General care and maintenance of your Hovawart

The Hovawart is generally a very healthy low maintenance breed. As well as being an important part of keeping your Hovawart happy and healthy, grooming is a great way to bond with them. It builds trust with your dog and is a great way to have a close look at their skin; checking for cuts, bruises, areas of dry skin and of course fleas and ticks. It’s a good idea to start a grooming routine from an early age, they grow very quickly so it is much easier to handle a small puppy than a stroppy teenager. They are very much an all-weather breed so a dog that is well used to be handled will be make your life easier when the winter comes, and wet coats and dirty paws need drying. It’s also a good time to check their ears and paws for grass seeds, which can be painful and dangerous. The main areas that tend to mat are behind the ears, the feathers by the elbows and the feathering on the back legs. These will need special attention but with regular thorough grooming this should not be an issue. A good quality long pin slicker brush together with a comb with rotating teeth is perfect for their type of coat. Trimming is a personal thing, the main areas that are trimmed are the ears and the feet. Trimmed feet are less likely to harbour grass seeds and bring less mud into the house.

Choosing a high-quality, balanced diet and knowing how much they should eat is crucial in maintaining their weight, preventing further health issues, and making sure their body gets all the nutrients it needs. They grow fast and in spurts so you will need to adjust the amount you feed to allow for these growth spurts. Give good quality chew treats and raw bones to keep their teeth healthy, also get them used to their teeth being cleaned as part of your puppy’s daily routine. When training you will need a lot of treats so take this into account when working out your dog’s daily rations so that your Hovawart does not become overweight.

Giving your dog the right amount of exercise is important in any breed but especially the Hovawart. When they are growing exercise must be limited to reduce the risk of injury. They are very fond of a zoomie so these need to be controlled not only for your dog’s sake but also your own as owner wipe outs are common. As well as physical exercise Hovawarts love to use their nose so anything to do with scent work can be an excellent way to get rid of some of that energy. Also, brain games and puzzles although the boys take a little longer to work these out than the girls or revert to brute force and pick them up and shake out the treats. Care should be taken when exercising with other dogs as Hovawarts tend to be very full on in their play which some dogs (and owners) find intimidating.

It is best to get your Hovawart used to going to the vets when young, once a week pop in to be weighed and get lots of treats will pay dividends later on. It will make your Hovawarts and your vet’s life much easier if they are used to being handled and can remain calm. Handling the dog all over regularly and checking their eyes, ears, teeth etc should be part of your regular grooming routine.  Just remember if you cannot handle your Hovawart there is no way the vet can and that just causes undue stress for all concerned. Hovawarts may be a big guarding breed, but they are also very sensitive so trust is something that needs to be built up slowly.