The Original Fashion Accessory!

 

The Lowchen originally gained popularity in Medieval France. At the time, the borders of France were different and encompassed part of Belgium and Germany as well as the modern territory of France that we know today.

 

It is widely held that the Lowchen was originally developed from dogs obtained in Tibet, China. It shouldn't be surprising as this could also be where the original fancy for the lion clip came from. From there some of the breed's history was spent around the Mediteranian and then spread through France and the rest of Western Europe in the 1400's. There are many artworks throughout Holland and Germany depicting the Lowchen or Lion Dog as it was known then. It is important to note here that the Lowchen predates the Poodle and the Bichon and it is highly likely that the Lowchen was used in the development of the Toy Poodle.

 

Popular history tells us that the Lowchen was used as a hot water bottle for Ladies of Court and that this is why they are in a lion clip. The lowchen still serve for this purpose today and often find themselves cuddled up to their owners in bed, especially in winter. Another trait of the breed is to sit on their owners feet. This would have been a particularly useful function in cold European winters.

 

As well as being popular amongst Noble and Ruling classes, the Lowchen was popular amongst everyday people and smallfolk. A reason for this could be that the Lowchen is a particularly good watch dog, plenty capable of scaring off theives from a wagon or horse while on the road and from the home. For traders and travellers, this Little Lion would have been a vital part of their survival and cheap to keep, easily able to survive off table scraps and unsellable off cuts of meat.

 

The term "Little Lion" could just as easily have come from their clip as well as their fierce, loyal and protective disposition.