Löwchen Breed Standard
Non-Sporting Group

General Appearance
A small, bright, and lively dog that originated as a companion breed in Pre-Renaissance Europe where ladies of the court groomed it in the likeness of a little lion. Breed characteristics are a compact, balanced body; a relatively short, broad topskull and muzzle; and a proud, lively gait that accentuates the lion cut with a long flowing mane. These quintessential features, combined with an outgoing and positive attitude, result in a dog of great style.

Size, Proportion, Substance

Ideally 12" to 14" at the withers. Dogs or bitches above or below these measurements should be faulted to the degree of the variance. The body is just off-square when properly balanced. The distance from the prosternum to the point of buttocks is slightly greater than the distance from the withers to the ground in an 11 to 10 ratio. The Löwchen is strong and sturdy in bone, but never coarse.

Head
The head is a hallmark breed characteristic. The expression is bright, alert, and lively. The eyes are set well into the skull, large, dark and round in shape, set well apart and forward looking. Brown and Champagne coated dogs may have slightly lighter eyes. Full pigmentation is required on the eye rims. The ears are pendant, moderate in length, well fringed, and set on slightly above the level of the eye. Skull - The backskull is broad with a moderate stop. The muzzle is equal in length or slightly shorter than the backskull and is relatively broad with moderate depth of underjaw resulting in a slightly rounded finish to the muzzle. The nose is dark in color. Complete pigmentation is required. Coloration of pigment is black or brown, dependent on the coat color. The lips are tight, with color the same as the nose. The bite is scissors and the teeth are rather large and well spaced with complete dentition.

Neck, Topline, Body
The neck is of good length, with a slight arch, fitting smoothly into the shoulders and topline. The head is carried high when the dog is moving. The topline is level from withers to tailset. The body is slightly off-square when properly balanced. The loin is short and strong. The ribs are well sprung. The brisket is moderate in width and extends approximately to the elbows. The underline has a slight tuck-up at the loin. The tail is set high and carried in a cup-handle fashion over the back when the dog is moving. A dropped tail while standing is not to be penalized.

Forequarters
The shoulders are strong and well laid back with smooth musculature. The upper arm is of equal length to the shoulder blade and the two meet in a near 90 degree angle. The elbows are held close to the body. Forearms are of good length and the distance from the withers to the elbow is slightly less than the distance from the elbow to the ground. From the front the legs are perfectly parallel from the elbow to the feet. The bone is more round than the oval and of medium size with only a slight decrease in size at the pasterns. The pasterns are short, parallel from the front and very slightly bent when viewed from the side. The dewclaws on the forelegs should be removed. The forefeet point straight ahead, and are well arched with deep pads and the two center toes are slightly in advance of the two outer toes. The nails are relatively short. A tight foot is preferred, and a splayed foot is to be penalized.

Hindquarters
The pelvic bone projects beyond the set of the tail and is at an approximate 45 degree angle from a perfectly horizontal line. The upper and lower thighs are well muscled and of approximately equal length with medium bone. The stifles are well bent. The hocks are well let down and perpendicular to the ground from any angle. The rear dewclaws should be removed. The hindfeet are slightly smaller than the forefeet, and are well arched with deep pads.

Coat
The untrimmed coat is long, rather dense and moderately soft in texture. It has a slight to moderate wavy appearance. Wiry, woolly, curly, and flat coat textures are not correct, and are to be penalized to the degree of severity. No scissoring or shaping of the untrimmed coat is permitted. Puppies typically have a softer coat. Trim - Trimmed in the Lion Trim, the coat is clipped to about 1/8" on the following parts of the body: From the last rib back to and including the hindquarters, leaving a ruff or mane which just covers the last rib. The hindquarters are clipped to the hock joint. The front legs are clipped from the elbow to a point above the knee, which is equal to the same distance as from the ground to the hock joint leaving cuffs of hair on all four legs. The tail is clipped from the base to approximately one-half way to the tip leaving a plume at the end of the tail. The feet are clipped to the point where the dewclaws were removed. The unclipped areas must be completely natural and untrimmed. On no account should the unclipped areas be smoothed, shortened, shaped or otherwise tidied with anything other than a comb or brush. Any trim other than specified or any shaping or scissoring of the long coat are disqualifications.

Color
All colors and color combinations are acceptable, with no preference given to any.

Gait
Movement at a trot is effortless with good reach in front and full extension in the rear. From the front, the forelegs move in almost parallel lines, converging slightly as the speed increases. From the rear, the legs move in almost parallel lines and in the same line of motion as the forelegs, converging slightly as the speed increases. From the side, movement is efficient and ground covering. The forelegs reach well out in front in a long, relatively low stride, and the rear legs come well under the body and extend behind to maximize propulsion. The body should remain nearly square in outline, and the topline is held firm and level, with the tail being carried curved over the back and the head is held above the level of the back.

Temperament
The Lowchen is alert, intelligent, and affectionate with the overall qualities of a loving companion dog. It has a lively, outgoing, and inquisitive personality.

Disqualifications
Any trim other than specified.
Shaping or scissoring of the long coat.

Approved: June 1995
Effective: April 1, 1996

 Lowchen(罗秦犬)

[简介] 一种小型、欢快而活泼的狗，起源于文艺复兴时期之前的欧洲，作为一种伴侣犬，为了博得女士们的欢心，被修剪成小狮子的样子。该品种的特征是紧凑、匀称的身躯；相对较短、宽的脑袋和口吻；以及骄傲、活泼的步态，特别需要强调的是修剪成狮子状的长长的鬃毛。这些外貌特点，结合了外向的性格及积极的态度，形成这种狗的特殊风格。

[体型] 理想的肩高范围是12~14英寸，不论雄性还是雌性，肩高超过或不足这个标准，都属于缺陷，并需要根据背离的程度进行扣分。正确的身躯比例不是正方形的，体长（从胸骨前端到臀部末端的距离）与肩高的比例大约为11:10。罗秦犬的骨骼结实而强健，但不粗糙。

[头部] 头部特点是该品种的特征之一。表情欢快，警惕而活泼。眼睛在头部的位置恰当，颜色深，形状为圆形，距离分的较开，且向前看。褐色和香槟色狗的眼睛颜色略浅。眼圈的色素必须完全。耳朵下垂，中等长度，有许多刘海，位置略高于眼睛的水平线。脑袋：后脑宽，止部缓和。口吻长度与后脑大致相同，或略短，相对较宽，下颌深度适中，使口吻结束处略圆。鼻镜颜色深。色素完全是必须的。颜色是黑色或褐色，根据被毛颜色不同而有所不同。嘴唇紧密，颜色与鼻镜颜色相同。咬和为剪状咬和，牙齿大，排列整齐且齿系完整。

[颈部、背线、身躯] 颈部有足够的长度，略微圆拱，平滑地融入肩胛和背线中。当他行进时，头部高高昂起。从马肩隆到尾根处这段背线水平。比例正确的情况下，身躯略微接近正方形（不是正方形）。腰部短而结实。肋骨支撑良好。胸部宽度适中，差不多延伸到肘部。下腹曲线在腰部略微上提。尾巴位置高，行进时，尾巴在背后卷成茶杯把手的形状。站立时，尾巴向后抛，不属于缺陷。

[前躯] 肩胛结实而向后倾斜，肌肉平滑。上臂骨长度与肩胛骨长度大致相等，且两者结合处呈大致为90度的角度。肘部贴近身躯。前臂有足够的长度，从肘部到马肩隆的距离略小于从肘部到地面的距离。前肢之间（从肘部到足爪这段部位）相互完全平行。骨骼呈圆形，而不是卵形，中等尺寸，到骹骨处尺寸略小。骹骨短，从前面观察，彼此平行，而从侧面观察，显得略微倾斜。前肢的狼爪需要切除。前足爪笔直指向前面，脚趾圆拱，脚垫深，中间两根脚趾比外围的两根脚趾略长。趾甲相对较短。紧绷的足爪是首选的，而张开的足爪属于缺陷。

[后躯] 骨盆的位置相对尾根的距离略远，与水平线呈45度角。第一节大腿和第二节大腿肌肉发达，且长度大致相等，骨量适中。膝关节弯曲良好。飞节位置低，且从任何角度观察，都垂直于地面。后肢狼爪需要切除。后足爪比前足爪略小，同样圆拱且脚垫厚实。

[被毛] 未修剪的被毛应该是长、较浓密、质地适度柔软。显示出轻微或适度波浪状。刚毛质、羊毛质、卷曲或平坦的被毛都是错误的，并需要根据严重程度进行处罚。没有修剪或造型的被毛是允许的。幼犬通常都拥有柔软的被毛。修剪：按照狮子形进行修剪，下列部位需要刨除，只保留约1/8英寸长度：从最后一节肋骨向后，包括后躯，保留鬃毛，鬃毛一直覆盖到最后一节肋骨。后躯刨除至飞节。前腿从肘关节向下刨除至膝关节，距离与从地面到飞节相同，在四肢都形成所谓的“手镯”。尾巴上的毛发从尾根部开始刨除，到尾巴一半的位置，保留尾巴末梢的羽毛。足爪的毛发需要刨除到脚尖，狼爪已经切除。未刨除的区域需要保持十分自然而未修剪的状态。未刨除的所有区域，除了梳理和刷拭外，不允许将被毛修平、剪短、造型或以任何方式改变被毛。除了标准规定的方式以外，任何修剪，或剪短较长的毛发都属于失格。

[颜色] 任何颜色或颜色组合都可以接受，没有任何偏爱。

[步态] 小跑动作显得轻松，前躯伸展充分，后躯充分伸展。从前面观察，前腿差不多在平行的线上运动。随着速度增加，会略微收拢。从后面观察，后腿差不多在平行的线上运动（与前腿相同的线），随着速度增加，会略微收拢。从侧面观察，步态显得有效率，能覆盖地面。前腿向前伸展充分，且距离长，步伐相对较低，后腿充分收缩到身躯下方，且向后伸展充分，产生最大的推动力。身躯保持接近正方形的轮廓，背线保持稳固而水平。尾巴卷曲在背后，头部姿势保持在高于后背的位置。

[气质] 罗秦犬失警惕、聪明、挚爱的狗，他的全部品质就是一种可爱的伴侣犬。他具有活泼、外向、且好奇的个性。

[失格] 除了标准规定的方式以外，任何修剪。剪短较长的毛发。

标准通过日期：1995年6月

标准执行日期：1996年4月1日

原作： 酋长

来源： 转译自AKC

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