breed of dog is the Lwchen, of which only 65-70 were reported in March, 1973.
Since that time e there has been a revival of interest, and several serious breeders have taken it up and have initiated carefully planned breeding programmes. Even so, it remains essentially a rare dog. More recently still, it has been made famous by the popular American television series Hart to Hart, in which an unclipped example starred as the family pet, called Freeway. It remain’ s to be seen whether this will have influenced its future popularity.
In personality, this is a rather strong-willed dog that refuses to acknowledge its small size. It has been described as outgoing, lively, robust, even-tempered, affectionate, intelligent, energetic and sensible. It appears in several solid colours, including white, cream, blue and black. Its weight is rather variable, ranging from 9 to 18 lb (4 to 8 kg). Its height is 10-13 in (25-33 cm).
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