What Is A Breeding Committee and Why Is It Important?

Today I turn the blog over to Claus Harding Hansen from the Danish Hovawart Club, who will reveal what those mysterious Breeding Committee's in Hovawart breed clubs exactly are doing behind the scenes, and why their work is important.

Hovawart TV: A Farewell To Winter

With Winter officially ending, so does our Winter adventure on the West-coast.

It is isolated on the West-coast this time of year. Shops and restaurants close. Tourists leave. Roads even close. Most locals close off their cottages too, as they are not build to withstand the cold of Winter when the relentless forces of nature reveal themselves and storms and freezing rain-showers batter the West-coast to change it into a barren wasteland.

In other words, perfect for a man and his dog.

The Horse Chase

Spending some time for work and visiting friends and family in Kijkduin, Holland, I was already looking forward to take Tilde to the beach later during the day. Dogs are allowed off the lead throughout the year on this particular beach and I know the place well. Tilde has been there a couple of times before and enjoyed it too. A lot of locals visit the beach. The familiar city weekend-warriors. No doubt Tilde could have some fun and embarrass me along the way.

A Shameless Sales Pitch For The Hovawart Breed

Actually I want all the Hovawarts for myself. My blogging efforts so far have been mainly about trying to scare you away, which I have not been very successful with. So for one time I will indulge myself in this shamelessly positive sales pitch on behalf of the Hovawart breed.

Photo by Christel Janssen, from left to right, Biko, Lara and Aico

What is it about the Hovawart that hooked me?

Happy 4th Tilde

Dear Tilde,

You are four years young today. Yes, really.

Jackpot

"Look! It's a Hovawart!"

The comment of the group took me by surprise. Not many recognize a Hovawart, and in Denmark, even fewer do.

Sharing Moments With A Friend

We're back at the West-coast after spending two weeks at home in Copenhagen. Walking the old neighborhood reunited Tilde with many of the friends she was used to meet almost every day.

The Hovawart, Next In "Pedigree Dogs Exposed?"

Two weeks ago I came across this heartfelt shout-out of Carmen Töller on Facebook:



The post was shared in a couple of Facebook groups dedicated to Hovawarts and quickly went "viral" - or, as viral as a post about Hovawarts can possibly go.

Is She Friendly?

It was such a great question, "Is she friendly?" I just had it difficult to find the right answer for the family of four and their Golden Retriever to describe Tilde, my Hovawart, best.

Hovawart TV: When Friends Meet Again

They hadn't seen each other in a while, Tilde and Emil. The joy of their reunion was contagious.

Don't Be A Stranger

The windchill of a strong breeze instantly dropped the temperature even further below zero. The sun composed a scenery worthy of a beautiful day in Summer and only the freezing cold reminded me we were in the heart of Winter.

Welcome, Maybe

Who's visiting?

We were preparing the guest room, and Tilde knows what that means. The anticipation of guests arriving thrilled her. Or was it skepticism, as she wasn't involved in the invitation?

Hovawart TV: Beach Blooper

My famous last words: "Come down to the beach Tilde!"

Hova...What?

You could be actually reading this because you have just run into a beautiful dog, that looked a lot like a retriever.

Maybe you had a talk with the owner, who explained it was not a retriever, but a ... what was it she said ... a Hova...What? ... ah yes, a Hova...Wart.

Pet Blogger Challenge: The Blog After Kenzo

As you can see, Tilde isn't pleased she will not be the subject of this post.

Today we join the Pet Blogger Challenge, an event where pet bloggers share experiences and tips about blogging.

For you blogger friends reading this, grab a coffee and your "what-not-to-do" list and let's go!

A Hovawart Was Born After All

The three of us reached a clearing in the forest we were hiking. Tilde, Dok-dek, and me. Dok-dek was our guest on the West-coast for the week, to escape the noise of the New Year's celebratory fireworks of the city. It was freezing cold, -5 C with a sturdy breeze. The clearing we entered offered no refuge for the sudden drop in temperature caused by the wind chill. I put my hat back on, looked down in an attempt to keep the wind out of my face and stepped up the pace to reach the other side of the clearing.

The Mighty Hunter

While we walked past some bushes along the trail it was as if a fish hook had caught Tilde's nose. In a split-second she made a sharp, almost cat-like turn. Her head positioned perfectly aligned with her body. Her intense facial expression and the focus in her eyes left no doubt. She was on a hunt, but what? and where? I looked around me but couldn't see anything, until a dark shadow jumped out of the small bush right in front of me and made me look down.

The Wild Thing And The Distinguished Gentleman

When Tilde and me were driving on our way to meet Baxter the Hovawart I was filled with anticipation. Baxter would be one of the few 13½ year aged Hovawarts I would have the privilege of meeting face to face.

The Lost Grandchild, Tilde's Roots

Family: Tilde, Eska, and Candi

Standing in front of the gate I thought it was just how I imagined the place would look like. A painting of rural contentment, with a lot of land, animals, and patrolled by two Hovawarts. In many ways, it embodied the Hovawart dream, the medieval tale of the "Hofwart" alive in modern times.

You Get The Hovawart You Want

"Tilde!" A handful of sand hit me on the back of my head, and I felt it seeping down my neck where it changed the inside of my jacket's color into a piece of sandpaper. I reached out for Tilde, who was digging a sandpit behind me, when the next salvo hit my outreached hand and the sand continued its path up my sleeve.

The Head Of The Snake

Leave it !!!

My heart skipped a beat when I realized what Tilde was sniffing. We just got out the door for a walk and hadn't even reached the end of the driveway when she noticed something and rushed over for a sniff. It was a viper - the common European viper, or adder - the only venomous snake living in Denmark.

The Hovawart That Won't Wart

After two busy weeks in which an army of workers, inspectors, real-estate agents and curious neighbors visited our house, I am now one hundred percent sure. Tilde will never display any behavior of a guarding dog. She officially now is the Hovawart, that won't "wart".

Furry Surprise

I had forgotten all about Kenzo's green stretch-leash. Yet there it was, hanging on a hook behind the kitchen's back door. I slowly reached out my hand as if it was a sacred object. I had forgotten all about it.

The Victory Parade Of A Lovewart

For a Hovawart, Tilde is ridiculously happy for people. When we meet new people, you would expect at least some reservation while her Hovawart mind is balancing the "friend or foe" scale. Alright, I admit, she does bark a little at people she sees on the road, but as soon as they enter our driveway her tail starts to wag. I am not sure if she actually thinks the barking helps to invite people inside.

Wet Feet

Walking with Tilde on the beach is a wonderful thing.

Tilde Meets the Parents

Tilde has to be a little more patient for her little sister to arrive, but that didn't stopped us from meeting both aspiring parents, Joy and Asterix. We first met with Joy for a good beach walk, and after a break, for a walk in Kenzo's Valley. One week later, we would also meet Asterix, at a dog show.

Just A Little While Longer

Tilde has to wait for her little sister just a little while longer. The mating of Joy and Asterix was not successful. On the bright side, there is plenty of reason to believe it will work out next time.

Lost In Translation

Tilde isn't spayed. I prefer not to interfere with her hormonal balance, and although it does have some disadvantages health-wise there are equal advantages as well, which makes the choice not as clear cut as it maybe once was.

I'm Right Here

There he was. I had dozed off for a second and quickly looked around me for Kenzo. He had dozed off too, but my sudden movement alerted him, and his face came up from beneath the tall grass to check on what I was doing.

Boring My Dog To Success

In our last post you could see in this video how Tilde showed some impulse control. It took a very long time to train her, which is entirely my fault, and this is why.

Hovawart TV: Pinch Me, Is This Tilde?

If you read this blog long enough, you know Tilde is a guarantee for mischief, exuberant behavior and in general, being the opposite of a well-behaved dog.

Impulse control isn't something you would expect to be a part of her skill-set.

Here is some proof of the opposite.

Puppy Fever

Puppy Kenzo

Slowly but surely, I start to ponder more about our future Hovawart puppy. She is still many months away. This month the mating is planned, followed by 2 months of pregnancy and 2 months with her mother Joy, her litter-mates, and the breeder, Laila.

The Vet Crasher

Before I could reach for the entrance door of the vet's office, Tilde already jumped up in an attempt to reach the door knob and open it for me. She was looking forward to say hello to everybody inside. Not that we have been with Tilde to the vet very often, only three times before if I remember correctly, but the vet and her staff clearly left a positive impression behind with Tilde.

Kenzo's Song

Sweethearts have songs. Me and Merete have one. And yes, me and Kenzo have one too. It usually is a song from when you first met, but theirs came later, first after Viva taught me how to chase sunsets and Kenzo showed me how to live from day to day.

Tilde Has HD and Why I Don't Freak Out About It

Tilde has Hip Dysplasia. It's bad news I could have done without. With that said, knowing her background as a rescue from the notorious Hovawart puppy mill, it doesn't surprise me. When we adopted Tilde, I knew the risk.

To Live a Lifetime

It seems like yesterday a puppy/youngster came charging in to the shelter's yard and I saw her with my own eyes for the first time. The storm called Tilde; my first impression of her character and spirit, which still holds today.

Must Run

I thought it would be good with a rest day. Now don't worry, but Tilde seemed to slightly hurt her left hind leg yesterday. With nothing broken, stretched or otherwise kaputt, it's still good to take it slow for a couple of days.

At least that was the plan, but with Tilde, you never know.

Puppy Mail From The Skies

Ping. You got mail.

I went over to the computer to read the message and was taken aback. The sender wrote how she knew we usually have two Hovawarts but apologized beforehand if she was intruding, so soon after the loss of Kenzo, as she wanted to hear if we would be interested in a Hovawart puppy. I knew the sender and I was thrilled. It was the timing of the mail which made my jaw bone drop. What higher force of nature made it drop in my mailbox exactly now?

Wizard Update From Susanne: Rico the Neighbor Lover

For the fans of Hovawart Wizard Susanne and her boys Rico and Mammoet, today a brand new update about the illustrious trio.

I also told Susanne she really has to start a blog of her own so she can share these stories more frequently, but I couldn't convince her. What do you think?

The Comforting Tiger

When we arrived at our cottage on the West-coast during Christmas Day, Tilde jumped out of the car full of anticipation. She rushed inside and quickly examined all the rooms while she was barking with a high pitched voice, "I'm here, I'm here!". She returned to the hallway when she found out the house was empty, and I let her outside again so she could scout the surroundings, which didn't took her very long either.

Little Miss Rocket and Her Co-pilot

I never told you Tilde earned herself a new nickname during last Summer. It was during a get-together with Hovawart friends in Northern-Germany. We met with the Hovawarts Emil, Cooper, and Doeschka, and their respective families.

The first introductions went good - of course Tilde knew Emil from before - and when the dogs started to play a little in the large garden of the house we rented, I went for a stroll along the perimeter with Kenzo - it was during the days he wasn't allowed to run - and I think we only made five steps when Tilde already joined us. She rather stayed with us.