When in 1960 the lowchen was found in the Guiness world book record as a the rarest dog breed in the world, only few people knew how this breed looks. It was rather strange, because this lowchen had the high reputation at that time already and he was one of the most favourite company little dogs. Aristocratic people took liking about them during a few centuries. For example Catherine of Meclenburg in Germany or Italian rich and mighty the Medici family owened them too. We can find them in many European royal works of art since 13th century.
Eyck, Tiziano, Cranach, Mostaert, Coques and most of all Durer and Goya shaped them in numerous paintings. One of these lowchens was well painted in the most famous portrait of Goya - "Duchess of Alba". No doubt, that lowchen belongs to the oldest breeds of all.
He has been mentioned in the books and encyclopedias since 1555.
One French naturalist Buffon called him Bichon de Petit Chien de Lion the French proclaim their land as a home land of lowchens. The official name for him is Petit Chein Lion but the name Löwchen or Lowchen for English speaking countries.
So why is this lowchen so popular? At the beginning of 20th century he almost vanished. Aristocratic people were thought to loose certian sympathy for him due to many social changes and the fall of own prestige. Madam Bennert from Brussel obviously contributed to save this breed and brought it to a new life again. World War II hit this kind of dog very hard when they were often thrown out from kennel right on the street without any mercy. After the war only enormous care and patience helped to turn away their complete extermination.
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