Many of you are often asking about biting . PUPPIES BITE. ALL puppies bite not just yours. Puppies bite. They bite a lot. They bite hard. Their teeth are sharp. You might bleed. It might seem relentless. Scaring the pants off them by yelling, pinning, shoving or shouting will not only do precisely zero, it […]
If you are looking for a family dog who, given the proper environment, will love and look after you, then the Hovawart may be what you are seeking.
What you will get is a lunatic who will decorate you and your home with loose hair and wet feet. He loves bad weather and revels in wind, rain and mud - and expects you to do the same!
A Hovie enjoys life and is ready to join in all your activities. Gardening - great! His powerful limbs enable him to excavate large craters in the minimum amount of time. Jogging - right up his street (but would prefer a field). His deep chest provides ample room for a powerful set of heart and lungs - you will give up before he does. A spot of decorating - your baby is capable of stripping off wallpaper, reorganizing plastic water pipes and creating designer holes in the plaster. Does your furniture need a more antique appearance? Leave your young Hovie alone too long and he will age your chair legs in no time.
A Hovie can scream in agony at the threat of something that might hurt him but ignore a really serious injury. They undergo a teenage stage, when they forget any manners and commands that they may have learnt and behave in a totally boorish manner, doing only what they want and sulking if forced to conform. This leads on to the famous Hovie sulk. This can last for minutes, hours or even days - especially if you laugh at them! (A Hovie prefers you to laugh with him, not at him.)
Many of them are inveterate thieves which, allied to their height and dexterity of foreleg, means that goodies have to be shut in cupboards or placed on very high shelves.
They are extremely mouth orientated, and possess a great desire to taste things - anything from dead bodies to disinfectant. If your playmates try to take away your prize - gulp - down it goes in one gigantic swallow. They like to carry around presents and love the feel of cloth in their mouths. They will try to carry your coat for you even if you are still inside it! They show their affection by nibbling you - fine in the winter when you wear plenty of clothes, but painful on your bare skin!
If you think you can cope with this, and more (for the Hovawart is nothing if not inventive) then you are in the right place and I would love to hear from you.