What Are the Traits and Care Requirements of the Hovawart Breed?

Hovawart: long outer hair with relatively little undercoat

The Hovawart has a slightly long body and long, close-lying hair. Its relatively sparse undercoat changes the grooming job compared with a heavily undercoated mountain dog. A substantial daily activity plan still needs space in the week.

Long hair over a firm frame

The FCI and earlier UK guide give males 63–70 cm and females 58–65 cm at the shoulder. The UK guide additionally gives 30–40 kg and 25–35 kg respectively. The FCI height-to-body-length proportion is 100:110–115.

The back is firm and level above a broad, deep chest. Long outer hair is slightly wavy, lying close, with feathering on the neck, underside, backs of the legs and tail. The FCI specifically describes little undercoat.

Do not confuse long hair with dense undercoat

The AKC describes occasional brushing outside shedding and occasional baths. The earlier UK category is grooming more than once weekly. Keep regular checks in the diary and allow extra attention when hair is shedding, rather than borrowing a dense-undercoat routine solely because the coat is long.

The AKC also recommends regular nail care with a clipper or grinder, ear checks for wax and debris, and tooth brushing. These handling jobs remain part of the routine even when brushing the body hair is quick.

Daily walks and other shared activity

The UK exercise category exceeds two hours daily, with a large house and garden in either setting. The AKC describes a long daily walk plus shorter outings, and suggests hiking or activities such as obedience and rally. Consider the time for both exercise and learning together when planning ordinary weekdays.

Compare the coat underneath

The Leonberger carries thick undercoat and has daily mat checks plus a longer weekly groom in its care guide. The Estrela has long- and short-haired varieties with a different hair texture. A long-haired appearance alone does not predict the same tools, workload or daily activity.